@@benadams1661 yeah but if he never was obsessed with Daisy and the past, he never would’ve killed Myrtle, and subsequently wouldn’t have been killed by George.
@@em-xo5vc Typo a bit, If Daisy never would've killed Myrtle and Gatsby covering her murder, thats what Gatsby's obsession was. Gatsby was too blind for Daisy ultimately covering a murder and a husband 'avenging' his wife.
Two corrections, a little nit-picky, but Gatsby is actually from North Dakota, though he attended school in Minnesota. Nick's the one who was born in Minnesota. Also Nick broke up with Jordan in person, though they did have a fight over the phone. Just throwing that out there, just because I know at least the whole state thing could come up on someone's test.
According to Jordan Nick broke up with her on the phone but after not seeing her for a few months Nick and her meet and she says she has a new boyfriend, officially breaking them up. It's a little grey on when exactly they did.
your teacher is easy. mine has us take 5 quizzes and averages them out as a test grade. i took 4 pages of notes for chapter 5 and made a 35. my teacher came from teaching at a college to my shitty one a school now his teaching is raping my average .
Please keep in mind folks, this book was written in 1925. There was no television, no smart phones or tablets. Reading was the ONLY source of entertainment. The basic theme in this book was the class system. Old money vs. new money.
Literally just discovered the whole "Nick Carraway may be not-straight aka had an adult sleepover with Mr. McKee" thing. Thanks college. Letting me in on secrets high school somehow kept from me.
i don’t think daisy was sad because the shirt quality i think she was sad because she realized she could’ve had the money and happiness if she waited for gatsby
This makes me feel proud because I read this book in full of my own will two years ago, re-read part of it a week ago before seeing the new movie, and now I'm watching this video because these summaries always help me understand things. I can definitely see myself watching this just for school purposes, which is why I am proud.
I actually didn't have to read this in school, and read it and watched this summary out of sheer curiosity of what the book was about, lol I kinda get what you mean, as scrolling through the comments it those kinda invoke that feeling a bit
Nick's father told him to remember when he wants to criticize someone that he needs to remember that they may not of had the same advantages as he. As a result, he has formed a habit to reserve all judgement. Gatsby represents hope. He had to die because of the sin of chasing a single dream for too long (post other important information that can appear on a test that isn't in this video below
I remember many years ago, while reading this in high school, we read the chapter where nick went home with another man in class. The latter part of the chapter is written in an unclear manner. Nobody really understood what was happening until at the end of the chapter when one girl blurted out "THEY HAD SEX!" What followed was the universal "Ohhhhhh" and then laughter.
You mentions this minor scene with Nick and Mckee but doesn't even talk about Nick's relationship with Jorden? If I hadn't read the book I would have assumed that Nick is gay.
I love how Fitzgerald describes America's streets during summer , how he also describes luxurious life in details , fireworks , beers , dresses , glow . Appreciate the Nobel winner guy . Don't forget to watch the movie version
It's not specifically mentioned but it is definitely hinted at: in Chapter Two, after Myrtle's party there is a degree of phallic innuendo in the elevator, "Keep your hands off the lever", and then the character only remembers "standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear". There's also his attraction to Jordan, who is always described as having a rather masculine figure or not being conventionally pretty.
@@Vesnicie trust me. You don’t need to be smart to get into AP. You only need to be smart to take BC Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Science.
I've seen both and I feel they both compromise the integrity of the original novel but if there was a gun pointed at my head and I had to pick one, I would chose the one with Leonardo DiCapro because he fits the image that most people would associate with Gatsby.
Brilliant, loved it. Great summary and analysis. Thank you so much. "You can try to be what you are not, but your true nature will return with full violence" -Seneca
this video touched on something extremely overlooked and that is thst gatsby had it all but was still bummed out because he had a great girl and lost her but really getting her back wouldn't make him feel better and in fact got him killed
For anyone struggling to read it, try the audiobook - I found it way easier and the reader gives the script more life because you hear what's supposed to be dramatic or funny
Excellent presentation - if I were to take a literature exam, this would have helped me pass it! One extremely minor point about the video itself: When it depicts Gatsby's yacht, the vessel is not a boat from the 1920's - it is a boat from the 1990's or 2000's. A vessel from the 20's would not have a radar arch on it!
Nick has a one night stand with Mr. McKee in the end of chapter 2 if you guys didn’t catch that. 😂 The descriptions are so cleverly worded it’s worth reading honestly!
Very interesting book with a lot of hidden facts. This is one of the most boring books I've ever read, but also interesting at the same time.. Not sure if it's a good or bad book...
Some of these comments drive me crazy. People need to understand the big ideas and themes in this book. That's what makes it so worth while. I personally loved the book. The amount of symbolism found in the book is crazy but it helps add so much depth and makes the book a lot more interesting. Some people have no appreciation for great American classics.
No, it's just terrible in every sense. All it's missing is a shyamalan where the entire drag takes place in the writings of a 14-year-old girl with leg-braces.
What does the theme matter when the story is told through a bland, thoughtless narrator, and that all the substance is locked away until 3/4 of the way through? We never learned about Gatsby's past until the near end, which is critical for building the theme. So, basically, more than half the story was an unbearable drag. The other characters are pretty uninteresting as well.
People probably hate it because they were forced to read it by the education system. I was a lucky one and read it in my own time in grade 7 instead of being forced to read it
To everyone who is not just cramming for a test and is actually interested in the book....I HIGHLY suggest reading it. two weeks ago i watched the video and paused it before the end knowing i was going to read it simply because its an important part of american literature. But the book is so much more then that it gives you insights on people and social thinking in a way no other book does. Please everyone take time to bask in the uniqueness and genius that is the book "the great gatsby."
It’s worth noting (because it is phrased here that they are just “friends”) that Daisy is Nick’s cousin. Tom also attended New Haven College at Yale with Nick
This is a mature novel that takes someone who understands the vocabulary and the deep aspects (including symbolism) of it to understand. When I first read it during school, I was bored out of my mind, maybe it was because I was too young to understand or too distracted to care. Since I am on the autism spectrum, I have a hard time understanding "social situations" (especially complex ones) which comprises the majority of the novel (or maybe all of it). If I didn't have autism, maybe I would understand the novel fully, but who knows. Most people who read novels only care about the plot, not about the deeper elements within. Basically, even though many of the characters in the novel act out in a civilized yet uncivilized manner (partying, drinking, smoking, lavish clothes, girlfriends, boyfriends, money, good conversation, etc.) it causes "drama" within the situations, thus causing negative consequences. To sum it up, this novel places in the philosophical category as well as the drama category, which is why many literature scholars and avid readers enjoy this novel so much. It causes them to question society (especially the American society, including the concept of the "American Dream") as a whole while incorporating Jazz Age elements due to the time period at the time (the roaring 20's). The "drama" within the novel makes it even more interesting to read. I am not recommending that you read the novel because everyone's tastes are different. If you have taste in philosophy and drama yet you want it to somehow promote the deprivation of society in the extreme, this is the novel for you. Otherwise, there are plenty of "American Classics" to read besides "The Great Gatsby." Some include "Of Mice and Men," "A Raisin in the Sun," "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," "To Kill a Mockingbird," etc.
I like how people ask things like “who watched this for school?” I’m sitting here thinking nah man this is the life. I love watching summaries of a weird rich dudes struggle to find love. I thought to myself when I woke up, yup today’s the day to lose my happiness and so I watched this. Serious thanks for the summary though, it’s very helpful and even though it might not always be the most enjoyable, it’s worth while, especially the aspect of being able to complain about it with friends.
4:05 "THOSE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHIRTS EVER.......i promised myself i wasnt going to cry." WTF? Who gets upset over shirts quality..... 5:22 "I never loved you......lol jk bro." WTFFFFFFFF!!!!!
I know this comment is 6 years old but for anyone reading it now and wondering: Daisy is the imbodyment of wanting to be and stay rich. She is very greedy, fickle and shallow underneath her beauty and charming outside. The shirts Gatsby had were trendy, newest of the collections and expensive, that's why she got so emotional over them, they showed her how rich Gatsby was and that she could have been married to him all along. She never loved Tom like she loved Gatsby but she knew that Tom was rich without cheating or doing illegal things and giving her a steady, rich life without any drama or problems. She realised that Gatsby wasn't rich because of his family and that the way he got rich might bring a lot of problems later in their life or even make them poor. Hope that clears it up for people wondering.
@@makk09mao Yeah I agree that the characters were all unlikeable, but the story itself was amazing for what it represented. The characters were supposed to be unlikeable - that was the point of the book. It was to show that, even during the 20s, during an era of wealth and joy, criticising the idea of the American dream. Daisy and Tom were rich and were described as careless (essentially the American Dream, to not have to care or worry about anything), destroying people but moving on, not caring about their actions, the people around them, or even each other, ultimately being allowed to carry on living carelessly - the American dream creates lazy, entitled, and overall bad people. Gatsby holds unrealistic ideas of the world, and despises the fact that his parents were poor, getting involved in drug businesses to change this, and making many mistakes - the American dream causes chaos and ultimately leads to destruction. Nick wants to be a writer, earns money from the death of a distant relative, rather than earning it. He gives up on becoming a writer because the things that surround him are so distracting and appealing - the American dream causes people to give up on their individuality. He is also implied to be narcissistic, another critique of widespread American culture. All the people that attend Gatsby's parties care only about drinking and having a good time, not even showing up to Gatsby's own funeral, critiquing the self-absorption that seemed present in every American. The characters weren't supposed to be likeable - they were supposed to reflect the worst traits in people, to reflect how bad society can be. The fact that the characters are so easy to hate is part of the reason it's such a great novel, in my opinion.
@@erin7800 I totally agree that the characters are essentially symbols of distasteful human qualities. However, I hate the characters for another reason: they're just terribly developed. Granted, Nick describes himself as impartial and honest, but it seems like he's pretty much invisible in the story. He doesn't have a mind of his own. He just arbitrarily allows Tom to squander his Sunday over McGee's, and Gatsby, a man he hardly knows, to get closer to his cousin Daisy, who's already married. Throughout the whole story, I was like "Nick, dude, why are you letting them screw over you? You can just say 'No' to them. And then there won't be any drama." Nick is just a 'Yes' robot that contributed to a very stupid series of events. The whole first half was so boring, I was on the verge to stop reading. There were weird inconsistencies with character motives. I didn't understand why Tom was cheating on Daisy. (They had a baby, like what the heck.) Or how Daisy even knew about Mrs. Wilson, who she recognized and ran over. I dunno if I missed a detail here or there. It was a slow book, I was just powering through it. Gatsby was the only remotely interesting character, and we know very little about him until 3/4 of the novel, where the author finally decided to reveal his past with Daisy. By then, I was already unamused to care. People laud the novel for it's theme and symbolism. But they ignore it was a terribly written plot that's hard to be immersed by.
I never heard of Sparknotes 'til halfway through the 11th grade english class haha! I didn't know about Sparknotes VIDEO until nearly the end of grade 12 english when we were reading The Crucible! It helped SO much!! Thanks Sparknotes!
Great synopsis - thank you. The " greatest American novel of all time " for me, just joins a long list of books, bestsellers quite a few of them, who are totally irrelevant to the world we are living in now. They were irrelevant to the world and time they were written in.The fictitious rich and idle having their often self created problems... an inspiration to us all ?
00:04 The Great Gatsby is about Jay Gatsby's efforts to reinvent himself 01:02 Nick meets Tom's wealthy friends and learns about Daisy's unhappy marriage. 02:02 Nick attends Gatsby's party and meets him for the first time 03:00 Gatsby and Daisy are still in love. 03:57 Gatsby's expensive possessions and fabricated identity help him win over Daisy. 04:57 Gatsby confronts Tom and Daisy about their relationship. 05:57 Betrayal and tragedy mark the end of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy. 06:55 Gatsby's obsession with the past and the upper class leads to his downfall. Crafted by Merlin AI.
It is perfectly fine and I wholeheartedly understand. I have no problem with someone just not liking the book because it wasn't their particular kind of novel but not liking it because you don't want to try or because you don't want to understand is wrong. Though thank you for responding with an intelligent answer and not just cussing me out or insulting me because you don't agree with me like most people on the internet.
This video is absolutely riddled with errors. I think the comments have covered most of it. Just make sure to read those if you're watching this for school.
+dennis robinson actually, Fitzgerald himself was bisexual, and that's why Nick is too, because in essence Fitzgerald IS nick, that's why its a 1st person narration. it isn't proven that fitzgerald was bi, but there's a lot of evidence to support it. AND his other book has a very obviously gay character in it
In modern literary theory, everyone is gay. If you haven't read THE FAR SIDE OF PARADISE, you know absolutely nothing about Fitzgerald. There's not a shred of evidence that he was the was the least bit bisexual. If there had been, Zelda's family would have shot him immediately.
I'm Indonesian and don't have any school task to summarize this great piece of literature. I read it (so many times) because i want to and it's a classic story. I wish I have to write a summary or at least discuss it with people in my class. It's improbable though.
It saddens me that a lot of people watching this "couldn't be bothered" by reading the book. This is a great piece of literature and it needs to be read to be fully understood.
This book is trash and a half. With all the other forms of media and entertainment a person could view. This 100 year old steaming pile of shit, is terrible.
I read it but it simply wasn’t to my taste and also a little bit unclear, I am doing the great Gatsby at A level but I’ve also read through twice and listened to the audiobook and it’s still a little muddy in my head lol. Like I had no idea that Nick was implied to be gay or have inclination towards the male sex. As well as a few other bits. It is really sad that people simply CBA but I get the purpose.
This video leaves out a lot of things. You won't fully get the message of it unless you read it + it's a really short book overall (just under 160 pages). Worth the effort(:
I started to read this book. When I was done with Ch. 1 I felt confused so I looked up what the book here on Sparknotes to further understand the story. After seeing the comments on Nick's sexuality, I read Ch. 2 and I realized all the debate on it. This is my opinion: Nick IS gay because after carefully reading the first two chapters, he describes Myrtle's sister as 'handsome' and Mr. McKee 'feminine'. He also described Jordan Baker as a 'young cadet'. And then there's the part where he follows Mr. McKee at the end of the chapter. This lead me to believe that he is gay.
It’s an okay summary but as a warning there are lots of mistakes such as nick and daisy aren’t friends but cousins and the summary leaves a lot of stuff out so it would probably be better to watch more videos such as crash course if you want to learn mote
Also in 7:30 Yes Gatsby earned his money in dishonest ways... But he was not the only one who earned his money dishonestly Nick's grandfather earned his bribing his way out of the civil war and profiting in that time.
My school is doing The Great Gatsby for my year level but only the film, this explains parts of the film and book that both happened in a way that makes sense :)
I mean I loved the book lol I typically go for modern books because I hate how old books are written but I found The Great Gatsby to be fantastic read. Surprised that no one on here liked it
Oh - also, Nick didn't fall in love with Gatsby! Gatsby represented "everything for which" Nick had "an unaffected scorn" and he "disapproved of him from beginning to end". Although he somewhat admired him at the same time, love is too strong a word. The fact is that for most (if not all) of the book Nick hardly knew who Gatsby even was, let alone could trust or love him, and certainly not what he represented either (love of mammon) - this after all was eventually got him killed!
It's not just that it got him killed its also that the rich didn't give a damn for him. Nit Daisy , ( although he took the fall for her, not Tom, not all of the rich attending his parties and drinking his booze , after all Gatsby did to impress them thry didn't even attend his funeral
Thank you very much for your awesome work. I've got a test tomorrow and I've lost the book, so i can't read it^^ You might have saved my ass with this :) Thanks again !
+Nisee E. It mentions it briefly at the end of Chapter 2. He goes to Mr. McKee's. However, there is nothing explicit about Nick's sexuality there. It's speculation.
I think that the final couple of stanzas where Nick, going one last time round Gatsby's place, sums up Gatsby's idealism being synonymous with the green light across the bay to be too big of a theme to skirt over when discussing this book.
I never read the book, we're just having a Gatsby themed dance at school. Just from this, Daisy sounds like the biggest effing gold digger on the planet. Nick- cool dude. I hope this is telling me he's gay because if he's not then mad awkward. Gatsby....idk man...you tried....but not really.... I don't understand why an entire comity could agree that this is the best thing to have a dance about -_-
Because this book and story is staple of American literature and often regarded as the best American novel of all time. Not to mention being an incredible love story. And no, Nick isn't gay. He begins to date Jordan over the course of the book.
Daisy is not a gold digger because she was born rich. It's just the concept that "rich girl can't marry poor boys" or the wealthy doesn't want to share with the poor. Nick is not "gay" because he goes out with a woman named Jordan Baker. He just admires the dedication that Gatsby had to achieving his desire, but not really "like" him in that way. You have no idea how hard Gatsby tried. He did all of this just for Daisy. 5 years of earning money through bootlegging to obtain a mansion and throw big parties to draw Daisy's attention.
Michael Wright I did not interpret that part of the book as him having sex with Mr. Mckee or whoever it was. I saw it as him being really drunk and dropping him off at his house. Fitzgerald never really made it clear on what happened so you can imagine them having sex if you want. Please don't bring me back into a 3 month old trend.
Michael Wright Ok, first off, it's "your," not "you're." Standing besides someone's bed, in which the person is holding a portfolio, does not mean they had sex. There was a word to express "gay" in the 1920s; it's called "homosexual" and he could have definitely used that during Jazz Age if he wanted to. And it does matter how long ago the comment was because arguing over specific parts of a book I read several months ago is pointless and wasting time. Why is it so important to you that Nick is "gay" anyways? I don't think Fitzgerald's main intention of the Great Gatsby was to express the "gay" life of Nick.
Strangely enough, even though I was an English lit major, this book never made it onto any of my reading list, neither high school nor college. After I saw the movie I fell in love with it and watched twice and went and bought the book and read it three days. Awesome book. F. Scott Fitzgerald = one awesome writer. The Great Gatsby = one really great American novel!
“Gatsby dies in part because he’s obsessed with the past.” That line hit the heart.
Didn't he did die from being shot?
@@benadams1661yes, but his obsession is what caused that
@@benadams1661 yeah but if he never was obsessed with Daisy and the past, he never would’ve killed Myrtle, and subsequently wouldn’t have been killed by George.
@@em-xo5vc Typo a bit, If Daisy never would've killed Myrtle and Gatsby covering her murder, thats what Gatsby's obsession was.
Gatsby was too blind for Daisy ultimately covering a murder and a husband 'avenging' his wife.
@@benadams1661 he did.
Two corrections, a little nit-picky, but Gatsby is actually from North Dakota, though he attended school in Minnesota. Nick's the one who was born in Minnesota. Also Nick broke up with Jordan in person, though they did have a fight over the phone. Just throwing that out there, just because I know at least the whole state thing could come up on someone's test.
+Potoperson you need more votes up man.
Aaaaaand this is why our professor told us to avoid SparkNotes. Even small errors like this are intolerable.
you a real one
According to Jordan Nick broke up with her on the phone but after not seeing her for a few months Nick and her meet and she says she has a new boyfriend, officially breaking them up. It's a little grey on when exactly they did.
Thanks!
I read a total of 10 pages of this book. Watched this video and got an 87% on my test for the fucking win
you're currently giving me faith.
Oh how I wish youtube existed when I was in 11th grade. You didn't miss anything. It's a horrible book.
what makes this golden book look horrible?
your teacher is easy. mine has us take 5 quizzes and averages them out as a test grade. i took 4 pages of notes for chapter 5 and made a 35. my teacher came from teaching at a college to my shitty one a school now his teaching is raping my average .
Wow, your teacher must give the easiest tests of all time.
i gotta give it to you sparknotes, without this, i wouldve failed my final
LOLOLOLOLOL
John Schofield loool I'm still going to fail 😂😂
my final is next hour and I’m listening to this on repeat
@@luizreyes1677 did u pass
Facts
Please keep in mind folks, this book was written in 1925. There was no television, no smart phones or tablets. Reading was the ONLY source of entertainment. The basic theme in this book was the class system. Old money vs. new money.
Soymilk Reid reading was not the only source for entertainment radio shows and silent movies
Yeah, doesn't change the fact that the book is boring
@@micahschmitz859 stfu that book is dope
@@trollhunter2157 then why are you on a video of a summary of it? Why not just read it?
you could read the book and watch this too, they’re really good
Another correction, Daisy and Nick are not just friends, they’re second cousins.
Daisy is nicks cousin
Kira Shenton Yeah
What? how?
Ashok Gurung because it literally said in the book that she's nick' s cousin first removed
They’re 2nd cousins but cousins nonetheless
First cousins
Great summary. I've noticed that the story ends in Tom's favor. He keeps Daisy; and the "competition" and other love interest are gone in one "swoop."
It's to show that the "classless society" doesn't exist and upper class will always triumph. it's how Fitzgerald saw America.
Tom and Daisy are both dicks. That is one of the points of the book.
@@bohnbaratheon1695and he’s still right
Literally just discovered the whole "Nick Carraway may be not-straight aka had an adult sleepover with Mr. McKee" thing. Thanks college. Letting me in on secrets high school somehow kept from me.
Yeah. I had no idea, and I actually read the book. 😂💀
Doesn’t help that NO film adaptation has that scene anywhere
No hes not gay and he never slept with a man I read the entire book
LETS GOOOOOO
i don’t think daisy was sad because the shirt quality i think she was sad because she realized she could’ve had the money and happiness if she waited for gatsby
its kinda both, shes saying that she's sad over the shirts but the implied reason is that shes regretting not staying with him
This makes me feel proud because I read this book in full of my own will two years ago, re-read part of it a week ago before seeing the new movie, and now I'm watching this video because these summaries always help me understand things. I can definitely see myself watching this just for school purposes, which is why I am proud.
I actually didn't have to read this in school, and read it and watched this summary out of sheer curiosity of what the book was about, lol
I kinda get what you mean, as scrolling through the comments it those kinda invoke that feeling a bit
Nick's father told him to remember when he wants to criticize someone that he needs to remember that they may not of had the same advantages as he. As a result, he has formed a habit to reserve all judgement.
Gatsby represents hope.
He had to die because of the sin of chasing a single dream for too long
(post other important information that can appear on a test that isn't in this video below
I remember many years ago, while reading this in high school, we read the chapter where nick went home with another man in class. The latter part of the chapter is written in an unclear manner. Nobody really understood what was happening until at the end of the chapter when one girl blurted out "THEY HAD SEX!" What followed was the universal "Ohhhhhh" and then laughter.
Did anyone else watch this for school lol
im using this to graduate
Me :P Its our prescribed novel for this year
Yes
nope This is my absolute favorite book so I just love watching everything Gatsby related :)
Heyy Flux yes!
You mentions this minor scene with Nick and Mckee but doesn't even talk about Nick's relationship with Jorden? If I hadn't read the book I would have assumed that Nick is gay.
never assume
@@jansdoe6963 lol you are replying to a comment from 4 years ago
@@princexeliel lol you are replying to a comment replying to a comment from 4 years ago
@@robn729 @robert nolt you are replying to a comment that's replying to a person who is replying to a comment from 4 years ago lol
@@princexeliel lol
I love how Fitzgerald describes America's streets during summer , how he also describes luxurious life in details , fireworks , beers , dresses , glow .
Appreciate the Nobel winner guy .
Don't forget to watch the movie version
It's not specifically mentioned but it is definitely hinted at: in Chapter Two, after Myrtle's party there is a degree of phallic innuendo in the elevator, "Keep your hands off the lever", and then the character only remembers "standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear".
There's also his attraction to Jordan, who is always described as having a rather masculine figure or not being conventionally pretty.
As an AP student who has 2 essays due tomorrow over this book. I thank you
Was that all-nighter hell?
How did you get to be AP if you rely on SparkNotes?
@@Vesnicie trust me. You don’t need to be smart to get into AP. You only need to be smart to take BC Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Science.
@@marcusvergara6193 I'm dumb. I took environmental science and got a 5, it's not hard. Replace it with computer science
@@Vesnicie AP is a joke, especially the languages LOL
Daisy is Nick's cousin they aren't just rich friends, I've read this book three times and this is the most boring summary ever.
THANK YOU! that bug the heck out of me!
Also anyone who used this for a report would probably flunk.
Kamryn Gray what movie is your favriote if you have seen them
I've seen both and I feel they both compromise the integrity of the original novel but if there was a gun pointed at my head and I had to pick one, I would chose the one with Leonardo DiCapro because he fits the image that most people would associate with Gatsby.
Leos is my favorite as well because he just the perfect Gatsby in my opinion and Tobey was a perfect Nick as well
Brilliant, loved it. Great summary and analysis. Thank you so much. "You can try to be what you are not, but your true nature will return with full violence" -Seneca
this video touched on something extremely overlooked and that is thst gatsby had it all but was still bummed out because he had a great girl and lost her but really getting her back wouldn't make him feel better and in fact got him killed
Do people really watch this instead of reading the book?
+Zack Kammler YUP
+Zack Kammler Yes and it saved my life.
Yep. The book is boring af
***** Yep I'm a native English speaker and even still it can get too hard to understand exactly because of the reasons you mentioned.
+Zack Kammler Hell. Yah.
For anyone struggling to read it, try the audiobook - I found it way easier and the reader gives the script more life because you hear what's supposed to be dramatic or funny
I never saw it as Nick and Jordan "dating," they were just there, sometimes together.
Felt the same way, everything was about convenience
Excellent presentation - if I were to take a literature exam, this would have helped me pass it! One extremely minor point about the video itself: When it depicts Gatsby's yacht, the vessel is not a boat from the 1920's - it is a boat from the 1990's or 2000's. A vessel from the 20's would not have a radar arch on it!
Nick has a one night stand with Mr. McKee in the end of chapter 2 if you guys didn’t catch that. 😂 The descriptions are so cleverly worded it’s worth reading honestly!
watching this for my english exam tomorrow
sameeee
actually lizzy me too
bro same😂
literally me rn
same
Very interesting book with a lot of hidden facts. This is one of the most boring books I've ever read, but also interesting at the same time.. Not sure if it's a good or bad book...
This must be the most confused comment ever. lol!
lmaoo I came here to take an idea about the book, i'm lost, thank you
LOL Time to do a re-read if you feel that way.
This comment was so accurate
Wait until you read To Kill a Mocking Bird that book sucks but the end it worth it
the video didn't even talk about owl eyes he was an important person and symbol in this story
Victor Olufade it’s a summary not an analysis
Wko is owl eyes?
Daisy: Gatsby what beautiful shirts you have!
Gatsby: better to draw you in to my weird high-class fantasyland with my dear....
Nick: ......
just like the book. i couldn't finish this video.
True, its so bland
It’s really good when you get into it
Lol you’re pathetic if you can’t even watch an 8:00 minute video. Btw the book is good
@@navalidon581 The book is boring as man, Its written terribly and is too confusing.
Donkey agreed. I have to read it for school and much would’ve rather picked Fahrenheit 451. Rip
I love you guys at sparknotes so much! Thank you for everything you're doing.
Some of these comments drive me crazy. People need to understand the big ideas and themes in this book. That's what makes it so worth while. I personally loved the book. The amount of symbolism found in the book is crazy but it helps add so much depth and makes the book a lot more interesting. Some people have no appreciation for great American classics.
No, it's just terrible in every sense. All it's missing is a shyamalan where the entire drag takes place in the writings of a 14-year-old girl with leg-braces.
What does the theme matter when the story is told through a bland, thoughtless narrator, and that all the substance is locked away until 3/4 of the way through? We never learned about Gatsby's past until the near end, which is critical for building the theme. So, basically, more than half the story was an unbearable drag. The other characters are pretty uninteresting as well.
If it's boring, it's boring, regardless of themes
People probably hate it because they were forced to read it by the education system. I was a lucky one and read it in my own time in grade 7 instead of being forced to read it
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us."
To everyone who is not just cramming for a test and is actually interested in the book....I HIGHLY suggest reading it. two weeks ago i watched the video and paused it before the end knowing i was going to read it simply because its an important part of american literature. But the book is so much more then that it gives you insights on people and social thinking in a way no other book does. Please everyone take time to bask in the uniqueness and genius that is the book "the great gatsby."
This is helping me graduate
Saltine Pearl same
If u wanna graduate just hand work in on time. Even if it's not the best, it'll save your teachers a lot of trouble and they'll respect you for that.
Just updating y'all, i graduated two years ago lmfao this video did help
@@Giavenchi u give me hope
@@Giavenchi wish me luck on my final today 😅
I thought Nick and Daisy were cousins?
Nick and Daisy are cousins, but Nic is also friends with Tom because they went to school together :)
They are first cousins once remodeled
They were second cousins
Cara Jackson Second cousins once removed
As someone who only watches this for school made me shocked and sad at the ending. I didn't expect that!!!!!
Most people: "I have a Gatsby test, let's watch video sparknotes!"
Me: "Can't get enough of Gatsby- let's watch video sparknotes!"
chaostrich it's rare to see a fellow person who can't get enough of classical literature! High five! ✋
That's me too
Idk why, but this book was just confusing. I read the whole thing, but this really brought it all together.
It’s worth noting (because it is phrased here that they are just “friends”) that Daisy is Nick’s cousin. Tom also attended New Haven College at Yale with Nick
Got that test tmrw guys, ill get back to you guys.
howd it go
AndrewDrey I got an 85
***** thanks :D
MAN ME TOO I HAVE IT TOMORROW
@@kaiyondo congratulations
This is a mature novel that takes someone who understands the vocabulary and the deep aspects (including symbolism) of it to understand. When I first read it during school, I was bored out of my mind, maybe it was because I was too young to understand or too distracted to care. Since I am on the autism spectrum, I have a hard time understanding "social situations" (especially complex ones) which comprises the majority of the novel (or maybe all of it). If I didn't have autism, maybe I would understand the novel fully, but who knows.
Most people who read novels only care about the plot, not about the deeper elements within. Basically, even though many of the characters in the novel act out in a civilized yet uncivilized manner (partying, drinking, smoking, lavish clothes, girlfriends, boyfriends, money, good conversation, etc.) it causes "drama" within the situations, thus causing negative consequences.
To sum it up, this novel places in the philosophical category as well as the drama category, which is why many literature scholars and avid readers enjoy this novel so much. It causes them to question society (especially the American society, including the concept of the "American Dream") as a whole while incorporating Jazz Age elements due to the time period at the time (the roaring 20's). The "drama" within the novel makes it even more interesting to read.
I am not recommending that you read the novel because everyone's tastes are different. If you have taste in philosophy and drama yet you want it to somehow promote the deprivation of society in the extreme, this is the novel for you. Otherwise, there are plenty of "American Classics" to read besides "The Great Gatsby." Some include "Of Mice and Men," "A Raisin in the Sun," "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," "To Kill a Mockingbird," etc.
Have my A2 English Literature exam tomorrow- this was very helpful for last minute ideas. Thank you!
Galloping Loki same
You saved my life, I have to represent the book in 3 days, and I haven't read it yet
Asmaa B Lazy.
-.- I know MsPardaillan
me af
I like how people ask things like “who watched this for school?” I’m sitting here thinking nah man this is the life. I love watching summaries of a weird rich dudes struggle to find love. I thought to myself when I woke up, yup today’s the day to lose my happiness and so I watched this.
Serious thanks for the summary though, it’s very helpful and even though it might not always be the most enjoyable, it’s worth while, especially the aspect of being able to complain about it with friends.
it feels like teachers formulate the true/false questions just so perfectly that using only sparknotes will screw you over
4:05
"THOSE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHIRTS EVER.......i promised myself i wasnt going to cry."
WTF? Who gets upset over shirts quality.....
5:22
"I never loved you......lol jk bro."
WTFFFFFFFF!!!!!
I know this comment is 6 years old but for anyone reading it now and wondering: Daisy is the imbodyment of wanting to be and stay rich. She is very greedy, fickle and shallow underneath her beauty and charming outside. The shirts Gatsby had were trendy, newest of the collections and expensive, that's why she got so emotional over them, they showed her how rich Gatsby was and that she could have been married to him all along. She never loved Tom like she loved Gatsby but she knew that Tom was rich without cheating or doing illegal things and giving her a steady, rich life without any drama or problems. She realised that Gatsby wasn't rich because of his family and that the way he got rich might bring a lot of problems later in their life or even make them poor. Hope that clears it up for people wondering.
@@ErenaaLamb Thank you for that!
Best part is Nick and the photagrapher he wakes up to. Ayyyyyyeeee
Am I the only one who just watches this video bc The Great Gatsby is the best novel ever written! Anyone?
+Soulless Steve well there are 4 likes so I reallt hope the ones who liked agree 😂😂😂 hahah
Kristín Ósk Thoroddsen yes you are
Kristín Ósk Thoroddsen I had a hard time reading it because I disliked EVERY CHARACTER IN IT
@@makk09mao Yeah I agree that the characters were all unlikeable, but the story itself was amazing for what it represented. The characters were supposed to be unlikeable - that was the point of the book. It was to show that, even during the 20s, during an era of wealth and joy, criticising the idea of the American dream.
Daisy and Tom were rich and were described as careless (essentially the American Dream, to not have to care or worry about anything), destroying people but moving on, not caring about their actions, the people around them, or even each other, ultimately being allowed to carry on living carelessly - the American dream creates lazy, entitled, and overall bad people.
Gatsby holds unrealistic ideas of the world, and despises the fact that his parents were poor, getting involved in drug businesses to change this, and making many mistakes - the American dream causes chaos and ultimately leads to destruction.
Nick wants to be a writer, earns money from the death of a distant relative, rather than earning it. He gives up on becoming a writer because the things that surround him are so distracting and appealing - the American dream causes people to give up on their individuality.
He is also implied to be narcissistic, another critique of widespread American culture.
All the people that attend Gatsby's parties care only about drinking and having a good time, not even showing up to Gatsby's own funeral, critiquing the self-absorption that seemed present in every American.
The characters weren't supposed to be likeable - they were supposed to reflect the worst traits in people, to reflect how bad society can be. The fact that the characters are so easy to hate is part of the reason it's such a great novel, in my opinion.
@@erin7800 I totally agree that the characters are essentially symbols of distasteful human qualities.
However, I hate the characters for another reason: they're just terribly developed. Granted, Nick describes himself as impartial and honest, but it seems like he's pretty much invisible in the story. He doesn't have a mind of his own. He just arbitrarily allows Tom to squander his Sunday over McGee's, and Gatsby, a man he hardly knows, to get closer to his cousin Daisy, who's already married. Throughout the whole story, I was like "Nick, dude, why are you letting them screw over you? You can just say 'No' to them. And then there won't be any drama." Nick is just a 'Yes' robot that contributed to a very stupid series of events.
The whole first half was so boring, I was on the verge to stop reading. There were weird inconsistencies with character motives. I didn't understand why Tom was cheating on Daisy. (They had a baby, like what the heck.) Or how Daisy even knew about Mrs. Wilson, who she recognized and ran over. I dunno if I missed a detail here or there. It was a slow book, I was just powering through it.
Gatsby was the only remotely interesting character, and we know very little about him until 3/4 of the novel, where the author finally decided to reveal his past with Daisy. By then, I was already unamused to care.
People laud the novel for it's theme and symbolism. But they ignore it was a terribly written plot that's hard to be immersed by.
I never heard of Sparknotes 'til halfway through the 11th grade english class haha! I didn't know about Sparknotes VIDEO until nearly the end of grade 12 english when we were reading The Crucible! It helped SO much!!
Thanks Sparknotes!
Great synopsis - thank you. The " greatest American novel of all time " for me, just joins a long list of books, bestsellers quite a few of them, who are totally irrelevant to the world we are living in now. They were irrelevant to the world and time they were written in.The fictitious rich and idle having their often self created problems... an inspiration to us all ?
00:04 The Great Gatsby is about Jay Gatsby's efforts to reinvent himself
01:02 Nick meets Tom's wealthy friends and learns about Daisy's unhappy marriage.
02:02 Nick attends Gatsby's party and meets him for the first time
03:00 Gatsby and Daisy are still in love.
03:57 Gatsby's expensive possessions and fabricated identity help him win over Daisy.
04:57 Gatsby confronts Tom and Daisy about their relationship.
05:57 Betrayal and tragedy mark the end of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy.
06:55 Gatsby's obsession with the past and the upper class leads to his downfall.
Crafted by Merlin AI.
I love this book! The characters are awesome and the plot is very well written.
It is perfectly fine and I wholeheartedly understand. I have no problem with someone just not liking the book because it wasn't their particular kind of novel but not liking it because you don't want to try or because you don't want to understand is wrong. Though thank you for responding with an intelligent answer and not just cussing me out or insulting me because you don't agree with me like most people on the internet.
I was too lazy to read the book...or read the summary. I'm so glad that this is on youtube.
00:39 who let Beiber drive
sparknotes you have to be one of the best things ever most love!!
This video is absolutely riddled with errors. I think the comments have covered most of it. Just make sure to read those if you're watching this for school.
I have a test tomorrow on this and I haven’t read a single page, this page owner is a saint
Its so suprising to see a gay character in a book from the '20s
there isn't...
+Sarah Penn Nick is
+dennis robinson lol your dumb
+dennis robinson actually, Fitzgerald himself was bisexual, and that's why Nick is too, because in essence Fitzgerald IS nick, that's why its a 1st person narration. it isn't proven that fitzgerald was bi, but there's a lot of evidence to support it. AND his other book has a very obviously gay character in it
In modern literary theory, everyone is gay. If you haven't read THE FAR SIDE OF PARADISE, you know absolutely nothing about Fitzgerald. There's not a shred of evidence that he was the was the least bit bisexual. If there had been, Zelda's family would have shot him immediately.
this summary has been of great help!!! thank you a lot!!!!
you provide excellent material!
I'm Indonesian and don't have any school task to summarize this great piece of literature. I read it (so many times) because i want to and it's a classic story. I wish I have to write a summary or at least discuss it with people in my class. It's improbable though.
I will always be indebted to sparknotes
It saddens me that a lot of people watching this "couldn't be bothered" by reading the book. This is a great piece of literature and it needs to be read to be fully understood.
This book is trash and a half. With all the other forms of media and entertainment a person could view. This 100 year old steaming pile of shit, is terrible.
I read it but it simply wasn’t to my taste and also a little bit unclear, I am doing the great Gatsby at A level but I’ve also read through twice and listened to the audiobook and it’s still a little muddy in my head lol. Like I had no idea that Nick was implied to be gay or have inclination towards the male sex. As well as a few other bits.
It is really sad that people simply CBA but I get the purpose.
This video leaves out a lot of things. You won't fully get the message of it unless you read it + it's a really short book overall (just under 160 pages). Worth the effort(:
I started to read this book. When I was done with Ch. 1 I felt confused so I looked up what the book here on Sparknotes to further understand the story. After seeing the comments on Nick's sexuality, I read Ch. 2 and I realized all the debate on it. This is my opinion: Nick IS gay because after carefully reading the first two chapters, he describes Myrtle's sister as 'handsome' and Mr. McKee 'feminine'. He also described Jordan Baker as a 'young cadet'. And then there's the part where he follows Mr. McKee at the end of the chapter. This lead me to believe that he is gay.
This is one of the greatest books that I have ever read.
if it weren't for the movie and sparknote, I would have been very lost in the book :P
***** lol, the book really was confusing to read
lol, hated those words so much :P
***** or maybe your vocabulary isn't extensive enough
Samee
Thank you for having this up for free.
It’s an okay summary but as a warning there are lots of mistakes such as nick and daisy aren’t friends but cousins and the summary leaves a lot of stuff out so it would probably be better to watch more videos such as crash course if you want to learn mote
Thank you for including the point of the story at the end, instead of "just the story". :)
PSA GATSBY WAS FROM NORTH DAKOTA NOT MINNESOTA
also she said she loved tom once but doesnt anymore
I'm here for me I've to paas my finals the day after tomorrow. Remember me in your prayers guys ❤🙏🏻
This was an utterly sad and heartbreaking story.
I've never read the book once. came here and only watched for 8 mins, and ended up with an 82% on my test. love youtube
Also in 7:30
Yes Gatsby earned his money in dishonest ways... But he was not the only one who earned his money dishonestly Nick's grandfather earned his bribing his way out of the civil war and profiting in that time.
When is that alluded about his Grandpa?
My school is doing The Great Gatsby for my year level but only the film, this explains parts of the film and book that both happened in a way that makes sense :)
Am I like the only person who enjoyed reading this book in high school?
yes
I mean I loved the book lol
I typically go for modern books because I hate how old books are written but I found The Great Gatsby to be fantastic read.
Surprised that no one on here liked it
I know right!
It's a good book, not a fan of romance, but it's a good read nonetheless
Thank you I agree.
4:39 That yacht looks too modern to be from the 1920's don't you think?
U forgot owl eyes
I suppose, then, if Owl-Eyes was on the test, they'd be screwed.
Well now on virtual classes, I'll just search up every question 💀
Oh - also, Nick didn't fall in love with Gatsby! Gatsby represented "everything for which" Nick had "an unaffected scorn" and he "disapproved of him from beginning to end". Although he somewhat admired him at the same time, love is too strong a word. The fact is that for most (if not all) of the book Nick hardly knew who Gatsby even was, let alone could trust or love him, and certainly not what he represented either (love of mammon) - this after all was eventually got him killed!
It's not just that it got him killed its also that the rich didn't give a damn for him. Nit Daisy , ( although he took the fall for her, not Tom, not all of the rich attending his parties and drinking his booze , after all Gatsby did to impress them thry didn't even attend his funeral
Watching this for exam - answer in 10 weeks, how did it go?
2:07 they make it seem like nick had a one-night stand w mr. mckee for a few seconds there ngl
he did but its very brief in the book most people don't clock on
Nick goes to visit some friends in East Egg? Daisy is Nick's distant cousin.
preyes117 yes
Thank you very much for your awesome work. I've got a test tomorrow and I've lost the book, so i can't read it^^ You might have saved my ass with this :)
Thanks again !
The illustrations were beautiful
Anyone else here because they have their English literature A level exam in 2 weeks and can't be bothered re-reading the book? xD
OMG................
I`m here for this exact reason........XD
The key part is taking notes
Why does the yacht at 4:45 look like it was made in 2000? Nice anachronism, Sparknotes.
Diehardtwo Dieharder there's also a Cessna floatplane parked by gatsbys mansion, what looks like a 1980 Cessna Skyhawk
the ending is very tragic you feel bad not just for Gatsby but for nick as well
really well explained, thanks for the upload
the book says nothing about nick going home with another man
Yeah it does
+Mario Ferreira where?
Tshegofatso Kungoane right..
+Nisee E. It mentions it briefly at the end of Chapter 2. He goes to Mr. McKee's. However, there is nothing explicit about Nick's sexuality there. It's speculation.
+Nisee E. It says Nick went home with that reporter at the end of Ch. 2. They show them without clothes... What is implied is clear.
"Nick kind of falls in love with Gatsby"
- Sparknotes
I think that the final couple of stanzas where Nick, going one last time round Gatsby's place, sums up Gatsby's idealism being synonymous with the green light across the bay to be too big of a theme to skirt over when discussing this book.
Yessss, I was hoping there was something like this on the interwebs.
Collecting rupees?
Rubies
oh lol
Mohammed Jalloh He played far too much Zelda.
He was on a journey to save Zelda from the clutches of ganondorf
Spark notes is a life saver
I never read the book, we're just having a Gatsby themed dance at school. Just from this, Daisy sounds like the biggest effing gold digger on the planet. Nick- cool dude. I hope this is telling me he's gay because if he's not then mad awkward. Gatsby....idk man...you tried....but not really....
I don't understand why an entire comity could agree that this is the best thing to have a dance about -_-
Because this book and story is staple of American literature and often regarded as the best American novel of all time. Not to mention being an incredible love story. And no, Nick isn't gay. He begins to date Jordan over the course of the book.
Daisy is not a gold digger because she was born rich. It's just the concept that "rich girl can't marry poor boys" or the wealthy doesn't want to share with the poor. Nick is not "gay" because he goes out with a woman named Jordan Baker. He just admires the dedication that Gatsby had to achieving his desire, but not really "like" him in that way. You have no idea how hard Gatsby tried. He did all of this just for Daisy. 5 years of earning money through bootlegging to obtain a mansion and throw big parties to draw Daisy's attention.
Whoever came up with that prom idea, is a fucking great person
Michael Wright I did not interpret that part of the book as him having sex with Mr. Mckee or whoever it was. I saw it as him being really drunk and dropping him off at his house. Fitzgerald never really made it clear on what happened so you can imagine them having sex if you want. Please don't bring me back into a 3 month old trend.
Michael Wright Ok, first off, it's "your," not "you're." Standing besides someone's bed, in which the person is holding a portfolio, does not mean they had sex. There was a word to express "gay" in the 1920s; it's called "homosexual" and he could have definitely used that during Jazz Age if he wanted to. And it does matter how long ago the comment was because arguing over specific parts of a book I read several months ago is pointless and wasting time. Why is it so important to you that Nick is "gay" anyways? I don't think Fitzgerald's main intention of the Great Gatsby was to express the "gay" life of Nick.
i have an assignment on this and i have not read a sungle word from it. the assignment is due this friday (in 2 days)
Strangely enough, even though I was an English lit major, this book never made it onto any of my reading list, neither high school nor college. After I saw the movie I fell in love with it and watched twice and went and bought the book and read it three days. Awesome book. F. Scott Fitzgerald = one awesome writer. The Great Gatsby = one really great American novel!