"The Great Gatsby"

At least twice in my life I've been assigned to read "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I'm pretty sure I read it one of those times, though I can't be for certain.  In my reading list  this book is actually listed first and it tops many lists of the greatest novels of the 20th century and of American literature. It truly is a work of art. Certain passages simply blew my mind in their depth and beauty.  


"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." 


"Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people I have ever known."


And quite possibly my favorite line from the book and one that I believe summarizes the four main characters...


"A phrase began to beat in my ears with a sort of heady excitement: 'There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.'"


This short novel explores the life of Jay Gatsby through the eyes of Nick Carraway, Gatsby's neighbor on Long Island during the 1920's.  Gatsby is the envy of most everyone, throwing elaborate parties at his mansion, and remaining an enigma to much of society.  As Nick and Gatsby's friendship grows, more details are revealed as to Gatsby's true nature and his arrival on Long Island.  In relation to the quote above we learn that he is definitely one of "the pursuing" types of people to whom Nick is referring.  In my mind, this is why Fitzgerald refers to Gatsby as "great", he's an opportunistic, self-made man, with a firm goal in mind. He's the iconic hero in a great American novel.  An individual, pulling himself up by his bootstraps, who cannot rest until he has everything he desires, all distinctively American attributes.  


So what can I learn from "The Great Gatsby"?  The character of Jay Gatsby is in pursuit of a lofty goal, like me and my pursuit of bettering my mind, body and spirit.  However, Gatsby and I differ on what we are pursuing.  To mention Gatsby's primary pursuit would be to give away a major plot point, so I won't.  If you haven't read the book then for the sake of this entry just know that it's something he cannot and should not possess.  But, the pursuit of his goal has made his life interesting and well, "great", and once it is within his grasp his world begins to crumble.  My goal is to be a better man, husband, father, son, friend through growing my health, my mental faculties and my spiritual life.  I realize that I will never fully achieve this goal, there will always be room for improvement in my life, but, like Gatsby, my hope is that the pursuit itself will make my life "great".