The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Richard Daniel Lehan, Stephen Matterson · 1920

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, is a cornerstone of American literature that captures the glittering yet hollow spirit of the Jazz Age. Narrated by Nick Carraway, the story follows the enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby as he throws extravagant parties in West Egg, Long Island, hoping to reunite with his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Through vivid characters and lyrical prose, the novel explores the pursuit of the American Dream, the clash between new money and old money, materialism, love, and the inevitable disillusionment that follows unchecked ambition. Its iconic symbols—such as the green light and the valley of ashes—have become enduring metaphors for longing and moral decay, making the work as relevant today as it was a century ago.