The novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a very educational and teachable novel. I learned a lot of life lessons and morals from reading this book. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby should be required reading because it appeals to real life situations, contains great amounts of figurative language and diction, and shows the role of wealth in society.

 Bob Batchelor´s article ¨Why Gatsby Matters¨ displays several reasons as to why students should be required to read this novel. The article states, ¨The central themes and ideas emerging from the book, ranging from the fulfillment of the American Dream to the role of wealth in society, resonate with contemporary readers who struggle with similar uncertainties today. As a matter of fact, the ambiguity at the heart of Gatsby is its lifeblood and embraced by audiences.¨ It is evident that students in all schools should be required to read this intellectual novel because it teaches students a lot about real life situations that can happen to everyone.

In the novel, every single chapter represents real life situations. For example, there is cheating between characters, fighting, car crashes, drug schemes to make money, and realizations about bad relationships. Correspondingly, all of these pronounced reasons make this book very educational and matriculate. Jonathan Hogeback states, ¨The Great Gatsby is distinguished as one of the greatest texts for introducing students to the art of reading literature critically (which means you may have read it in school).¨ Furthermore, in the novel Tom is fighting for Daisy and trying to show Daisy why Gatsby is not an exceptional man for her. ¨I found out what your ´drug stores´ were. He turned to us and spoke rapidly. ¨He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side street drug stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts¨(133). Gatsby was involved in the drug business and he did not truthfully earn his money to be where he is now. There might be students who might be tempted to make quick money selling drugs even if it illegal or get them into trouble. This could also apply to the question of is the end goal more important or is being ethical more important. Similarly, Tom also states, ¨Daisys leaving you...¨ Gatsby replies, ¨Nonsense.¨ Daisy states, ¨I am though.¨ She said with a visible effort¨ (133). This situation can be applied to all relationships where people may be unhappy or break up because of cheating. All of these problems that occur in this book change the characters´ thoughts and display real problems. Not only is there cheating and drugs, there is fighting. An example of fighting is, at a small get together, Tom and Myrtle were arguing back and forth because Myrtle kept bringing up Daisy´s name which made Tom unstable and senseless. Tom finally lost it and hit Myrtle straight in the face, which left her dripping blood. ¨Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand¨ (37). On the other hand, as if there was not enough drama and problems in this novel, a car crash occurs after a party. A drunk driver crashed and ended up in a ditch. I believe this is one of the most teachable moments that all students reading this novel should learn from. The students should learn to never drink and drive, because you could end up just like the character in this novel and not only endanger yourself but you could hurt or possibly kill another innocent human being. ¨Fifty feet from the door a dozen headlights illuminated a bizarre and tumultuous scene. In the ditch beside the road, right side up, but violently shorn of one wheel, rested a new coupe which had left Gatsby's drive not two minutes before¨ (53). Therefore, this novel should be required to read in every school because these real life situations are relatable to  many students and they can learn from them.

Not only does this novel display real life scenarios, this novel contains an impeccable amount of striking figurative language and diction. This novel persuades readers with pathos to learn from bad decisions and not let money get the best of you. In addition, the novel uses logos to show time in this novel many times. Lastly, the author incorporates ethos to make the reader comprehend a lot about the characters in this novel by using a considerable amount of background knowledge. In addition, besides using ethos, pathos, and logos, the author integrates a substantial amount of all types of figurative language. ¨A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up the frosted wedding cake of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine- colored rug, making a shadow on it as wind does on the sea¨(8). This quote provides 2 similes in just one sentence. Furthermore, metaphors are used, ¨Then she flounced over to the dog, kissed it with ecstasy, and swept into the kitchen, implying that a dozen chefs awaited her orders there¨(32). The use of figurative language would benefit students because it helps students see how it would enhance readerś imagination and engages the reader.  As you can see the author uses an array of figurative language and diction to enhance the readerś experience and can be used as a guide in using figurative language.

The overriding theme of this novel is do not let money interfere with the person you are, do not let it get the best of you and change you. In this novel students will see the role of wealth in societies and how it changes the way people act. Likewise, the role of wealth in the society and how the characters act with it should teach students that money is not everything and not everyone has good intentions when earning their money. Vybarr Cregan-Reid states, ¨ The novel, beautifully spare in its prose style, is famous for capturing the mood of the 1920s, especially the moral vacuity of a postwar society America obsessed with wealth and status. Although hardly a success upon its release, the novel is considered an American classic today,¨. For example, in the novel Nick was not born with an immense amount of money but he is around many other characters that did not have to earn their money, they were born into it. "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had" (1). In this quote Nick's dad tells Nick that he should not feel put down by anyone with more money than him because they had an advantage and did not work for their money. Likewise, just because they have more money than Nick does not mean they are superior or better than him. Moreover, Tom brags about his money and flaunts it right in front of Nick and Nick tries to ignore it because Tom did not earn his money.  ¨His family were enormously wealthy- even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach- but now he´d left Chicago and come East in a fashion that rather took your breath away; for instance he brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest¨(6).  Also, ¨They had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together¨(6). These quotes display that money or wealth does not make someone a good person or a happy person. The novel shows how money in societies change people, not always for the better.

Thus, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby should be required reading because it appeals to real life situations, contains great amounts of figurative language and diction, and shows the role of wealth in society.