Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby' appears to be just another novel about post world war one America, but viewing it as such would only be scratching the surface of a much deeper, darker and depressing story. The novel, which was published April 10th of 1925, is now considered a piece of classic American literature and is seen as valued by many. However, to be considered as such it would have to meet the criteria of being able to explore and deal with important philosophical and moral topics of importance such as: love, class, wealth or death. These are but a few examples of what is considered 'valuable literature' would contain. I believe that Fitzgerald's novel does meet the criteria of 'Valuable literature' and will explain why I think this in this essay. .
Love .
One of the first themes we see in the book is love. There are many examples of love, or seemingly a lack of it in some relationships, such as Tom and Daisy and the way in which Tom commits adultery with a mistress named Myrtle Wilson who is also committing the act of adultery upon her husband. There is also the example of the love that Daisy and Jay Gatsby share, or rather Gatsby's unrequited love for Daisy. Gatsby and Daisy could be said to have an unhealthy relationship since Gatsby only had a short relationship with her, a relationship she soon got over, though he never did. Love in this novel often seems to be tainted and deceitful as well as being very controversial. We see Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan's husband, cheating on her with a mistress by the name of Myrtle Wilson who is also married. This is an example of the tainted love they go endure, since Daisy knows of the affair, but says nothing of it and tries to overlook it constantly. Myrtle Wilson, who is unhappy with her marriage, finds a sort of new life in the arms of Tom who apparently has had various affairs while away in New York during his marriage to Daisy.
