"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter-- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms faster....And one fine morning-- So we beat on, boats against the current, born ceaselessly into the past." -F. Scott Fitzgerald

This May marked the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece about obsession and wealth in 1920s America. Since its publication, the novel has transcended expectations, becoming one of American literature's greatest pieces.

It's been adapted into a Broadway musical and four films, which have cemented its place in American pop culture. But what makes this story so iconic, and why has its popularity only increased with time?

"The story is obviously unimportant"

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In a review for the Chicago Tribune, American journalist H. L. Mencken wrote off The Great Gatsby as an "obviously unimportant" story that could never be put on the same shelf with other Fitzgerald novels.

This sentiment was present in many early reviews, which described the novel as being too cynical or a flat-out waste of time. While these opinions could be rooted in critiques of the book's style, it can also come down to the pessimism of the novel itself. At a time when Americans were optimistic about their future (with the booming economy and the hope for social change), a novel that had such a bleak outlook on the Jazz Age felt out of place. The novel is told by Nick Carraway, a bond salesman, who recalls one summer in New York that's haunted him since. In his recollection, he describes "West Egg," home to New York's newly rich, and "East Egg," where old money resides. The characters include Daisy Buchanan, Nick's wealthy cousin, her husband Tom, their friend Jordan Baker, the mysterious and newly-rich Mr. Gatsby, and George and Myrtle Wilson, who live in poverty. The initial glamour and optimism of the summer quickly faded, leaving Nick with nothing but disillusionment and substance abuse. This prompts him to check into a psychiatric facility and reflect on the tainted memories of his past.

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The American Dream

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It's impossible to discuss The Great Gatsby without mentioning the American Dream. This idea that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success in America is an ideal that has persisted throughout the nation's history, yet Fitzgerald seems unconvinced. Jay Gatsby is the personification of the American dream.

While the main cast of characters were born into old wealth, Gatsby was born on a farm and doesn't have an Ivy League degree. What Nick eventually learns is that the young Jay Gatsby (real name James Gatz) always yearned for more, and during his youth in dusty North Dakota, he worked to improve himself by keeping extensive to-do lists and goals for the week. He learned about class by being a mentor to Dan Cody, a tycoon, and after the war, Gatsby made his money through selling alcohol illegally.

But Gatsby's success doesn't satisfy him: he still clings to the past and holds impossible dreams like being with Daisy. Not only that, but his success was achieved through illegal business instead of being achieved through equal opportunities and honest work. In that sense, Gatsby portrays the American dream as being vapid and even non-existent.

While the Jazz Age was celebrated for its economic prosperity, and the novel centers on the mega-rich, Fitzgerald doesn't glamorize wealth. Nick reflects on the Buchanas, noting that they were reckless people who went from place to place causing problems, only to retreat"...back into their money [....] and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (page 146). Their extreme wealth is then contrasted with the poverty of the Valley of Ashes, where George and Myrtle Wilson are destined to die in the same poverty they were born into. They will never be able to "move up" in life or accomplish the American dream, because to Fitzgerald, this dream isn't compatible with reality.

Why do we care?

What makes The Great Gatsby so relevant is its cynical take on the American dream, which resonates with new generations of disillusioned Americans who grow up believing in an idyllic world, only to grow up and realize that their expectations fall short. In that sense, it's a quintessential coming-of-age story, even though none of the characters are entering adulthood. It's a story about idealistic dreamers who realize that their dreams don't line up with reality.

The complex and changing times of the 1920s reflect the cultural conflicts that have persisted. While the world today bears almost no resemblance to the Jazz Age, the age-old themes of wealth, class, and new vs. old have continued to resonate with readers for the past century. Even more so, these themes of cultural uncertainty and the corruption of wealth have only become more talked about in recent times.

In that sense, F. Scott Fitzgerald strikes at the very core of American society, portraying the disillusionment of young adulthood and the uncertainty that comes with a changing society.

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