I mean, our group in Portland read 'The Great Gatsby' in 2021 and again last month, and the arguments were totally different

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That's interesting, but it's not really the book that changed. It's us, and what's happening in the world. The first read was still deep in pandemic times, so the loneliness and empty parties hit harder. Now maybe people are talking more about the money stuff, with how expensive everything has gotten. The story stays the same, but we bring new eyes to it each time.

the_alex15h ago

Honestly yeah, that's such a good point. I read something a while back about how we basically rewrite the book in our heads every time we pick it up, because our own life stuff is the real filter. Like, reading about Gatsby's parties felt super weird and sad when we were all stuck inside, but now all I can see is him blowing a fortune trying to look a certain way. It's wild how a story can feel totally different without changing a single word.

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