Two years ago the The New York Times published an article about Gatsby’s dreams and how these relate to our own. The article brings up ideas about how we connect to this abstract and dated story, arguing that teachers think that their “students see in ‘Gatsby’ glimmers of their own evolving identities and dreams.”
These teachers take pains to present the book with a great deal of social and historical context, and they say it crystallizes for many students questions about both the materialism of Gatsby’s dream and the possibility of attaining their own versions of the dream, especially in today’s highly stratified economy.
“Gatsby’s Green Light Beckons A New Set of Strivers,” by Sarah Rimer (The New York Times)
Also check out “The Eggs,” via Google Maps, in order to situate ourselves geographically.
