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Rude Awakenings
‘The Great Gatsby’ exposed the dark side of America decades before the 2024 election. But some folks are about to have their eyes opened for the first time.
On April 10th of next year — 80 days into Donald Trump’s second term as president — The Great Gatsby will celebrate its 100th birthday. Only a few will care about this. Fewer still will recognize that Gatsby is not only news that’s stays news but a distant mirror that reflects disturbing truths about the present.
On the surface, ‘Gatsby’ is about a love triangle
There’s a beautiful girl and the young soldier who loves her. Unfortunately, she’s wealthy, and he’s too poor to marry her. When they meet again years later he’s a millionaire, but she’s already married to a polo-playing member of her own class.
When the novel opens, we also meet an attractive celebrity golfer and the story’s narrator — the evaluating consciousness — who tells their story.
Though born with everything most Americans long for but will never have — we can’t all be one-percenters — the husband is never satisfied. He’s a bully and a womanizer, who cheats on his wife during their honeymoon. He’s also a racist who speaks openly about the importance of white supremacy.
