This is my second time reading this book, and I had an even better experience this time around. I read it the first time my junior year of high school, and although I really enjoyed it, my enjoyment of it was lessened by the fact that it was required reading. But since the movie came out this month I decided to re-read it in preparation. 
 This novel is a great piece of literature. There were so many things that I missed the first time around that I picked up on and because I read it for my own personal reasons, I really got a chance to connect with the novel. 
 The Great Gatsby is a very nice commentary on the party days of the roaring twenties and they way people spent their days living it up and disregarding their responsibilities. It also seemed to comment on the idea that money can't buy everything. These characters are often criticized for being one-dimensional, but I feel like Fitzgerald did this for a reason. They seem to have it all, and yet not one of the characters are actually happy. They also all want things they can't have, and seem to be searching for that piece they are missing. Gatsby of course has longed for Daisy for years, and she is somebody he knows he can't have. Although Tom has it all, he has an extra marital affair with Myrtle and in return Myrtle is cheating on Wilson with Tom. 
 The narrator Nick doesn't seem to fit this mold as much, but he to is empty. Spending his times on the sideline, watching everybody else's life and not really living his own. 
 Fitzgeralds writing is incredible, and beautiful. He flawlessly paints a picture with his words, and some of the imagery is truly lovely. There are great quotes in here. The plot is also wonderful. 
 Overall I love this book, and it is probably my second favorite classic next to A Separate Peace by John Knowles, unless you consider The Outsiders a classic, in which case it gets pushed down to my number three spot :) Though I don't think it's for everyone because people seem to either love it or hate it.