
Cass W.
asked 07/19/13Is the Great Gatsby still relevant?
Why should students be required to read the Great Gatsby? How is it relatable for kids today?
18 Answers By Expert Tutors

Mark V. answered 09/25/15
Award Winning Essayist Coaches Writing, English Lit, ACT, SAT, ESOL
Gatsby remains relevant as it presents the dark side of the American Dream and does so with unusual panache. The shimmering surfaces of Fitzgerald's prose mirror the daylight optimism of the Dream, reflecting the self-image of an ideal society wherein talent and hard work routinely get rewarded.
But not everything is as it seems.
http://tinyurl.com/Gatsby-in-American-Lit

Susan K. answered 08/07/13
Knowledgeable tutor /coach - writing /critical thinking expert
I once asked a class of high school students in a rigorous private school who were reading The Great Gatsby if they found it relevant today. To my surprise, they generally said no. I think The Great Gatsby is extremely relevant today. It is "the great American tragedy" that speaks to common, timeless themes of wealth, class, love and loss, envy, and, moreover, identity. Jay Gatsby, we learn, is not at all who he says he is. He is a person created of his own imagination. This leads me to inquire: who am I? what persona do I present to various "publics" and what is my true self? We all put on different "faces" depending on who we are with, but who has ever really created a self based entirely on a fiction that is so entrenched in the person's mind that he actually believes he is who he says he is?

Davis P. answered 07/19/13
Patient, kind, & creative: I make learning interesting
Think about your friends, neighbors and classmates. Have you ever known anyone who was full of mystery? Is there a wealthy person your community that people wonder where all of their money came from? Have you ever lost a boy / girl friend and tried to get them back? Are deceptive people part of your community? Do you know an extremely charming person, who later seemed quite different? Is it easy to have lots of people around you, but few true friends? Do you know someone who is fundamentally decent and a marvelous story teller? If the answers to the majority of these questions is 'yes,' then you will find Gatsby very 'relatable.' Apart from being 'required reading,' this is a novel which you should want to become acquainted with.

Quynh N. answered 11/11/14
Efficient and Effective Professional Tutor (all subjects/age)

Whitney K. answered 09/25/13
Whitney- English and Special Needs tutor
Steve M. answered 08/01/13
Spanish, ESL and History tutor
Love is always relevant. Human frailty in the presence of danger is too. The accumulation of wealth is always full of imponderable consequences. Scott Fitzgerald suffered mightily in his life, and the tale of suffering in its myriad of ways is a classic theme in literature.
Katherine D. answered 07/20/13
Elementary/Middle School Math and Science Tutor
I think this book has a lot to do with society today. The characters in the book lead lavish lifestyles with a lot of waste. In today's world, people need to be more environmentally aware. Do we really need to replace our working televisions for a bigger screen? Do we need new game systems every 5 years? What happens to the old systems? Greed is a major theme in this book, with relevance to how humans suffer the consequences.
Patrice K. answered 07/20/13
English Grammar and Proficient Communication Success
Like all classic literature and other art, students learn thematic lessons, characterization, and interpretation when a teacher makes connections so that students identify with the message. I would suggest that the classics, along with all genres, are only as good as the approach to the text. It can be fun and intriguing or it can be boring and outdated. The way the literature is presented and explored is the key to ensuring the students engage with the words on the page. A creative instructor can change the way you view any subject. Think about the teachers you enjoyed and the ones you did not. You will begin to see that the content is not what students dread, but rather, the way in which they are introduced to the subject. Learning happens naturally when the teacher is creative in engaging the students in the literature. It is no longer acceptable to assign, discuss, and test. That is so old school and yesterday. Teachers must understand the importance of their audience, the advanced and socially adept students of 2013! Even The Great Gatsby can be cool, but like all subjects, it must be approached with an attitude, technology, involvement, and creative projects that are so cool the students forget they are actually learning.

Clieve C. answered 04/12/21
ELA Tutor, Academic/Executive Skills Coach, Reading/Writing Coach
Jay Gatsby steals the identity of someone else and reinvents himself as someone he believes others will admire. Everything about his life is fabricated other than his very real desire to be accepted into a certain social class. Think about Jay in the age of social media, where in a handful of posts, videos or tweets, you can become someone completely different. How many "Gatsby's" do you know who have made themselves famous by digitally altering their images, creating imaginary wealth, or constructing a fictional life through Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter? Our value is too often determined by what we appear to have, and who people think we are. Whereas Jay had to take someone's identity in the novel, a modern Gatsby could create a very believable identity out of thin air. This book is still very relevant as it addresses issues of social caste, materialism, and acceptance, all issues that preoccupy the modern personality.

Vernon L. answered 09/25/20
MFA student eager to pass on my love of language and writing
Endlessly. The Great Gatsby is a warning, like most of Fitzgerald's works, against the pratfalls of Capitalism. There is a shiny veneer on the surface of Gatsby's life, like a bronze foil over a plastic trophy. In Gatsby specifically, Fitzgerald points out the way that the American ideal of the accumulation of wealth does not lead to fulfillment in anyone. Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom all suffer greatly for their dedication to their lifestyles. Even Jay himself, whose intentions are the most noble (in a way--there is something to be said about the Feminism of Gatsby, but that's a whole other issue) is punished for his approach to win the heart of Daisy, leading ultimately to his death.

Cheryl D. answered 09/07/20
Expert in English and grammar
"Gatsby" has been turned into a verb in informal English in the past few years. That's another reason the story is still relevant. To Gatsby is to make a gesture so grand that it catches the attention of a certain person, often a romantic interest. In the book, Jay Gastby throws lavish parties that eventually attracts the woman he has loved and lost. The new trend usually involves social media.
Janet M. answered 05/22/20
Creative, Holistic Tutor, Specializing in Reading, Writing and Art
The Great Gatsby is still relevant because there will always be wealthy, powerful people who influence others. Readers are able to reflect upon that influence, as well as find parallel examples in the daily news for comparison and contrast. This book is a great way to help students explore values and humanity in relationship to money.
Great Gatsby shows the corruption and the spiritual vacuum that are behind the American dream of materialism and wealth. Just think about it. How often do you hear about wealthy people in powerful positions abusing power or engaged in corruption? Think about the Biblical saying that it is harder for a camel to get through the eye of needle than it is for rich man to get to heaven.
Steven F. answered 07/23/19
Former university professor, expert in all areas of English language
For those who would like the opinion of a scholar on Fitzgerald and “Gatsby”, in 2014 Maureen Corrigan published So We Read On: How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures. Reading it might also help you decide for yourself the relevance of the novel today.

Sarah F. answered 04/21/15
Professional and Technical Writer in Graduate Studies

Katrina B. answered 01/10/15
Writer, Proofreader, Editor (M.A. English/B.A. English and French)

Mike C. answered 07/20/13
Enthusiastic Tutor for Middle and High School Students
I think it still has some relevance in modern society in that even though some of the characters in the book lead lavish lifestyles, they are really poor excuses of human beings. Simply compare them to some of the more obnoxious celebrities in America today and you can see the common thread.

Thera M. answered 07/19/13
English/Computer tutor
I have graduated high school and (community) college in New York without ever being asked to read this book. I believe it is considered an American classic and teachers are still assigning it due to tradition. There are many modern novels that would be more engaging and interesting to students. Also, depending on the state where they teach, many teachers are following a curriculum set up by someone who is never in the classroom. The opportunity for teachers to hand pick literature for their students can be very limited.
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Kate H.
The Great Gatsby is a great American Novel. It reflects the over the top excess that was in America in the Roaring 1920's before the Great Depression. Fitzgerald reflected on the struggle between time and fate. The American Dream was not fully achieved by Gatsby as he did not win his true love Daisy and died alone. While he succeeded financially in the American Dream Gatsby's heart was empty.08/12/19