Echoes of Desire: The timeless resonance of “The Great Gatsby”

A cura di Filippo Mancini, 4AS

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” stands as a timeless masterpiece, joining together themes of love, wealth, and the chase of the American Dream against the background of the Roaring Twenties. As I got into its pages, I couldn’t help but finding links and references with today’s society, understanding that the restless youth of the 1920s was truly so different from the youth of the 2020s.

Essentially, Nick Carraway (the protagonist) tells a story about the desire of love and success. Jay Gatsby, with his extravagant parties and mysterious character, represents the pursuit of happiness in its deepest form. Yet, as we start our journey through his world, we’re confronted with the emptiness that lies under wealth and glamour, an intense reminder of the temporary nature of material wealth.

The years of prohibition painted in the novel parallels the current debates about substance use and regulation in modern times. The attraction of bootlegging and speakeasies may have given way to the prevalence of recreational drugs today, but the primary motivations remain strangely similar. Both then and now, young people seek to escape from the relegation of society, going through illegal means .

Moreover, Fitzgerald’s exploration of the human condition ( love, loss, and disillusionment) transcends the limits of time. The characters live and follow the fashion of the Jazz Age, but their struggles and desires have remained the same across generations. For this reason, this novel remains as relevant today as it was nearly a century ago.

As I think about parallelism between the youth of the 1920s and today, I am forced to bump into the repetitiveness of the human experience. While the trappings of society may have evolved, the fundamental desires and conflicts that drive us remain unchanged. From this point of view, Fitzgerald’s novel is not only a captivating work of fiction but also a mirror reflecting the constant truth of human condition.

In conclusion, “The Great Gatsby” is a literary gem that continues to captivate readers with its timeless themes and touching prose. Its exploration of the Jazz Age serves as a window into the past, inviting us to think about the similarities and differences between the restless youth of yesterday and today. In a world marked by constant change, Fitzgerald’s masterpiece stands as a reference of literary brilliance and youth behaviour.