Color Me Cultured - The Great Gatsby - Book Club Part One

Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan (image via The Great Gatsby on Facebook)

I know it hasn't exactly been "reading weather" lately but we must focus up nonetheless. The Great Gatsby is coming to theatres in a couple of weeks! You could go into it not knowing the story at all, or just knowing what you remember from junior high, or you could read along with us as we explore the depths of this American classic.

Contributing to the book club discussion this time is Pat, my mother, Sue, my mother-in-law, Katie C, my sister-in-law, Katie G of Dream Till Green and our in-house literary expert, Meredith.

I also asked John, my father-in-law, if he wanted to read along and here's his review of the work.

"The Great Gatsby is a story about love, deception, greed, lust and unbridled enthusiasm. You see, Erin, Jay Gatsby was a simple country boy… some might say a cockeyed optimist, who got mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue. That’s what led to Jay Gatsby’s downfall." 

If you haven't read it yet and want to read it before hearing our opinions the questions are on this post here: The Great Gatsby - Questions for Reading

And now, to our panel of ladies who read the novel and have shared their take on each question.

Q1: Who is Jay Gatsby? What are your first impressions?

Pat: My first impression of Gatsby was that he's a " rich social misfit"

Sue: Jay Gatsby is a complete mystery man...lots of money, but very unapproachable....and frankly, as a reader, I never really connected with him at all.  You know he has a super fantastic home and puts on these wild parties, but he doesn't even seem to even partake in he parties..he likes to observe other people (many of whom were not even invited by him)  enjoy all of his money...very odd.

Katie C: a Mystery. Capital M. A mystery to his readers, a mystery to his guests, a mystery to his neighbors. First impressions, of course. An obviously wildly wealthy man, who throws gigantic parties but may or may not have any close friends. But his house is beautiful. And so is his car. And his lawn. When I pictured him in the beginning, I pictured Robert Redford... then after we got to know him a bit, I pictured Leonardo DiCaprio. Hmmm...

Katie G: He's a mysterious wealthy man. My first impression is that he is misunderstood. Everyone thinks he's a murderer, but I like to give characters a chance, so I never believed that. I just thinks it's weird that no one really knows anything about him.

Meredith: Jay Gatsby is almost too good to be true when you first hear about him, and then upon first meeting him (prior to Nick actually meeting him) he seems like a man whom despite having everything actually has nothing as he stands out in his backyard away from the party going on at his house, reaching across the lake to a light on the other side. 

Erin: He is a man who tries to create an atmosphere of busy, amusement in hopes that his planning and party throwing will distract his singularly focused mind. He wants to be the talk of the town but remain a mystery because he as a person isn't incredibly interesting.

Get the rest of today's questions by clicking the "Read More" link below.

Q2: What is Nick Carraway's role in the novel? Consider Nick's father's advice in chapter one: "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Does telling the story from Nick's point of view make it more believable? What are our narrator's motivations? Why is he telling us this story?

Pat: Nick seemed based in Reality, observer of life/people. As the narrator I trusted his storytelling because I thought he was kind of normal. His Dad's advice sounds practical but gives Nick an " out" from judgment against the social more's. I found him somewhat believable but having gaps in reasoning.

Sue: Nick is narrator and observer of the entire story...the story is told from his perspective. Nick came from a well-to-do midwestern family, but relative to the money in the East, he was considered poor.  I think this is a story about mis-judging people  --based on the amount of money they have, the color of their skin, their religious views.  I think telling the story from Nick's point of view does make it more believable, because he is able to act as the observer of all of the drama that goes on...he lives on the edge of it, and never really becomes part of the drama.  I believe he is telling the story to reinforce with the reader  that having alot of money does not take away your past problems and does not mean you live a perfect life-yet so many people are desperately reaching for the affluent life.

Katie C: narrator, story teller, novice, friend of mine (could be?) voice of reason. I find his fathers statement, after witnessing the wealth on the East and West Egg, rather ironic. Nick, who lives in a small modest house, who makes a modest living, living amongst the richest of the rich on long island. And HES had advantages? Nicks thoughts are all of our thoughts as were reading this book, and reading Daisy's narcissism, and Tom's arrogance, and Gatsby's wealth. Hes like one of us. Just watching from the outside.

Katie G: Nick Carraway is the voice of the novel. We are experiencing everything through his eyes and mind. I do believe that Nick's point of view makes everything more believable. I think Fitzgerald did a good job developing Nick's character into a person that the reader can trust. He's a good Midwestern guy that's gone to Yale and fought in the war. What more of a golden guy can he be? I think Nick is telling us this story to show us how crazy love can be and how crazy wealthy people can be. 

Meredith: Nick's purpose is to make all the eccentricity relate-able.  He provides a link between the real world and the people of East and West Egg.  He is inserted as the narrator of this story to give everyone a chance despite their flaws. He sees the best in people and was raised to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  He made Daisy intoxicating instead of obnoxious, Tom was successful instead of an abusive bully, and Gatsby was a man of mystery instead of a self conscious control freak who used his money to get his way. 

Erin: Nick serves as our outside-insider. I try to put myself into his shoes as he interacts with the characters throughout the novel which makes it more believable to me. Nick is a kind of middle-of-the-road, normal guy who is both impressed and appalled by the wealth around him. At the beginning of the story I thought Nick's father's advice was because Nick was well off and would have it easier throughout life but by the end I think the story begins with that quote because Nick had the advantage of a normal and adjusted upbringing. By the end of the story I was almost glad to be "normal" and not of East Egg money... I mean, I'd take it but I'm OK without.

Q3: Whom do you think the characters in The Great Gatsby represent? Do they seem like real people? Which characters seem the most real to you? 

Pat: Characters represent the social classes portrayed as people. Most of them seemed real but a bit "over the top".

Sue: I think the characters represent the different classes of our society. I do think the characters seem like real people - blue collar and very affluent individuals.

Katie C: Its funny, because in the beginning, 1/3 of me wants to punch everyone in the face, 1/3 of me wants to hang out with them, and 1/3 of me wants to be a fly on the wall, which fortunately is what we get to be by reading this story. They are very real people. "The Buchanans" are "The Kardashians." No doubt that these people exist today in 2013.

Katie G: I don't know what the whom the characters represent, but I can tell you that they do seem like real people. I think Fitzgerald did a wonderful job developing all his characters. It's one of the best things about this book. No matter how crazy the storyline gets, you feel like you're there with the characters and you feel for them.

Meredith: Nick is the only character who seems real to me.  As he works to take in all that is the people of East and West Egg, his inability to relate at times makes him someone the reader can in fact relate to.  I think that each of the other characters in this book is meant to represent the elite of the elite, from the #1 athlete to untouchable business man who could get away with murder if he wanted to.  It's as if Fitzgerald is writing these characters from an outsider's perspective embellishing on their personalities because he knows not how they truly act and behave.  But then again perhaps he knows this society so well that he is capable of pick apart their greatest faults, understand them, and they turn it against these people.

Erin: This could go a million different ways but I think the characters represent society at large while also each representing a personality trait. Tom is arrogant, Daisy, narcissistic, Jordan is proud, Gatsby is insecure. Each is an exaggerated version of people in your own life and it shows the positives and negatives of each trait. 

Q4: What are your emotions towards Daisy throughout the story?

Pat: I can never get behind her. She's just too much for me. She treats the other characters poorly and I do feel bad at the beginning when we learn about Tom's affair but she knows about it and isn't standing up for herself so I can't support her.

Sue: I never really connect with Daisy, and by the end of the book, see that she is really a flawed individual... she cares more about herself than anyone else, and is desperately trying to live an affluent lifestyle.  You see little glimpses of a softer side in her love for Gatsby, but she "ditches" him early in her life and again after the accident.  She does not truly love him enough to give up her lifestyle. 

Katie C: What a narcissistic, sad, beautiful B*. I hate her, I love her, I feel bad for her. (Beginning, middle, end).

Katie G: For me, Daisy just seems like a hot mess. All I envision is a fabulously dressed woman who doesn't know how to handle men, money, or love. Sometimes you fantasize about being a wealthy person who goes to parties and dresses impeccably, but this girl has it wrong. When I start to read more about the love triangle I get annoyed with her.

Meredith: From the moment she enters the story I think she has received more than she deserves in life, never wanting for anything, and never learning what it means to work to achieve anything.  

Erin: Love and hate. Sometimes I want to tip back a lemonade with her, others I want to flick her between the eyes. I felt sorry for her at the beginning and towards the end I am angry with her for everything.

That's all for now folks. Check back in next week for the rest of the answers!