Is the Deconstruction Correct? (Sarah)

Tyson’s deconstructive essay of The Great Gatsby gave another lens to see the book through. I could see how deconstruction theory would lead you to believe that the binary opposites in the book are not actually how they seem. For example when Tyson writes of how Nick’s narration and description actually leads one to believe that he holds the East as superior to the West could be true. However, this deconstructive essay did not leave me completely convinced. Although there is ambiguity in language, the action of Tom and Daisy running away from their problems had a clear meaning. Tom and Daisy were running away from their problems, and placing all their wrong doing in the hands of others. Also, in the end of the book, Nick “prepares to return once again to the Midwest” (Tyson 269). This final action of Nick ending up in the Midwest, (even though it was not one of the eggs) shows how ultimately he is happiest in the West and holds it above the “rotten crowd” (Fitzgerald 162) that is the Buchanans. Tyson’s deconstructive essay made me think about other possible meanings of The Great Gatsby, but in the end it simply was not enough to convince me and my question is was it enough to convince you and could the novel people refer to as a ‘classic’ actually mean the opposite of how society interpreted it?