The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel follows Nick Carraway's summer among the wealthy on Long Island and the mystery of Jay Gatsby.

Author

F. Scott Fitzgerald

First published

1925

Setting

1920s United States

Genre

Novel

Read it if you like

Glamour, longing and a short book with a very sharp edge.

On screen and stage

Films in 1974 and 2013

Overview

Nick Carraway rents a small house on Long Island next to the mansion of Jay Gatsby, who throws extravagant parties. Nick learns that Gatsby has spent years trying to win back Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, who is married to Tom. The summer ends in a collision of class, money and romance.

Themes

• The American Dream
• Wealth and class
• Nostalgia and the past
• Illusion

Background

Fitzgerald wrote the novel while living in New York and on the French Riviera and published it in April 1925. It captures the 1920s, with Prohibition, new money and jazz, and it sold modestly in his lifetime.

Why it endures

Its short length, precise imagery such as the green light, and critique of wealth have made it a staple of schools and a regular touchstone for talking about the American Dream.

Quotes