First Line Friday #34: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Thanks to Carrie at
Reading is My Superpower
for the Link-up

 

 

Title:  The Great Gatsby
Author:  F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre:  Classic Fiction
Category:  School Dayz Needed Rereads

 

  〰First Line〰

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In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since."Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."

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Synopsis:  (From Amazon.com) 

Set on Long Island during the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s enduring exploration of wealth, desire, and the disillusionment of the American Dream. Narrated by Nick Carraway, the novel unveils the tragic pursuit of lost love by the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, set against the backdrop of Jazz Age excess and East Coast elite society.

Recognized as a cornerstone of American literature and regional commentary, this classic novel captures the social divides, moral decay, and cultural shifts of post–World War I America. With its richly drawn characters and lyrical prose, The Great Gatsby remains a powerful critique of class, identity, and ambition in 1920s America — making it essential reading for fans of literary fiction, American classics, and modern literary criticism.

〰First Thoughts〰

I know that some literature leaves a lasting impression on some and not others.  I also know that as children, some of us loathed required literature that our not-fully-developed frontal lobes convinced us was outdated, irrelevant drivel.  In other words, our goofy selves would rather read Sweet Valley High novels and Tiger Beat magazine than books by old (or dead) people.  

As an adult who just turned 53, I see how stupid that sounds.  The older I get and the more books I read, the more I understand the value of good stories from the perspective of another class, culture, or epoch.  However, my 15- (or 16--I don't quite remember) year old eyes read the book for Dr. Rhodes' English class at Jacksonville High School and took a test on it that I assume I passed since I didn't have to take the class again, but I do not remember a word of the story, its plot, or its characters.  It's not age, since I remember other literary works from my primary, secondary, and post-secondary education (all the way from Curious George to The Tregedie of Macbeth.  No, for some reason, this story didn't make an impression on me.  Hopefully rereading the novel will my way of rectifying the situation.  If I like it well enough, I may watch the movie adaptation later.

So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?