2.2.1
Early & Modern Criticism
Criticism of The Great Gatsby
Criticism of The Great Gatsby
Upon its publication in 1925, reviews of The Great Gatsby were fairly positive. But Fitzgerald was left disappointed by sluggish sales: he had hoped to sell 75,000 copies, but only managed around 20,000 in the initial run of the book.
Positive reviews
Positive reviews
- Lilian C. Ford of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the book 'leaves the reader in a mood of chastened wonder', going on to declare the book to be a 'work of art'.
- Edwin Clark of the New York Times also positively reviewed the book, calling it 'curious… mystical and glamorous'.
Negative reviews
Negative reviews
- One particularly harsh critic was Harry Eagleton of The Dallas Morning News who commented that 'one finishes Great Gatsby with a feeling of regret, not for the fate of the people in the book, but for Mr. Fitzgerald.'
- Meanwhile, Ruth Snyder of New York Evening World declared the book to be 'painfully forced' and stated that she was 'quite convinced after reading The Great Gatsby that Mr. Fitzgerald is not one of the great American writers of today.'
Increasing popularity
Increasing popularity
- History has been far kinder to The Great Gatsby than initial reviews or sales suggested, and the book has gained steadily in reputation over the years since Fitzgerald’s death in 1940.
- Critic Lionel Trilling wrote in 1945 that the character of Gatsby could be considered to be a figure who represented America itself.
- In 1960, Arthur Mizener of the New York Times declared the novel to be 'a classic of twentieth-century American fiction'.
Best-seller
Best-seller
- In modern times, the book continues to be a worldwide best-seller, continuing to sell around 500,000 copies annually and having sold more than 25 million copies in total.
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
Jump to other topics
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
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