The Great Gatsby/Snobbery

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Original Print Date: 1925

Quick Summary: Because of this story's complexity, I have put together a flow chart to map out a summary. I hope it is helpful! Please see the chart below:

My Thoughts: Well, this was my second time to read this book. Like majority of Americans, my first time was in high school English. When I read it then I remember getting so lost within all of the characters and always feeling confused as to what was going on. This could be the result of my lack of attention span at that age or because I had a bad teacher. It's always easier to blame it on the teacher so let's go with that. I have kept it in my book collection since then and have always wanted to reread it so that I could wrapy my head around the story. I am so glad I was able to put aside some time to do so because Mr. Fitzgerald's writing is magical. There is something about it that is so fluid and vivid that you immediately are able to create the world in your mind. Needless to say, this book is amazing and once again I understand why it is considered a classic. It's timeless!

Title: Snobbery

Author: Joseph Epstein

Original Print Date: 2002

Quick Summary: A book about snobs. Literally. This book takes a look at snobbery and how it has evolved throughout the ages. Mr. Epstein discusses what makes a snob, what the difference is between an elitist and a snob, tastes, WASPs, status, politics, gays, etc. He covers just about every topic which 'snobbism' can be tied to. I have pulled some quotes to highlight the fascinating and common-sensical points he make in this book. This is one of the reasons I decided to combine postings with The Great Gatsby. He makes many references to The Great Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald throughout the chapters. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact that one author made such an impact on society through his writing and veiwpoints.

To describe the difference between a snob and an elitist: : The distinction, I believe, is that the elitist desires the best; the snob wants other people to think he has, or is associated with, the best."

• I love this point because it is so true! I read this and thought, yes! That's exactly right! There are people who genuinely want and try to acheive 'the best,' then there are those who fake it. The ones who fake it are those people who you are constantly rolling your eyes at.
  

Historically, the ruling snob class in America was referred to as the WASPs: White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. The WASP class internally collapsed in the late 1900s during the 60s and 70s when people began feeling insecure about being wealthy, when colleges started accepting people who were not WASP-descendents, and when technology took over business. I thought this was an interesting point Mr. Epstein made using F. Scott Fitzgerald and how he displayed his characters:

"Fitzgerald's yearning to live the good Wasp life was mediated by his knowledge of the like of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, those Wasps to the highest power and the villains of The Great Gatsby: she whose laugh had the ring of money..."

Here are his thoughts on tastes: "'Each has his own taste" is another of the towering cliches on the subject, but one usually says it confident that one's own taste is superior to the person who, or the disagreements that, occasioned the remark."

I would like to close with the below quote from Mr. Epstein. I think this basically sums up the whole book:

"So eager to be among the major players, the inner circle, the upper crust, the snob doesn't get it. He also doesn't understand that one of the best means of acquiring prestige and carrying status is to not give a damn aboutthem, for the paradox of prestige and status is that e more one huners for them, the more one is willing to do for them, the more elusive they become."

My Thoughts: This book was incredibly fascinating to me. I picked it thinking it would be full of sarcasm and witty sentences. I was partially wrong about this. While Mr. Epstein is quite witty and sarcastic, his research and references are legitimate. I had no idea that 'snobbery'was something that has been studied and examined throughout the centuries. This book is a must-read-with-a-dictionary-close-by because it is EXTREMELY well-written with words I have never heard of. A fun read!