John G. answered • 05/04/16
Tutor
New to Wyzant
Experienced Educator/8 years Teaching/Social Sciences, Earth and Space
It is a book of fiction set in a very real time and place of American history called the Roaring Twenties. It takes place in Long Island, New York set among the upper class citizens who for all intents and purposes were living in a dream world completely devoid of the actual hardships that the average American family were facing at the time. It is a novel that characterizes a segment of society by telling the story of all the trials and tribulations of human kind. The ones no one is immune to no matter how much wealth and social clout they may have. It is a heart-wrenching story of life where the ideals of a person's wealth, fashion, and fancy cars and homes were supposed to represent happiness and immunity to the lower class. There was great divide between the rich and the poor ( one may argue we are in an era comparable to the roaring twenties now) It is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald who captures a cross-section of American culture and history all while telling the story of a man named Gatsby whose life starts in poverty and rises to be one of the elitists of a wealthy society. However, money and wealth have never been able to buy happiness or keep someone from avoiding emotional hardships like the loss of love and the anguish and fear of death. (that should get you thinking)
