23/06/2012

REVISITING THE GREAT GATSBY - BY GUEST BLOGGER KELSEY


The Great Gatsby is a great American classic that everyone should read at least twice. Here is your chance to brush up on the novel before the new movie comes out. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925 is a book based in during the time when American had made it through World War I and the country was regaining its footing with prosperity. The Roaring 20’s was in full swing and alcohol was banned, causing trouble for the rich. The plot follows a Midwestern named Nick Carraway as he moves into an affluent and young community in Long Island that has a taste for extravagance. Here he meets the mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby and the young couple Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Nick gets consumed with Jay Gatsby’s ways and witnesses what really goes down behind a troubled man and his muse. 


Jay Gatsby is presented as a mysterious character. He rarely takes part in the lavish parties he organises. Rich and attractive with some secret hidden in his past, he has the stature of a romantic hero but he also embodies the self-made man who tries to recreate the past through the power of money and is finally destroyed. Fitzgerald puts across the idea that the American dream has been corrupted by the desire for materialism. 

Nick Carraway is at the same time observer and participant in the novel. He is the only character  to show and hold onto a sense of morals and decency. Nick can be seen to represent the outsider that Fitzgerald felt himself to be.

This hypnotic novel was turned into a film in 1974 thanks to the dark screenwriter Frances Ford Coppola. Starring the handsome Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan, this slow film made it difficult for any high school student to follow. The film has been looked at as mediocre but close to the original plot. 
Watch this clip from the movie




However,  there is good news, The Great Gatsby is getting a makeover and with a star studded cast, it is sure to hit big. The talented Leonardo DiCaprio will take the part of Jay Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. The trailer has been released and the breath taking costumes, stellar acting and extravagant set are sure to bring this remake to the forefront of all remakes.

The Great Gatsby is set to be released this Christmas, now go pick up your tattered copy and read to prepare you for the wild and mysterious world of The Great Gatsby!





Author Byline 


Kelsey  is the editor in chief for findananny. She loves to write article and ideas that parents & nannies would be interested in hearing. She helps society on giving information about nannies through  online nanny finder. She is a professional writer & loves writing on any thing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

No doubt this will be rated R. Seems like it by the trailer. I would love the remake except for that. The costumes etc. look gorgeous. I watched the 1974 version a few times and unfortunately I can't recall the details. I only read part of the novel. I did however love the music and so I still have the old record.

Maria Grazia said...

@suzan
The themes and the events in the book are not meant for a family audience. We teachers usually read and deal with Scott Fitzgerald's novel with our oldest students who are 18-19 . I'm not sure I'll like this new movie. But first , as Kelsey suggests in her post here, better to re- read the book.
Thanks for your comment!

aurora said...

I have read The Great Gatsby and watched the film with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.
I like the novel but in order to to refresh my memory I am going to reread it.
I am not sure I am going to like this Baz Luhrmann's version to be honest.
Judging from the trailer it is more his interpretation of a movie than the interpretation of a novel itself in my humble opinion.

JaneGS said...

I loved the Redford/Farrow Great Gatsby, which came out when I was a teenager. I saw it at least three times during it's first run, and did think it captured the book magnificently, which I read in high school and loved.

I'll more than likely give this one a shot--I think Carey Mulligan will make a great Daisy.

Anonymous said...

The movie trailer looks great. I can't wait to watch it.