I first read Gatsby ten years ago, and it's interesting what I remember from that read versus what I noticed this time. As a teenager, I was enamored by the glitz of the Roaring Twenties and found a role model in Jordan Baker. I enjoyed Nick as a stand-in character for the reader, as he is a keen observer and does not take initiative. The story is very tragic, but I appreciated how information was gradually revealed.

I recognize now how Fitzgerald designed the characters to illicit different reactions from the reader. For instance, Tom's awful personality and affair make him unsympathetic, so we don't care about his feelings

when Gatsby and Daisy get together.

Jordan and Daisy are foils, representing two distinct paths for women in the 1920s. However, their similarities in social class and carelessness for others matter more than their life choices.

Overall, I think part of what has made The Great Gatsby a classic is that you can learn something new about the characters and about yourself each time you read it.