"there are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired"

I have to say that The Great Gatsby has been one of the most enchanting books I've read in quite some time. It amused me in the way that the beauty of past eras does, and it drew me into a world that I kind of fell in love with. Written in the twenties, during a time of booming economic growth and mass production, the story is narrated by Mr Gatsby's neighbour who is absorbed by Gatsby's lifestyle, just as we become absorbed in it too. What is most successful about the way The Great Gatsby is narrated is how it creates the atmosphere that represents this lifestyle of carefree leisure and decadence. Through elegantly composed descriptions, we are invited to the party, to breathe in the smoke, dance to the music and watch the beautiful people, until it's time to go home. 

"And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy."

The book is a short escapism into a slice of world recovered from the damages of war, one that we unfortunately don't live in today.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

This last line addresses the conflicting argument within the story, of whether it is possible to repeat the past. Of course, it is not. Time moves on in spirals, not circles. Yet the proposition that it does repeat is telling of the human condition, that in times of insecurity, we live in a world that we feel peace in, even if it is only in our memories.

Overall, The Great Gatsby, to me, is like a daisy chain of summer gatherings, and moments made infinite in text. A dreamy summer read...

"and from his pain he knew he was not dead"

I don't know a lot about Ernest Hemingway, but am intrigued to learn more after reading The Old Man and the Sea. The tale is narrated by an old, but strong, fisherman who takes us through a long tough journey of perseverance, and, staying true to the tale's character, leads us to an ending that at first seems unjust, but resonates with our recognition of life's deliberate determination of always getting its way.

"and from his pain he knew he was not dead"

We can all relate to the fate of the old man, and know his pain. This particular quote resonated with me quite strongly; the association of being alive with being able to feel.

"and some day this morning would just be a memory"

This is one of my favourite quotes from The Alchemist. It is a fable which takes you on the journey of life, in reaching your ultimate goal.

I find it inspiring because it encourages the idea that what is valuable isn't achieving your goal, but all that it took you to achieve it. It also teaches that in realising ourselves, we can find what we're truly looking for.

"and some day this morning would just be a memory"

I think this line explores a key paradox of life; it is timeless in the way that this moment will always exist, and is crucial to what is to follow, yet like most moments in our lives, will swiftly be forgotten as if it had never existed in the first place. It suggests to me that whatever happiness or hardship you're going through, one day it will just be a memory, nothing more. It gives you the perspective that you don't yet have, to keep going, because there is more to your story that awaits you.