A novel which caused me to reconsider my views on an important issue was "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It portrays, amongst other issues, human relationships, specifically between men and women. The aspects of this novel which encouraged me to reconsider my views are symbolism and characterisation. The fast-pace Jazz-Age society is the basis for Fitzgerald's tale of affluence, emptiness and vulgarity, set just outside New York, in the exclusive East Egg and the "less fashionable" West Egg.

One of the issues that this novel addresses is relationships: between husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends and men and their mistresses. This novel shows how relationships can be destroyed by various factors such as money and social status. Is Fitzgerald trying to show us that love cannot conquer all and that not as many people as we expect find love? The media is constantly portraying romances and...