Submitted by LucidWriter03 t3_10cl5si in books
Is it just me or is the opening paragraph(s) are a bit too hard to understand. Maybe it is because I'm a non native speaker.
I just wanted to check out a few lines before buying the book and the first two short paragraphs about what his father told him is easy to understand but then the next huge paragraph has so many phrases that are difficult for me to grasp the meaning of.
And I thought I was good at English!
It's definitely a flowery, dated style of writing. As a native speaker myself, I had to reread a couple sentences, as they just aren't structured the same way I would structure those same thoughts.
I actually thought that the billboard thing was the man himself observing everyone because I misread things☠️ Gatsby's portrayal of the ashy place is really dense...
Literature, like comedy, can be difficult to get in a foreign language. I’d recommend looking up Lexile levels and finding books that have a lower score than that. There are plenty of awesome books that won’t be so challenging to a non-native speaker
I had to read a lot of old books in HS (probably like a lot of us in the states) I even read and enjoyed the Scarlett Letter. Great Gatsby is the only one I spark noted. I just couldn't.
Gatsby is a challenging read. To me, there is no shame in using Cliff's Notes or some other supplemental material to deepen understanding when reading great literature.
The ideals of what kind of writing is good writing shifted partway into the 20th century in favor of shorter, clearer sentences and paragraphs. I was taught that this was partly due to the influence of writers like Hemingway. You should have better luck with slightly more recent books.
I couldn’t stand Gatsby’s constant use of the phrase “old sport”. didn’t make sense to me and didn’t finish the book.
There was a literary movement at the time that resulted in books like Ulysses and Fitzgerald was at the vanguard. You get used to the circuitous prose
You get used to it. If you stop have trouble, watch the family guy version. I prefer it to the DiCaprio adaptation.
I tried buddy reading the book with someone and they said the exact same thing. The language was too complex for them to understand and enjoy the book so they abandoned it.
You may get used to the writing as you progress on!
As a former English teacher, I can guarantee many American students struggle with the opening pages. I found if it is read aloud, it can more easily be understood. Nick, the narrator, it trying to establish who he is in a type of conversation with the reader; maybe that's why it reads easier aloud. You might consider an audiobook for this section or listen to someone who feels comfortable with the language and, importantly, the punctuation. Once you get past the first few pages, the writing gets easier. I truly believe this novel deserves your attention as it depicts so much about America almost 100 years ago while proving that in many ways those aspects haven't changed.
Some people listen to audiobooks at the same time as reading. It helps.
Quartz636 t1_j4g7wf3 wrote
I often say, for such a short book, it sure did feel like it took me a lifetime to read. It is one of the dullest looks I've ever read.