Rant: My book club in Portland argued about 'The Great Gatsby' for two hours and I'm still annoyed

I mean, everyone was going on about how it's a tragic love story, but my friend Carla kept saying it's just about rich people being sad. She said the whole point is that the American Dream is a lie, and the love plot doesn't matter. We were at the Powell's City of Books cafe and she wouldn't drop it. Has anyone else had a club member totally miss what you think is the main point of a book?

2 comments

2 Comments

blake4321d agoTop Commenter

Yeah, I just started bringing notes to back up my point.

aaron_wilson171d ago

Bringing notes is a solid move, but I've found it can backfire if you're too obvious about it. Pulling out a full notepad mid-argument sometimes makes people feel like they're being debated, not talked to. I try to memorize a couple key stats or points from my notes beforehand so the info feels more natural in the conversation. It keeps things from getting too formal while still having the backup.