Lessons From The Great Gatsby Essay Sample

In life, everyone has the chance to make a decision when presented with an obstacle. As we make that decision we must always consider the consequences and unfortunately, Gatsby learned this the hard way,  “There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice,” is a wise quote from The Great Gatsby. This was the third novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and was published in 1925. Overall the novel tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a  millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman who he loved when he was young. Author Fitzerald used a symbolic form of writing in this novel and by doing so he easily accomplished teaching three powerful lessons being; money can’t buy you, love or friends, it’s not easy to leave your past, and lastly do not critique or judge others. 

The first main lesson that was taught through reading The Great Gatsby is that money can't buy love or friends. In the story, Gatsby tries to impress Daisy by throwing expensive parties and buying high-priced items. However,  being cocky or high-powered only sways people's attention away from you, and this was the same case when comparing Daisy’s reaction. This is something Gatsby realizes as he takes time to think about his actions. By the time he realized his efforts failed it was too late because Daisy already had her first impression. Overall a big lesson was taught by her reaction to Gatsby’s actions because not everyone seeks lavish products and amusing purchases. Some people pursue ones with an honest heart and honest moral beliefs. Later in the story, we see the consequences of Gatsby’s actions when none of his party attendees show up to his funeral, aside from Nick. No one was interested in his presence due to the label he left himself. A proving point from the novel was that “ it grew upon me that I was responsible because no one else was interested” (Gatsby). During this time character Nick shows strong integrity as he stays by his friend’s side. Not only did he remain loyal but he also planned Gatsby’s funeral since no one else remained by his side. Not only did Nick plan his funeral he went through hoops to find Daisy to try and convince her to attend Gatsby’s funeral. Although she denied his invitation Nick’s efforts are admired. We see people can overlook others' flaws and remain loyal as Nick does for Gatsby. As readers we are convinced being a loyal and honest friend is far better than one who is willing to betray another. 

The second lesson I learned while reading The Great Gatsby was the struggle of trying to move on from your past. It’s not easy to leave our past behind us and move on. As hard as Gatsby tried to move on from his illegal ways as a bootlegger he was unable to. As the story came to a conclusion the finishing lines reminded the readers that the past can be a hard thing to escape, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Gatsby). Gatsby tried to build a life of richness in an effort of capturing Daisy's heart, but in building a life this way, our narrator reminds us that no matter how hard he beats against the current, he will only be “borne back ceaselessly into the past'' ( Gatsby). To me, the last line means our past is an anchor in our life, and no matter how hard we push some memories or events are impossible to get over. As a reader, I learned not only to remember the consequences of our actions. But also remember that someone's personality may be valued more than any form of money. 

The last but extremely important lesson taught in the Great Gatsby was not to critique others. The main character Nick is a great example of this. The novel introduces Nick as nonjudgmental as he states  “ I'm inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores”  (Gatsby). He recognizes his imperfections and believes he has no reason to judge anyone else.  He gives another powerful message when he states, “ The abnormal mind is quick to detect and attach itself to this quality when it appears in a normal person,(Gatsby). During this time in the novel, the quote shows that Nick thinks about the hard times or trials others may be facing before judging them because he was quickly judged during college. In life, we all need to take this lesson and remind ourselves that some people have a ton going on and our harsh words may affect someone more than expected. 

Overall I enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby due to all the hidden lessons it had throughout the reading. I was able to take many points away from this story that I can apply to my everyday life. Fitzgerald was an amazing author because although this book was written a long time ago, readers can still understand and learn lessons from his writing. Gatsby's story is as relevant today as it was when it was written because it explores universal themes such as the hopelessness of societal constructs and man's struggle with time and fate. Gatsby had attained great wealth and status as a socialite; however, Gatsby's dream was to have a future with his one true love, Daisy. Readers should now understand how important it is to give our all to whatever we love while we still have the chance!