As part of the National Year of Reading, we will be sharing extracts from some of the most powerful novels with our students.

This month, we have chosen The Great Gatsby, as February is the month of love! ❤️ 

In the extract, Daisy is invited for tea at Nick's house and is surprised to find Gatsby waiting for her- a man whom she loved before the war but knew she could never marry because of his class. Gatsby dedicates his life after the war to becoming rich, hosting glamorous parties and hoping that he will see Daisy again.

I love how romantic this book is... but I also think Gatsby's sensitivity and emotional complexity counters other more harmful representations of masculinity our young people are exposed to today.  

In this extract Gatsby is crippled with nerves and excitement at the prospect of seeing Daisy again. 

Excerpt:

“Gatsby, his hands still in his pockets, was reclining against the mantelpiece in a strained counterfeit of perfect ease, even of boredom. His head leaned back so far that it rested against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock, and from this position his distraught eyes stared down at Daisy, who was sitting, frightened but graceful, on the edge of a stiff chair.

“We’ve met before,” muttered Gatsby. His eyes glanced momentarily at me, and his lips parted with an unsuccessful attempt at a laugh. Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and caught it with trem-bling fingers and set it back in place. Then he sat down, rigidly, his elbow on the arm of the sofa and his chin in his hand.

“I’m sorry about the clock,” he said.”

Books that are similar to this one are: 

  • Great by Sara Benincasa – a contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby set in the Hamptons teen scene, with drama and glamour that echoes Gatsby’s world
  • The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton – a classic YA novel about class divisions, belonging and loyalty among teens
  • Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira – a novel in letters about grief, identity and connection, written in clear, engaging language
  • Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith – a romance with depth that explores identity, prejudice and relationships

Classics and coming-of-age (still readable for teens):

  • The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger – a coming-of-age story about alienation and finding authenticity in a “phony” world
  • This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald – another Fitzgerald novel about love, ambition and finding oneself after war