Evaluate three of the four books we've read this term, discussing Essay

Evaluate three of the four books we've read this term, discussing whether you think they were bad or not - Essay Example Obviously, bad books are those that alienate the reader from the story. A bad book does not have the elements-- like realistic or sensible characters or strong plots-- that make the reader crave for more. Second, a good book is entertaining, informative, and interesting all at the same time. Even though it is fiction or a creative piece of writing it should be applicable to real-world circumstances. A bad book, on the other hand, only tries to fulfill one sole purpose, either to entertain, inform, or fascinate. This sort of one-dimensional book eventually becomes bland and unexciting because of the monotony of its purpose. Third, a good book enhances the readers’ knowledge or appreciation of reality. It effectively challenges negative beliefs, like stereotypes, and creates new realizations for the reader. In other words, a good book is an effective eye-opener. Fourth, a good book does not use too many jargons. It is easy to understand. A bad book, on the other hand, is too com plicated. The writing style is unfriendly. And lastly, a good book is revolutionary. It introduces new ways of telling a story, creating characters, developing a plot, and ending a story. One book that is truly revolutionary, that is, it does not try to strictly follow the traditional standards of writing is Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote. ... It does not need great intellect to understand the story. The central story is straightforward. But what is fascinating about this book is that it is not really a simple story, it is in fact very complicated if one will try to analyze it intently. The story has almost a flawless blending of effect. The plot, the symbols, and the characters all play a role in the overall theme. On the surface, the plot is uncomplicated and upholds what has been stated about the story’s subject matter in a smooth, subjective manner. In other words, the novel does not fail to involve its readers emotionally. One perfect example is the real emotions that the love affair between Gatsby and a rich girl creates. A guy falling in love with a rich girl sounds somewhat generic. But as the story progresses, the events become quite complicated, with betrayal and deception coming into the picture. The novel is entertaining and informative at the same time. The narrative structure of the novel is entertaini ng because Nick Carraway, the narrator, recounts the incidents not in the sequence they take place, but in the sequence Fitzgerald desires. It is informative because it raises awareness about the condition of the United States in the 1920s, more particularly, the effects of World War I on the nation (Fitzgerald 72). Lastly, the novel encourages the reader to reflect on the American Dream. Did life in contemporary Western civilization become devoid of any essential meaning? The Great Gatsby shows that the American Dream has become meaningless. As depicted in the novel, there is nothing left but a rough quest for riches and the shallow prestige that riches endow. Some rich people, like the Buchanan family, are discontented, bored, small-minded, and miserable. The