The Great Gatsby is the well-known 1925 novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel is based on the narrator Nick Carraway’s interactions with mysterious multimillionaire Jay Gatsby during the Roaring Twenties.1 Most recently, this novel was adapted into a film with American actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Toby Maguire in 2013.
As of January 1, 2021, this novel entered the “Public Domain.”2 Entering the Public Domain enables low cost, if any, access to previously U.S. Copyright protected work to use and build upon without acquiring a license or paying royalty fees. The duration of current copyright law protects works for the life of the author plus 70 years after the author’s death. The 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act (also known as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act) extended the length of protection for works published between 1923 and 1977 by an additional 20 years, 95 years in total, such as The Great Gatsby. What benefits does work in the public domain provide? The public domain promotes innovation, creation, and education.