Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015 - (Page 38)

off the shelf The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Review by Leslie Luqueno The glitz, glamour, and excess of the 1920s are the backdrop for F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby, in which the reader can expect to delve into the enchanting yet mysterious world of nouveau-riche Jay Gatsby. The narrator is Nick Carraway, a young, simple man who moves to New York in the summer of 1922 to learn the promising bond trade. Instead, he ends up enmeshed in the complicated lives of his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and his new neighbor Gatsby, who personify the era known as the Roaring Twenties. Indeed, Daisy and Gatsby are symbols of a country gone wrong, a cynical, morally corrupt America obsessed with greed and the empty pursuit of pleasure. Unlike his newly rich neighbors in the town of West Egg, Nick lives a rather simplistic life-until he becomes involved with Daisy and her husband, Tom, in East Egg, the land of Old Wealth. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses this motif of old money and new to symbolize the state of moral decline in America. One afternoon, when Nick drives out to East Egg to visit Daisy and Tom, he discovers that their picture-perfect relationship is an act, as Tom is involved in an affair with Myrtle, a poor woman who lives in the valley of the ashes. Back in West Egg, Nick also begins to learn more about his mysterious and extravagant neighbor, Gatsby, and is invited to one of Gatsby's legendary parties. There, he meets Daisy's friend Jordan Baker, who reveals that Gatsby's glamorous lifestyle is only a ruse to impress Daisy. Gatsby and Daisy, it turns out, had met in the summer of 1917 and fallen madly in love. But Daisy, succumbing to the pressures of her old-money family, was forced to marry old-money Tom Buchanan. Through Nick, Gatsby arranges a meeting with Daisy, resulting in a rekindling of their relationship. When Tom begins to suspect his wife's feelings for Gatsby, it sets off a downward spiral of events that reflects Fitzgerald's view of declining America. Although Fitzgerald crafted his story in the 1920s, the themes remain relevant today. But while Fitzgerald's tale is a commentary 38 imagine on the declining state of things, he remains hopeful: Hope, in fact, is symbolized by the green light that continually beckons across the water from Daisy's home to Gatsby. This book will take readers on an emotional journey as they travel with Nick through the ups and downs of living among the "finest"-a journey that ultimately leads to his maturation. Whether you're into romance, mystery, or historical fiction, this classic is sure to fulfill any reader's needs. n Leslie Luqueno is a senior at Bell Gardens High School in California, where she is editor-in-chief of the newspaper and president of a political club. She has taken numerous writing courses during her seven-summer run at CTY. In addition to writing, Leslie enjoys hanging out with friends, supporting the New England Patriots, and watching The Big Bang Theory. She hopes to major in creative writing and political science at one of her dream colleges. Also recommended The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak Through two narratives-one historical and one contemporary- this novel chronicles the mystical and astounding connection of past and present. As literary agent Ella works with author Aziz on his novel about Rumi and Sufi mystic Sham, Rumi's insights begin to resonate in her own life. In the end, Shafak's novel is a voyage across continents, oceans, and centuries in the pursuit of the essence of existence: love. -Ahmad Aamir, 15, Pakistan Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Bird by Bird may appear to be the typical writing advice book, but it actually transcends the normal confines of the genre. Anne Lamott uses alternatingly hilarious and heartbreaking anecdotes from her life to explore not only how to write but why we write. She offers insights on everything from character development to coping with death. The book's inspiration is rooted not in Lamott's seeming to be superhuman, but in how she embraces her humanity. -Emelyn Jaros, 17, NJ Nov/Dec 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015

Big Picture
In My Own Words Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns
National Treasure Volunteering at the National Archives
Driving My Future, Exploring the Past The many rewards of genealogy
Past in Focus National History Day
People-Powered Movements Studying revolutions at Phillips Academy Andover
Hooked on History From paleontology to conservation science, four graduate students share their research
This is History My summer at Crow Canyon
The Benefits of Majoring in History
Making History My journey to the inaugural International History Olympiad
Historians in Training The Concord Review Summer Program
The Ultimate Game
In My Own Footsteps Putting my choreography in the spotlight
Selected Opportunities and Resources
Off the Shelf Review of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options Interview with archaeologist Inna Moore
One Step Ahead Be your own priority
Planning Ahead for College Choosing the best college for your major
Students Review: University of Washington
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015