The Jungle and The Great Gatsby?

I haven't read The Jungle, but I have read The Great Gatsby several times and think it is an excellent book. I wasn't too fond of it the first time I had to read it in high school, but I read it a second time when I didn't have several essays to write about it and found it to be very enjoyable. I quite like Fitzgerald's style, although this is the only book by him I have read so far. It is certainly a classic, and a fascinating portrait of society in the Jazz Age, and all of its excesses. It is also a tragic love story and a cautionary tale of the American dream and all its consequences. Told through the eyes of Nick, the middle class neighbor of Gatsby who observes his parties and befriends the man himself. Full of shallow characters who move in a world of soulless decadence. An excellent book, and well worth the read.

I had to read the Great Gatsby for English class. That sort of pre-disposed me not to like it, I suppose. It was one of the least enjoyable books I've been forced to read. Maybe I was too young to appreciate it, being still stuck in the "do I like it or not" mindset. I certainly didn't know how to put that aside and appreciate the intent of the author. I was the same with Jane Austen. When I read Pride and Prejudice as a teen, I was disgusted. The whole point seemed to be to marry off your daughters to the richest bloke as soon as you could. Now that I'm older, I enjoy them as a window into the social history of the time period. Perhaps I'd be the same with The Great Gatsby if I was to read it now. Back when I was a teen though, I found the characters were so pathetic I couldn't even enjoy disliking them.

Guess you'll only know if you read it for yourself! It's not too thick, so you'll get through it quickly. Even if you hate it, you can say you have read it and won't have to ever again!

I never read the Jungle, but The Great Gatsby was required reading in school my Junior year. It was one of the books that actually really enjoyed. So yeah I´d say that it´s worth reading. The characters and plot were more interesting than you usually find in books that have to read in school. Anyway I hope this helps!

i had to read them for school and did not really like them. In The Jungle you start of really caring for all the characters and what happens to them but only bad things happen and people die and they are taken advantage of and by the end you don't really care anymore. The Great gatsby was ok, not great but not bad. both of the books are full of symbolism. the story is just the filler for the sybols it seemed almost. more in gatsby than the jungle.

I read the great Gatsby back in High School. I did like it, Fitzgerald did a great job describing what the 20's were like. I don't remember it really well but it's defiantly a book to read- I don't think it's too long.

Hope that helps.

I read "The Great Gatsby" because I wanted to understand the references that are made about it in other books, movies, etc. I'm not sure I got any deep meaning out of it but I enjoyed it. I liked it well enough to consider reading more Fitzgerald.

I've only read The Jungle. It really helped me realize at the time I made the right decision about becoming a vegetarian.