The Great Gatsby

[Iris]

I'm reading The Great Gatsby and I would like to hear your opinions. Have you seen the Robert Redford film? Is it any good?

[Alfonso]

I read the novel long ago, and I remember I couldn't get Redford's face out of my mind. So, if you want to have an idea of the physical appearance of Gatsby, think about Redford thirty or forty years ago.
If I had to sum the novel up in one sentence, I would say it's about the impossibility of being happy despite having money.
Something I couldn't understand, and which for me is a bad trick of the writer, is the incredible magnetism its main character has over the rest of the people. You never know why he is so popular and fascinating. He's said to be so, and that is supposed to be enough for the reader. The majority of his characteristics are provided by the writer, not from what you can deduce on your own by observing his behaviour. That's really annoying, since you think the writer is judging for you, maybe because he doesn't trust you, or maybe because he's selling you a bad good and has to push its goodness for you to buy it.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

I read the novel long ago, and, from the movie, I remember I couldn't get Redford's face out of my mind. So, if you want to have an idea of the physical appearance of Gatsby, think about Redford thirty or forty years ago.
If I had to sum the novel up in one sentence, I would say it's about the impossibility of being happy (? and rich/despite having money).
Something I couldn't understand, and which for me is a bad trick of the writer, is the incredible magnetism its main character has over the rest of the people. You never know why he is so popular and fascinating. He's said to be so, and that is supposed to be enough for the reader. (? Main part of his characteristics is over the fact of the descriptions of the character), and not over his behaviour. That's really annoying, since you think the writer is judging for you, maybe because he doesn't trust you, or maybe because he's selling you a bad good and has to push its goodness for you to buy it.

Alfonso, I believe the corrections above clarify what you wrote. The two sets of parentheses enclose text I didn't understand. Could you enlighten me?

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot for your corrections, Rusty! They are really clarifying! I edited my post, so I hope it'll be clearer now. Answering your questions:

• I meant: the impossibility of being happy despite having money. Is it understandable now?
• And by main part of his characteristics is over the fact of the descriptions of the character, and not over his behaviour I meant, wrongly expressed, that you come to know the character of Gatsby mostly by what you are told it is, and not because you can make up your own mind by reading about and observing his behaviour. So he's said to be a nice guy... but, you can wonder: nice guy? why? He's said to be a generous person, and you can wonder: generous, with whom?
• I removed the allusion to the movie. I think it's clearer now, since I'm alluding to both the movie and the novel.

I know this is a complex subject to speak about. But I had to try it. Thanks a lot, Rusty, for your corrections!

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

Thanks a lot for your corrections, Rusty! They are really clarifying! I edited my post, so I hope it'll be clearer now. Answering your questions:

• I meant: the impossibility of being happy despite having money. Is it understandable now? Yes
• And by main part of his characteristics is over the fact of the descriptions of the character, and not over his behaviour I meant, wrongly expressed, that you come to know the character of Gatsby mostly by what you are told it is, and not because you can make up your own mind by reading about and observing his behaviour. So he's said to be a nice guy... but, you can wonder nice guy? why? He's said to be a generous person, and you can wonder generous, with whom?
• I removed the allusion to the movie. I think it's clearer now, since I'm alluding to both the movie and the novel. Yes

Given your explanation, the 'main part' comment could be reworded:
'The majority of his characteristics are provided by the writer, not from what you can deduce (formulate) on your own by observing his behavior ( American English spelling).'

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot, Rusty, for your superb work. You helped me a lot.

What about your opinions about The Great Gatsby? I guess Iris is waiting to hear from you all! Try it in Spanish, English speakers .

[Rusty]

No lo he leído, así que no puedo ofrecer una opinión que sirva.

[Iris]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

Thanks a lot, Rusty, for your superb work. You helped me a lot.

What about your opinions about The Great Gatsby? I guess Iris is waiting to hear from you all! Try it in Spanish, English speakers .

Just one little thing this time. Keep up the good work!

[poli]

No recuerdo cuando leí Gatsby pero hace años. Si recuerdo correctamente, Gatsby era una persona que quería reinventarse. Lo que hace Gatsby patético es que se metió en un mundo mas o menos vacío.
El objecto de su deseo era poco profundo --riqueza sin substánancia. Un mundo hueco que poco después hundió en la depresión de 1929. En los años veinte (y hasta hoy) los Estados Unidos tenía la reputación de ser un sitio donde una persona como Jay Gatz podía aspirar ser alguien que no era y con exito.(En Hollywood, un imigrante de Sicilia Rudolfo Guillermino se convertió a Rudolph Valentino.Un poco después Frederick Austerlitz y Virginia McMath se hizo Fred Astaire Y Ginger Rogers, Margarita Cansino--Rita Hayworth,etc.. ) Gatsby era un impostor que finjia bien. Su reinvención refleja su tiempo y sitio. Su tristeza refleja la consecuecia de su reinvención.

Poli

[Iris]

Originally Posted by poli

No recuerdo cuando leí Gatsby pero hace años. Si recuerdo correctamente, Gatsby era una persona que quería reinventarse. Lo que hace a Gatsby patético es que se metió en un mundo mas o menos vacío.
El objeto de su deseo era poco profundo --riqueza sin substancia. Un mundo hueco que poco después se hundió en la depresión de 1929. En los años veinte (y hasta hoy) los Estados Unidos tenía la reputación de ser un sitio donde una persona como Jay Gatz podía aspirar ser alguien que no era y con exito.(En Hollywood, un imigrante de Sicilia Rudolfo Guillermino se convirtió en Rodolfo Valentino.Un poco después Frederick Austerlitz y Virginia McMath se hicieron Fred Astaire Y Ginger Rogers, Margarita Cansino--Rita Hayworth,etc.. ) Gatsby era un impostor que finjía bien. Su reinvención refleja su tiempo y sitio. Su tristeza refleja la consecuecia de su reinvención.


Poli

Thanks for your input, Poli.