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Honestly, our book club debate over 'The Great Gatsby' got so heated last Tuesday
One member from Chicago argued the green light was just a light, and it basically shut down conversation for a full 20 minutes. Has anyone else had a debate derailed by someone taking a super literal view of a symbol?
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kai46321h ago
That's the worst. A symbol only works if people agree to look for meaning. Taking it that literally just kills the whole point of talking about books.
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blairstone20h ago
Kai463 has a point about needing some agreement to talk about symbols. But that Chicago member might be onto something. Sometimes a symbol is just a thing in the story first. Getting too caught up in the "meaning" can make you miss the actual book. The green light is a light. The fact that Gatsby stares at it is what makes it matter. Starting with the literal fact can lead to a better talk, not kill it.
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