Welcoming the new year in the Gatsby style
"And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties, there isn't any privacy."
— F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Every fanboy and girl of the central character of the novel knows that Gatsby celebrated his life on a grand scale – which ultimately became synonymous with his name. To Jay, small parties were nerve-wracking, where everyone was conscious of their presence and not true to their inner characters. To him, that was preposterous.
Gatsby believed that when one entered a room to celebrate, all inhibitions should be left behind – and people should act more carefree and natural to their character rather than be closed and fake.
While there may be many controversies regarding the book and the characters, two things are certain — Gatsby knew how to love a woman and also how to party on a 'larger than life' scale.
With respect to that larger-than-life lifestyle of the famous fictional character – let's begin our New Year, and welcome it with open arms and true to our characters.
Let the inhibitions wash away and let us live a life worth writing about.
Celebrating events that are larger than life
"In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars."
— F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby was written to celebrate the Jazz Age culture of the 1920s, often signified by the carefree, high-living lifestyle of the society's upper tier. Fitzgerald eloquently expresses the way of life of the rich and famous of the notable era, which in many cases, echoes the current lifestyle of the urban elite in 21st-century Dhaka.
Even though glitz and glamour need not be associated with emptiness and a feeling of remorse, Fitzgerald made 'the concept' seem more temporary – as if everything disappeared as daylight shined back on, giving way to reality.
While this may not be true in many aspects, we still keep our fingers crossed and hope that 2023 brings more 'light and power' to our lives. As we celebrate to welcome the new year, we remain hopeful for a prosperous 2023. We remain positive that the new year, would only bring in more encouragement, positive vibes, and ever-lasting hope.
With these words, we slowly bid adieu to 2022, COVID-19, war, struggles, and all things negative. Let the parties give way to a modern and anticipative year instead of temporary feelings of upliftment.
The future is all we need to look forward to
"Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"
— F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is mostly about how the central character, Jay Gatsby, tries to beat his former days of financial despondency and at the same time, tries to win back the love lost in the past. It's a struggle where the present is almost lost in a phantom battle with bygone time.
For the New Year, our motto is to let go of the past peacefully. If it's not in the present, then it has no use for us. We can only learn from our past, take in the positives and walk toward the future.
Our motto for the New Year should be: A brand new and better myself.
Love like Jay Gatsby
"If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him."
— F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The entire novel is brought alive by Jay Gatsby's extraordinary personality – a romantic hero who does not allow himself to fail. A personality that is so strong that it fights against all audacities in life to become 'someone of importance' to the love of his life.
He may be cunning, sometimes even ruthless, but Gatsby is capable of love, generosity, and kindness which, Tom Buchanan, Daisy's husband in the book, does not possess.
Maybe there is a lesson for every one of us to learn. Whatever goals we may have for the future, let our softer sides be aligned with them. We must always remember that everything we hope for is achievable in this world while being kind and generous. Cruelty is unnecessary!
Models: Mithila, Rehan, Nihaf, Ashraful
Wardrobe: Zurhem, Mehruz Munir
Make-up: Sumon Rahat
Set: Eskay, Saimul Karim
Styling: Mehruz Munir
Fashion Co-Ordinator: Sonia Yeasmin Isha
Food: The Flourist