Apologia

What is a classic novel? What qualities must a novel have to be considered a classic? And is The Great Gatsby a classic novel, or is it simply well written? I believe that a classic novel needs to have two qualities: engaging characters, and a timeless theme. The Great Gatsby has both of these qualities, and they are what make it an enduring novel.

"Character is plot, plot is character". This quote, said by F. Scott Fitzgerald himself, displays the common opinion that character is a more renowned quality in a novel than plot. Characters are the basis for many classic novels. These characters must be well-crafted and engaging: the reader should feel a sense of empathy toward the characters.

In any well-written novel, the reader is drawn to at least one character. This character need not be similar to the reader; the character may merely evoke strong emotions in the reader. Jay Gatsby, as the principle character in The Great Gatsby, is the most complex and well-crafted character in the novel. What makes Gatsby so engaging is the mystery and intrigue that surrounds him:

He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself. (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 48)

This quote portrays Nick’s first impression of Gatsby, and it is also the first real description the reader receives of Gatsby. It paints a picture of a character whose story will be enjoyable to follow. However, as the novel progresses, the reader discovers startling and upsetting secrets about Gatsby and must decide for themselves their opinion of Gatsby. Gatsby’s story is relatable, yet a fantasy; and his emotions are so utterly human that the reader can’t help but get drawn into his story.

It is not also the complexity of a character that makes for a classic novel; it is also the relationships between the characters. The lives of the main characters: Daisy, Tom, Nick, Myrtle, Jordan, Wilson intertwine with one another. Each of these characters provides important elements to the story. Nick as the narrator creates a unique point of view through which the story is told. Tom and Wilson are antagonists who provide dramatic conflict. Daisy is the second most important character next to Gatsby because she is his goal; his dream that will always be out of reach, but that he will never stop pursuing. Without Daisy, there would be no plot, and no significant allusion between Gatsby’s pursuit of her and the pursuit of the American Dream.

The element that truly defines a classic novel is theme. A classic novel must have a universal and timeless theme; well-crafted characters simply create and establish the theme. The Great Gatsby has an unusual principal theme of unrequited love; however, there is another more important theme: the American Dream. But what is the American Dream? And if it is not a widely known term, how can it be a classic theme?

The American Dream is a term used to describe the hope and faith in the promise of a better life in America; and anyone can achieve wealth and success if they put forth enough effort. The Great Gatsby portrays the ugly side of the American Dream, where the original high ideal of achieving success with hard effort has been skewed by rich socialites. The idea becomes less about achieving success and more about money buying happiness. Thus, the American Dream is corrupted. This is the principal theme in the novel. It is also a timeless theme. But how can it be, if the American Dream was a term coined in the 1920s?

The American Dream is an idea that is still prevalent today. The hope and faith is still there, but increasingly the dream is being corrupted. Immigrants come to America to escape poverty, war, and prosecution in their own countries, and these immigrants have a dream of the strong, proud and free America where they can achieve success. However, many new immigrants in America struggle to feel accepted and to make a decent living. If you look past the patriotic image of a strong and free country, you discover the many inequalities in American society today. And if you look past the glittering, glamorous world of Jay Gatsby, you discover the ugly truth behind his lies, and that his hope, his dream, his “single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (16), would forever be beyond his reach.

"A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." - Italo Calvino. I believe that this quote plainly states the single important qualification for a classic novel. A novel may be well written, but to truly be considered a classic, the characters and theme must resonate strongly with its audience. A reader may always find new meaning in a classic, or they may rediscover and newly appreciate the meanings they found before. The Great Gatsby is truly a classic. New themes and ideas can be discovered and newly appreciated every time you read it, and its message resonates through the ages.