The Great Gatsby is a novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg on prosperous Long Island. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession with the beautiful former debutante, Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess. The Great Gatsby: May be the most popular classic in modern American fiction. Reverberates with themes at once characteristically American and universally human, which include the importance of honesty, the temptations of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past. It has become an acclaimed masterpiece read and taught throughout the world. Unfolding in nine concise chapters, The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life.