In the past couple weeks, I've made two major life decisions. One is to attempt to read most of the great classic pieces of literature that I've somehow, in my previous English classes and personal reading, missed. I read quite a bit, or like to think I do, but am constantly surprised at what I have not read. For example, Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea." Yup, haven't read that one. Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey." Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley." Ayn Rand's humanist works, "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged." Dom Delillo's "Underworld." F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." Some of these are, admittedly, ambitious undertakings, but I have them, and others, on my new reading list that I hope will take me through the rest of the year.
The second decision I've made is to stop buying books and instead use a curious local resource I just found out about called a "library." Since I'm mere months (if not weeks) away from complete financial ruin, this is but one way to tighten the belt a bit. Don't cry for me, Arlington.
Anyway, as I mentioned above, I have not read "The Great Gatsby." It's been described as "The Great American Novel," and is supposed to be a bit of a chore to read. Still, I was somewhat looking forward to the challenge, as I'm sure there are modern cultural references and sayings that were born out of this book.
Yesterday, I mentioned this list, and specifically Gatsby, to the Disgruntled Girlfriend. The exchange went something like this:
DG: You never read that, not even in school?
DI: Nope. I've heard it's a bit dull, what did you think about it?
DG: Well, it's not my favorite Fitzgerald book. It's alright, it is kind of heavy, though, but basically just a book about a guy who tries to hide who he is but ends up dying in the end.
DI: .......
DG: Oh. You didn't know that he dies?
DI: Well, I do now. Guess I don't have to read The Great Gatsby anymore!
As the Disgruntled Girlfriend apologized profusely, I began to realize something. If someone had revealed the ending of The Great Gatsby to me even a month earlier, I would have been like, "The Great Gatsby? I've heard it's not that 'great'."
I'm pretty sure that getting upset over having the ending of The Great Gatsby spoiled for you is Question #3 of the "Are You Gay?" survey.
1 comment:
If I know anything, it's that I definitely need an excuse to call people "old sport" more often. Gatsby is third on my reading list (after Old Man and the Sea and Homer's Odyssey).
DG thinks FSF is a washed-up hack.
Actually I'm not sure what her favorite FSF was, I'll have to check in with her, as I don't remember the title. "Old Pussydick" or something, I believe.
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