Essay on The Great Gatsby: A man’s book? Optimistic vs. Pessimistic? 11/15

The Great Gatsby was written during the 1920’s. Taking place in a time where the rich lived a wild and alcohol infused life. While discussing his work, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald said that it “is a man’s book”. I disagree with this statement said by Fitzgerald for two reasons which are supported in the story itself.

First, the men in The Great Gatsby cause the conflicts of the story. Though the men construct the problems for the work the male characters actions are influenced by the females. The affairs, the hatred and upset they cause and even the death of characters are operated by the men there was a women behind their actions. For Tom it was his attraction to Myrtle Wilson. In the case of Jay Gatsby, it was his love for Daisy that drove him to his actions of moving in on her family and stopping at nothing to win her back, all of which eventually leads to his own death. Gatsby was murdered by Myrtle Wilson’s husband who was maddened by jealousy because of Myrtle’s affair.

Second, though Fitzgerald described his book as “a man’s book” The plot revolves around the past love of Gatsby and Daisy, and the love Gatsby still holds for her. As a common stereotype, the “romance” is a theme that girls and women typically enjoy. The unconditional and, at times, maddening love Gatsby shows for Daisy throughout this book shows a more sensitive side of the man that is said to throw lavish parties just because he has the money. While in actuality he is trying to find the girl he loves.

These two points from the book show that not only is this book an exciting read for a man, and does show a masculine point-of-view of sorts, this book could also easily be enjoyed by a woman if one were to read it. Therefore, The Great Gatsby is not just “a man’s book”, but a book for both men and women.

Through the occurrences in the book, I would say that the book is generally pessimistic. Though love is perceived to be a positive emotion, the love that Gatsby feels only ends in his death and the unhappiness of Daisy and Tom. With the other principal characters, not one of them is given complete happiness in the end by Fitzgerald, they are all either dead, or in a neutral or unhappy state after the last sentence has been read.