Webquest
F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby
Your Task:
1. You will use Internet sites and other resources to acquire information about the 1920's and F. Scott
Fitzgerald. Click on the links in each question (CTRL + click with mouse) to find the answers.
2. Create a Word document that answers these questions.
-MLA HEADING, Title = Fitzgerald Webquest
-Answer thoroughly in complete sentences on your own paper. Do not "cut and paste" (this will
earn you a zero) -- rephrase the answers in your own words.
3. Print out a copy and turn in to Ms. Ellis or email (instructions on board) it to Ms. Ellis before the end
of class.
1) Read the biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
a. Fitzgerald’s father comes from a very old and very famous family, but who paid
their bills?
b. When did Fitzgerald join the army?
c. Who is Zelda Sayre? List 2 facts about her.
d. Why does she break their engagement?
e. What causes Fitzgerald to become famous?
f. Describe the Fitzgerald’s relationship.
g. What year was The Great Gatsby written?
h. Many say that Gatsby is a semi-autobiographical novel. How is Tender is the
Night in the same category?
i. What addiction did Fitzgerald suffer from all his life?
2)After the War - List the dominant postwar American attitudes and the major movements of the
1920's. Pay close attention to the attitudes of the "Lost Generation" and the "Prosperity &
Consumerism" movement.
3) 18th Amendment - What exactly does the amendment abolish? What was the result?
4) Organized Crime and Arnold Rothstein a. What's in a name? - List three elements of Rothstein's character that interest you. Explain.
b. The Organizer: Read the quotes at the beginning of this site. What is his primary occupation?
What are his "sidejobs"?
5) Flappers –
a. Read the first five paragraphs of the article about "Flapper Jane." According to the author,
what are the essential elements of being a true flapper?
b. Read Dorothy Parker's poem "The Flapper." Do you think Ms. Parker approves or disapproves
of Flappers? Explain.
6) Automobiles - The Rise of Automobiles - Why were cars considered "the most important catalyst
for social change in the 1920's"?
Photos of 1920's era automobiles.
7) Based on this webquest, what themes do you expect to find in The Great Gatsby? What questions do
you have about this book as we begin reading it?