What's So Great About The Great Gatsby? - Professor Bernstein

[@thelegendrubyrodd]

Not gonna lie, there is not a single author that any of my teachers forced me to read that I like and yet I found my way into reading some years later. It's really a cultural thing. I think kids would be more into reading if teachers allowed students to find there own identity in the reading world and stop force feeding the idea of a classic. oh well, shit happens.

[@jakealden2517]

Jay Gatsby does not care about money or material possessions. Most people miss the point and think that materialism is what drives Gatsby. Most students write papers about how Gatsby is so materialistic. Wrong. Gatsby only cares about Daisy, so the mansion and money and parties is only designed to get her to come back to him. That's what makes him great. He's the only one in the book who doesn't care about money. He is the only one who cares about something real: love. That's why Nick says that Gatsby is better than all the rest put together.

[@jj987987987]

WRONG.

[@Fararissoccergurl]

@@jj987987987 How?

[@TheRedverb]

Absolutely correct.

[@izsac3842]

No, it's stated that Gatsby likes Daisy because of her money

[@sukasuketta1157]

Unless the fact that Gatsby is only chasing a delusional idealization of Daisy, since they've been together for only a month five years before, when she was a symbol of wealth and high social class. He was obsessed with her cause probably she was his missing piece to what he pictured his success looked like, of what being Jay Gatsby actually feels like. Maybe he never stopped feeling like that poor Jimmy Gaz all along.

[@aleksandram7480]

I just finished the book few minutes ago and found your video, i think it's helpful for me. But i read it by my choice, i didn't have to do it for school or anything, which makes the experience different. You're doing a great job, just keep going 😁

[@jaimesandoval1988]

Do you have any writing exercises for improving ones writing?

[@ProfessorBernstein]

I understand what you're saying. My goal is to open up the literature to include the readers (rather than merely lecturing to them). What is greatness? What makes someone great? Is Gatsby great? Why? These questions keep you connected to the reading but also allow you to move beyond it so that you're grappling with larger issues. Thanks for sharing!

[@christopherp.hitchens3902]

Several years ago, I remember a painting that caused a great stir in art circles in New York. The experts all proclaimed the arrival of a great new artist, a sort of new Pollack. Having seen the art work myself, I saw nothing “great” about it. We were merely TOLD, quite often…again and again that it was “great”. Turns out this great painting had been done by dog. Not the first time that dogs have fooled the “experts” and exposed them for the mere humans that they are. I like The Great Gatsby and except for the spectacular party scene… I have never once thought it was all that “great”. I have only ever been TOLD that it was “great”. What about what I think? To compare all critics of Gatsby with the young, colossal pin-head that called into this talk-show just shows how fantastically insecure these educators are with their own opinions. For without a doubt…they too were told, over and over again, their whole lives just how truly GREAT the Great Gatsby is. Much like being forced to read Sylvia Plath, our generation keeps asking our aging professors WHAT IS IT WITH YOU PEOPLE AND DEPRESSION AND SELF-DESTRUCTION? Why doesn’t Fitzgerald, Plath and our professors take their god damned Xanax and chill out! GEEZ! I am not saying Fitzgerald might’ve been a dog…but he does seem to whine a lot. What’s the difference between HOWLING at the green light and just extending your arms to it?

[@PetePrimeau]

Never read it. But I am now intrigued. Thanks!

[@drewtg]

I have just read this book, and I don't understand what all the fuss is about. It's just a little pot-boiler. On researching the book I found that it bombed when it was published, so the contemporaries of the book were obviously, similarly unimpressed. I agree with one reviewer at the time who wrote, "in form no more than a glorified anecdote, and not too probable at that,". It's a pity because I was looking forward to discovering another great U.S. author.

[@megamegapop12]

Van Gogh was panned as well. Salinger with Catcher in the Rye too. Critics shouldn’t dictate greatness. It’s fine that you didn’t love the book, but people love it now and I imagine they will for a long while.

[@TheRedverb]

"Pot boilers" were never written in language so lofty.

[@أثير-ل8ت]

Please tomorrow lhave exam one of these questions why Gatsby is great any one having the answer

[@MasticinaAkicta]

I am trying to read this book, as grown up, and I just can't get into it and these characters. Eh I guess it is a book that really depicts a specific time with specific issues and how characters fit within these and... it still isn't enjoyable to read so. NO!

[@drdreidle2303]

For an American "classic" literature there seems to be a lot of coincidences.

[@tako6396]

Read The Great Gatsby and its garbaaaaage. It ain't no great work of literature complete garbage. Its borning af, the characters are 1 dimensional story with the most boring plot ever. Gatsby's a simp. Great plot bro

[@Glahz]

Lmaooooo

[@gonzamakemezommeataballz2126]

Ill drink to that

[@dimitrescucrncevic9746]

@Ethan St. Pierre not everyone needs to like what you like bro

[@Patidermos]

hahahaha i laugh so hard with the teen conversacion hahahah Good info by the way =)

[@sandracmyers]

Not trying to be mean but this lady is everything I couldn't stand in teachers. ALWAYS complaining about their students wahhhhhh