Gatsby's American Dream: Reading The Great Gatsby Critically, Chapter 1

In which John Green discusses the first chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, including thoughts on the role that the ideas of the self-made man and the American dream fuel the beginning of the novel. Themes, metaphors, and symbols are all discussed--although hopefully not in that boring and unlikable way you all find so reprehensible.
Discuss the book! yourpants.org/threads/9896-The...
In the first chapter, our narrator Nick Carraway introduces us briefly to Gatsby before taking us to an awful dinner with the unhappily married Buchanans, Tom and Daisey, who live in great wealth and misery on East Egg.
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A Bunny
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[@staciar9928]

i like how this is virtually the same script you used for the crash course video XD

[@DianaMcManaman]

Lol he did the same thing for the French Revolution videos.

[@SHmysterlover]

LOL my teacher played the crash course at school and I watched this to realize that it's literally the same script :D

[@kadyarchibald6801]

🤷🏾‍♀️ don’t reinvent the wheel, right?

[@imowilliams2869]

I'm cram watching all of the Great Gatsby analysis videos from John (Both on Vlogbrothers and Crash Course Literature) for my a level english exam in 3 1/2 hours. If I do well I'll be forever in your debt.

[@kevinnel7038]

And?

[@kevinnel7038]

Sorry if I came across as rude I meant it to ask how the test went. (It was late and I was cramming so my brain was busy shutting down)

[@bryantbasketball]

We are still waiting for the results of your exam, man

[@seanscarisbrick6881]

Waiting...

[@RK-ep8qy]

we are connected through time, i am legit doing the same thing now and a level exam is in a couple of hours too

[@cheese0134]

Right now, I'm having a really hard time in my life and I just wanted to thank both John and Hank for making youtube videos. Even though I cried through some of the videos of I've watched, they've cheered me up a little. So, thank you for making my life a little better. Thank so very much John, Hank, Nerdfighters. Thank you for accepting me for everything I am. It means more than you could ever know.

[@shannongarrety6105]

I learn more from your videos than I do in my actual English class. Thank you.

[@XchayudaX]

I love John Green. I got a high score on one of my Hamlet essays because of him. Thanks!

[@skyzthedeer6426]

i just relized this was the guy who wrote "The Fault in our stars"

[@MichelleJoyYT]

Thank you Nerdfighteria for all that you have done for me for the past four years. You are truly amazing.

[@jerryyan24]

One of my favorite books ever and I've never had such a deep view on the first chapter alone. truly amazing! Please continue with the rest of the book soon, I love it!

[@TheChaosPlatypus]

is this blurry or is that just me

[@andrewxc1335]

+TheChaosPlatypus It is.

[@warriorcatskid003]

It old

[@tayloremily9424]

Mock exam tomorrow....THANK YOUUUUUUUU

[@MennaRaafat94]

I have an English oral exam tomorrow about The Great Gatsby so I had to come and rewatch this. It is unbelievably helpful. Please make more of these John, you are so flawless.

[@seraphiel1]

You are so insanely useful John. Whenever I have an essay thats killing me I just go search on the vlogbrothers and it's like instant distinction. Thank you SOOOO much.

[@Papercut337]

I think that the American Dream is referred to as "American" because the idea of working hard to become successful actually Was uniquely American before the 20th century. The concept of the American Dream certainly isn't uniquely American today, and hasn't been for a long time. But success in the age of Colonialism was largely determined by your birth and to many people of the "lower classes," getting a fresh start in North or South America was the most likely, if not only, chance to become successful.

[@legend0fsora]

3:27 damn. i thought he was going to say, "but everything changed when the fire nation attacked."

[@runsfrompapercups]

John if there were teachers like you, the world would be a much better place. But it's such a privilege that we atleast get the chance to experience such wonderful lessons and experiences with the Vlogbrothers. Thank you.

[@IfYouHadAHailey]

you are seriously one of my favorite people in this world. i love listening to you speak and i feel like if we had a conversation it would be the best of my entire life. thank you for existing.

[@JediBearBob]

The Great Gatsby is everything wrong with a Lit teacher's idea of a classic novel. It does nothing but state the obvious at great length and while it is quite full of its own cleverness, it is neither engaging nor fun nor profound.

[@robertsteffler5155]

+Robert Richter I think that how the book supposedly "does nothing but state the obvious" is actually what makes the book so great. It seems to me that the reason the Great Gatsby was such a great novel is because it was able to capture such complex ideas so effortlessly and effectively that we didn't realize that they were complex. That they seemed obvious. I don't mean to gush, but it seems the hallmark of a great novel is conveying complex truths so effectively that we forget they aren't obvious. Side note: One also has to remember that we have the benefit of 20-20 retrospective vision. The dangers of extreme wealth may not have been quite so obvious in the Roaring Twenties, but they are obvious given what immediately followed.

[@WhiteThunder0706]

I've watched this video seven times so far. Watching you talk about something you love is always inspiring. Thanks a lot!

[@CBfrmcardiff]

Fantastic! One of the best John Green videos I've seen yet. You're enthusiasm is the key. More like this, please.

[@jordaneckes912]

I appreciate this and you John Green.

[@alexsc12]

John, I could listen to you talk about things you're passionate about forever. Please keep making these Gatsby videos.

[@warmblanket]

I'm sort of ridiculously looking forward to the rest of these. This was awesome.

[@Mcwollybob]

This video is so amazing that my English 2 Honors teacher is using this for a homework assignment. You guys are awesome. And I'm proud to say that I had already subscribed to you months before she gave us this assignment.

[@CaitlinChemical]

John, I had heard you mention this book many times and subconsciously a few weeks back I ordered the book off Amazon. I've read up to chapter six so far and I must say it's one of the best books I have read in my 16 years. So I just want to thank you, John, for showing me this book, and being made of awesome. I wish I had had you as an English teacher, the way you speak about literature is truly inspiring!

[@frodastic]

John, be my everything; period.

[@bucketsofamazing]

I wish you had been my teacher when I read this novel! The Great Gatsby is so much more engaging when you explain it. Good job John! Can't wait for more :)

[@XiluvmelX]

I love this novel so much & this was just brilliant, can't wait to see the following videos.

[@chloej491]

I love The Great Gatsby - it's one of my favourite books of all time, and F. Scott Fitzgerald is probably my favourite writer. I think making these videos is an awesome idea, as it highlights the brilliance of the book and its complexities in a way that is way more detailed and perceptive than the way it is often taught in schools (which sometimes puts people off the book), as well as inspiring a whole audience to read and love the book :D Thank you!! :)

[@DJbirfday]

Im so happy. I have to read this book for school next year, and now i have you to help make sense of it

[@tompeskett]

Please, please, please do all the chapters and i will be forever indebted

[@kaysm7567]

Are there more of these with chapter 2 and onwards? I’d love to hear him talk about the rest!

[@whistlingbanshee5038]

You have taught me more in 5 minutes than my teacher did in a month. Yes, it took us a month.to read chapter 1..... Please please do more it would save my future of ever passing my.exams!

[@jaceyslayer]

I'm reading this book for my AP English class because of you. Thank you Mr. John Green!

[@PickUpThePaintbrush]

Literally just finished reading this book and recording my thoughts of it. I feel kind'a proud how John mentioned half the things that I wrote.... and then disappointed that I didn't notice the other, seemingly obvious points mentioned. Thankyou for this video, John!

[@RemyScarlett]

One of my favorite books out there. Wish he would make videos for all the chapters.

[@ChocolateBar1234]

John, I did my A Level English exam on The Great Gatsby 5 days ago, and the question that came up was about the American Dream. Why couldn't I have found this video before then?! It actually helped me to understand the novel more than before. And thank you for explaining the story about the butler's nose, I never understood it and now I do! This is one of the many reasons that you, my friend, are indeed made of awesome :).

[@2891Eilatan]

It's been around twelve heats since i read The Great Gatsby, when i was in highschool. You make me want to reread it! Fantastic description

[@Nerdfighter12]

Thank you, John, and congratulations. It is not easy to make this book this enjoyable.

[@nevercomestheday]

I love this book, and John, you clarify it so well. I only wish you would have done this back when I read this in English class.

[@CoolJohnDog]

When I have to read The Great Gatsby in my junior year, I'm going to use this as a study companion, I'm so excited!

[@YoruuXD]

I swear, I could just sit and listen to John talk, like, all the time

[@Starlysh]

It's nice to see you're feeling better, John!

[@Tomatobear]

You read peoples minds John Green!! I finished reading the Great Gatsby yesterday without any idea that you would make a youtube vid about it. In any other case, I loved the book!

[@RickhatesScott]

An extraordinary gift for hope.

[@extrokurt]

I've given in, and finally subscribed to your channel. This video swayed me, and has also made me want to re-read Gatsby. Well done!

[@melancholytrees]

I love you! This has to be one of my favorite books.

[@swankycat]

John I just want to thank you for this videos! I'm studying The Great Gatsby for my English A-level this year and this is the best analysis of the book I have found so far! Mostly because I can understand what you're saying because you tell it like it is. But also because I care what you have to say. :) So thanks for being awesome! Nerdfighter out!

[@oneandonlycassiandra]

watching vlogbrother videos just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

[@pepsicola1295]

Finished it, loved it, and can't wait for more videos! :D

[@Transclairent]

I love this video, John. I loved The Great Gatsby, and will adore the rest of this series. Keep it up, man :)

[@hamsandwhich25]

The Great Gatsby is, undoubtedly, my favourite book. I was apprehensive at first that John would be covering it (i don't know why) but this has been a joy to watch and reminded me of the reasons I love the book. John, I really hope you narrate your new novel, everything always seems so much more poetic and beautiful when you read it. On a side note, "The Beautiful Little Fools"- good idea for a band name?

[@squeegie-beckenheim]

I'm doing Higher Level International Baccalaureate English (what a mouthful), and one of our major assignments this year is an oral commentary- 20 minutes before, we get a literary excerpt of a book we've read during the year, then proceed to talk about it into a tape recorder for 15 minutes. My main strategy for this is to channel John.

[@RainEyre10]

Beautiful, beautiful book. Thank you John Green

[@ABaseKeratin]

I'm not that familiar with American literature (I'm from Europe), but I have heard some marvelous things about the Great Gatsby. Seeing you talk so animatedly about the first chapter is igniting my curiosity and I'm positive that I would love this story. I'm buying the book the first moment I see the chance, so thank you haha! BTW, it's been at least 2 years since I watched a vlogbrothers video and you guys still rock! DFTBA

[@PANICitsJessi]

One of my all time favorite books!! I was lucky enough to study it both my sophomore year and last year (because I moved from Indiana to Texas) and I never understood why my classmates hated it so much!! Excellent synopsis, John! (:

[@InklidxD]

My friend has been trying to get me to read The Great Gatsby for ages now but it's not the kind of book I normally read so I kept putting it off... But when I saw that you'd be doing videos about it, I finally gave in and I'm surprised by how much I loved reading it!

[@iwillneverletgojack]

I finished this book and took the test on Friday. And I just got to this video as I started these videos from the beginning and finally got here :( This explains so much!

[@bnormalsauce]

I wish you had taught my junior year English class. I already appreciate this book way more now than I did when I read it for school.

[@mozational]

ok i am sure i am part of most of us who have to read this for school and didn't understand it. but just watching this video made my life 100% easier. thank you john green you are my hero!

[@sydhodge]

This was very good. I already read the book a few months ago, but I still remember it semi-clearly. I intend to follow along with these videos.

[@nellmenefeelibey]

I love that when he says "everything changes", the video pops into focus.

[@ImTheUnamy]

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE finish explaining this book! I just found out I will be reading this book in collage in September and this just make it make so much sense!!

[@GarrettTheCanadian]

My God, you went more in depth into the first chapter than my grade 11 english teacher did all semester for the entire book... you are awsome my friend.

[@sooooooo0]

I have to study this book next year, so thanks for explaining it!

[@boyblend]

John, I'm from Brazil and I learned to like this book because of one special American teacher i had, and her name is Cara. She read the book with us with such great passion and what i thought to be boring in the beginning turned out to be one hell of a book.

[@BrokenSouls]

Tomorrow is my birthday and I am so, SO excited that Hank is making a video on my birthday. :) Thank you, Hank!

[@zoie-s]

John, I bought The Great Gatsby the other day! I haven't had much time to read it because I have other summer homework, but you've made me excited to read it.

[@pwed546]

i love you for this, it's such a great idea for a channel with such a large audience, getting young people like myself to critically read literature instead of twilight

[@oldgreg9311]

i wish that you had done this a year and a half ago when i was reading this in school! I could have impressed my english teacher so much...

[@linlovesthedoctor]

Haha the quote about Tom you mentioned is one of my favorites in the book!

[@pepsicola1295]

And more: about the lawn, "finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run." And, "wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square." Also, "Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism had no longer nourished his peremptory heart." That was a gorgeous piece of literature right there.

[@Clashbreak]

Thank you for getting me psyched before I have to read this book for American Lit!

[@Cynicar]

I love that you're doing this. Can this be for always?

[@bespeckledcat]

I love this explanation!

[@chubbo100]

Need more of these...

[@saelmve9120]

The funny thing is, I still have my copy of The Great Gatsby from high school and I'm looking through it and I realize I have pretty much everything John mentions and quotes highlighted. I always knew what a great literature teacher I had, but now this just confirms it for me.

[@canadiancaro]

john, you did a wonderful job...please continue with the gatsby analysis! (i.e., when you´re done signing our books ;) thanks so much for your great videos!

[@music4life813]

Thankyou for helping me with my summer work!! Gatsby was assigned for this coming semester. This is way more fun that sparknotes

[@CallMeSmash]

i wish you did this Great Gatsby series during last spring when I was reading this in school. It would of been really helpful!! :)

[@apetheape9]

WOW! I wish you did these videos about Gatsby during the beginning of my school year when i was reading the book, could of helped with my essays and made things easier.

[@Bookbag85]

This is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a Nerdfighter!!

[@1KitKat0]

Gosh that was wonderful. I've a mind to seek out the book again

[@ubersorrybro]

I've wanted to become an English teacher for most of my life. Recently I've been having second thoughts about it (I'm still in high school and have time for such nonsense), and after watching this video I can't imagine doing anything else and missing out on sharing this enthusiasm that I share with you, John, with our world's teenaged population of the future (who will most likely be a deeply troubled and disconnected group of non-verbal communicators sadly).

[@JulianHK11]

Where was this like 5 years ago when I needed it?

[@rruiz16]

Love, love, love this book!

[@monkeysxplaybills]

Read this two years ago in sophomore year and absolutely loved it. My teacher did not point out about Nick "Care-away." Also "faithful narrator" - haha, oh irony. I'm excited to hear what you have to say about Owl Eyes.

[@rahxephon52]

Fantastic explanations

[@ElenaOriglio]

I can't wait for more..

[@koikazu95]

oh my gosh, this is helpful >.< thank you soooo much!!! hope you could finish all the chapters before school starts cos i have a test on this :)

[@turk2336]

I have to read the book over the summer. It's a good thing I can watch these videos too

[@aleafa]

Wow. The first time I read The Great Gatsby was in 10th grade American Lit and though my teacher was great I never really comprehended it. Thank you so so so much for being the best online English teacher ever.

[@kmackattacksings]

thank you so much for doing this!! i have to read the book for summer reading and this is going to help a lot!!!! :) thanks again!

[@MeltedGumdrop]

I keep finding myself watching your Great Gatsby reviews. It was a required book in my AP Language class, and probably one of my favorite novels. I really hope the new movie is faithful to the book...

[@TheEraser92]

Can't wait for the rest of these, I'm assuming you aren't going to go chapter by chapter or we could be here for a very long time

[@BeautyByMonicaElise]

great gatsby is one of my favorite books!! saw both movies!!

[@KittiMitties]

I didn't get the chance to read Gatsby, but I watched the video just to see the passion with which I knew you would talk about it.

[@TessaMitterhoff]

I read The Great Gatsby this past year in English and I can honestly say I am much more enlightened with the way you go about explaining it.

[@RaraRaraRawr]

I didn't get to study this at school but it's the one book I wanted to more than any other! I first read it when I was 14 and have been infatuated with Fitzgerald ever since, thanks for bringing the awesome to so many others :D

[@Wsnewname]

John, please finish this book through these videos. We're growing impatient. =) Thanks!

[@ediwho_]

OMG we just started this book today, i need all the chapters!!!