>[...] understanding the context of the narrator being a returning soldier and member of the lost generation is important. This was one of my biggest annoyance

>[...] understanding the context of the narrator being a returning soldier and member of the lost generation is important. This was one of my biggest annoyances about how this book is usually presented and taught to high school students. Back when I was a HS student myself (barely a decade ago), I had read that book. While it was a decent book imo, I thought it was overhyped. Mostly because the primary message of the book explained to us by teachers was that it was basically a story about a man who was so deeply in love with a woman who he didn't get to date, he had built great riches and life for himself. And yet none of that extravagant lifestyle could satisfy his desire for her, and it all ends in a tragedy. Something something greed something something green eyes are a symbol of his undying light for her or something. And while the veteran background of the narrator was mentioned by teachers quite a few times, and we were told it was important to know, teachers never went as far as explaining why and how it was important to the story. Or how it was related at all. No connection to the lost generation either, besides it being mentioned once. Basically, the book was treated as a dramatic tragedy about a very quick fall of a man due to his love and desire. At no point when the book was discussed years later with people in real life it went deeper than that. Many years later, I saw someone pointing out what you've just pointed out in your comment online, and the book had suddenly clicked for me. It all started making sense, and I finally understood why it was regarded so highly. If you view the entirety of the storyline through the eyes and context of the narrator's past, it adds a whole different dimension to the story, which not only adds depth, it straight up transforms your entire understanding of what it really was about. The only solid analogy I can think of is if someone described MLK's civil rights movement as a simple protest due to a woman being so stubborn she didn't want to sit in the back of the bus, and her friends wanted to back her up, because they were upset about separate fountains and other facilities too. But once you actually understand what it was about, it completely changes the impact and gravity of what it really was.