Universality In The Great Gatsby

As a prolific twentieth century American writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s thoughts on literature are authoritative and influential. When he stated: “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings and that you are not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong,” he characterizes writing as a means of connecting two human beings through written words, asserting that a desire for a connection with others is something that we all share on a fundamental level. Moreover, Fitzgerald suggests that writing and reading literature constitutes a community by bringing people together around this common desire for a connection with others. In the context in which he frames literature, the acts of reading

While an outright rejection of the ability of literature to identify universal human desires and unite us according to these desires would be difficult to uphold, literature also has the potential to draw our attention to deep-seated differences and divisions that make claims of universality problematic. In a sense, even readers of a work of literature who have different and even clashing views of that work can be brought together into a kind of community to discuss and attempt to resolve the divisions and different viewpoints that a work of literature bring to light. For instance, literature that has evoked debates about censorship draw attention to significant differences between readers, as some argue that censoring a book is a violation of the fundamental right of free speech, while others assert that language that is hurtful and offensive to some should not be published or read by students in school. Mark Twain’s novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is a pertinent example of an instance where censorship has divided readers because of its use of racial slurs. Differing positions on whether or not the book itself is racist because of its use of racial slurs or if it uses this language to draw attention to the racism of the time has long divided readers, indicating that while there may be a common desire for readers to feel a sense of belonging and community in the