Gatsby uses the accepted terms for Black people for the time, but it also refers to young Black men as “bucks.” This was an outdated, dehumanizing term even for 1925. Decades earlier, slave owners had used the word “buck” to describe Black men as livestock. There are no named Black characters, but the Black people mentioned in passing are given racist descriptions.

Many critics callGatsby’s women characters sexist. Jordan Baker is depicted as strong—but mostly through contrasting her with other women. As Tyler Turner wrote in a 2017 essay, these characters fit many misogynistic stereotypes, but their storylinesalso reveal how men like Tom abuse women.

Changing reactions toThe Great Gatsby show that some books are more appreciated decades after their publication. It was published during Prohibition, and the text strongly implies Gatsby got rich through bootlegging. Several years later, the Great Depression began. Many readers didn’t want to read about the characters’ lavish lifestyles, even though the book exposes their illusions.

Many articles and documentaries say that US service members in World War II enjoyedGatsby because it evoked nostalgia for a bygone era. This seems ironic considering the violence and destruction by the story’s end. Or perhaps an idealized past initially draws readers in, but they lose these illusions. I think the claims that readers misinterpretGatsby are overstated. The tension between the allure of wealth and the actions of selfish, rich people is integral to the book.

This tension between glamorous settings and selfish, cruel characters also makes the book difficult to adapt to the screen orthe stage. Nick Carraway’s narration is important, and so is the subtext, which sets and costumes can’t convey. Like many other readers, I found the2013 movie adaptation superficial. It misses the subtlety of the book, focusing on how glamorous the parties look and sound. At times, it almost feels like a doomed love story between Jay and Daisy, rather than his unrequited infatuation representing his ambitions.

The Great Gatsbyentered the public domain in 2021. This was great news for people like me, who enjoy retellings. They range fromNick by Michael Farris Smith, a prequel about Carraway, toThe Chosen and the Beautifulby Nghi Vo, a fantasy with Jordan Baker as the narrator. In this retelling, Jordan is the adopted, Vietnamese child of white parents.Gatsby is about an outsider trying to fit into an old-money, white social circle. So, it makes sense that important characters are often people of color in fan theories and retellings. Readers keep bringing their own unique perspectives toGatsby,  with all its flaws and contradictions.

You might enjoy a close readingofThe Great Gatsby’s iconic last line. The first line is equally memorable.