I discovered this read on tumblr, as always, when people kept reblogging quotes from it. I blame tumblr that i had the impression that The Great Gatsby was a love story about time travelling. And so, i dived right in with that sort of expectation only to be disappointed.
I never wrapped my head around how Nick was so welcomed by people. Strangers would tell him secrets, people would invite him over for dinners and i was like, "Dude! You dont tell a long lost classmate about you having an affair on the first reunion, much less introduce the woman to him!" I never got over the reason why Gatsby was so head over heels for Daisy either. There was very little explanation why they were even attracted to one another. Also, their love story was told from Nick's, an outsider, point of view. It is ineffective for the romance genre because it lacks personal moments for the readers to understand and feel the characters' love for each other.
And so, I was confused upon reaching the end of the book. Not only did i not understand their love, Daisy eventually abandoned Gatsby and Gatsby died because of her. What had i just read? This was hands down one of the worst romance book i've ever read. Unconvinced by my own disappointment, i went to Sparknote it and i came to the realisation why i was disappointed.
Because this is not a book about romance (or time travelling.).
It is an allegoric book.
I suck at understanding and interpreting allegoric book.
Sure, it is a love story between Gatsby and Daisy but the romance is just a coverup, a metaphor of the 1920's American society (which is another reason why i couldnt relate properly because i had zero knowledge about their culture back then). With this renewed vision, the incidents in the book began to make sense. Appreciation soon replaced disappointment. And it is indeed a fantastic read.
If you are looking for romance, skip this book. Try the movie instead. There are still some allegoric elements in the film but they played up the love story more. The visuals are stunning. The castle, the parties, the facial expressions... it all helps in making me fully realise the depth of Gatsby's love for Daisy. Plus, i really enjoyed the way Baz Luhrmann shot the romantic scenes. I honestly think that this story is a story that looks way better on screen than in the mind because of the lavish lifestyles and extravagant details. (Or was it because i hate reading long descriptions which hindered the way i visualised the story setting?)
The ultimate question: did i regret reading the book? No. I still think it was a wonderful read despite the small misunderstanding at the beginning haha. Both the book and the movie were amazing in their own way. Absolutely amazing.
PS, i realised why characters were so open towards Nick after watching the movie. Tobey Maguire acted as Nick and come on, you look at Tobey Maguire's face and you instantly and instinctively want to trust that guy. He just has a very... warm, trustworthy, guy-next-door feel. There's a reason why he is the perfect spiderman ok? Great casting right there.
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