THe Great Gatsby
THe Roaring 20’s
Mrs. Wolford
A Glamorous Life - December 8
1. In your eyes, what is the definition of a glamorous or
luxurious life?
2. How do you think America views luxury? What
measures your success or if your life is considered
“successful”?
3. Why do you believe the things you listed for the
questions above make you appear to a “luxurious” or
“glamorous” life?
4. Who or what influences Americans to believe so? The
media? Things that have happened in the past? Explain
your answer.
The Great Gatsby Opinionnaire
1.
2.
3.
4.
People are either all good or all bad.
Money can buy you happiness.
A materialistic culture is an unhealthy culture.
Knowledge gained through schooling is more valuable
than knowledge gained through experience.
5. All educated citizens in the U.S. are presented with the
same opportunities for success.
6. Popular music is more than just pure entertainment. It
acts as an effective form of information transmission.
7. An individual has the ability to reinvent him/herself at
will.
The Roaring 20’s
-
Economy booming
America partied
Organized crime
Prohibition Act
Decline of moral standards
Spirit of the 1920’s
-
Urbanization and the move away from the land
Fascination with the dream of success
Popularity of jazz
Mass produced automobile
Prohibition
- The 18th Amendment (1919) prohibited the sale and
production of alcohol.
- Distributed through “bootleggers”
- Alcohol was served in illegal nightclubs called
“speakeasies.”
- During this time the Mafia became important in
American society.
- This was also the time for famous gangsters like Al
Capone.
The Changing Role of Women
- The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote
(1920).
- During the 20’s, 9 million were employed and earned
money on their own.
- Women cut off their hair into bobs for the first time.
- They were able to drink and smoke in public.
- First time in history in which alcoholism is a problem
for women.
The Flapper
- Liberated young women were called “flappers.”
- They can live alone and have equal relationships to
men.
- They had more self-confidence and independence.
East Egg vs. West Egg
- In The Great Gatsby, there are two cities, East Egg and
West Egg, which are separated by the Valley of Ashes.
What city you live in between the two, shows if you are
from a wealthy family (East Egg) or if you are new to
wealth (West Egg).
- People in East Egg come from families that have
always had money.
- They are more snobby, greedy, and mean than people
in West Egg.
- People in West Egg are considered “new money” and
are looked down on by the people in East Egg.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
-
He attended Princeton University.
In 1917, he joined the Army.
He then met his wife, Zelda.
Published The Great Gatsby at age 23 in 1925.
Known as a speaker of the Jazz Age.
Dealt with drinking problems and his wife’s
schizophrenia most of his life.
- Died in 1940.
What is the American Dream?
- It describes an attitude of hope and faith that looks
forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires.
- Gatsby is a representation of this dream.
Failure of the American Dream
-
poverty
discrimination
hypocrisy
corruption
suppression
exploitation
How will all of this be developed in the
story?
- Through the 5 central characters
- Through certain dominant images and symbols
- Through diction
The American Dream Today - December 8
On the sticky note that I just passed out to you, write a
short sentence/idea/thought that comes to your mind when
I ask what the current American Dream looks like for us?
Once you are finished writing take your sticky note and
place it on the board in the designated area and wait for my
instruction.
- What is our “American Dream” today?
Marrying For Money - December 9
- Would you marry for money? Explain why or
why not in detail.
- What can be said about people who marry
for money?
- Can they ever truly be happy? Why or why
not?
Chapter 1 Journal Response - December 9
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. Why do you think Gatsby reaches out to the water at the end of the
chapter? What does this symbolize? In your opinion, what is the meaning
of his actions?
2. Why does Daisy hope that her daughter will be a beautiful fool? What does
this imply to you about Daisy’s feelings about men and the treatment of
women?
3. Why do you think Fitzgerald chose Nick to be the narrator of this novel?
What do we, as readers, gain from Nick’s perspective?
4. What kind of relationship exists between Nick and the Buchanans? Why do
you feel that the relationship is this way?
Character Predictions & Roles - December
10
For each character that we met yesterday
write two sentences in your notebook.
(Daisy, Jordan, Nick, Jay Gatsby, and Tom)
- Sentence 1: Make a prediction for this
character.
- Sentence 2: What was your initial reaction
to this character?
Chapter 2 Journal Response - December 10
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. How do you know that Tom respects Daisy more than Myrtle? What does
he do that shows this and why?
2. Why might Tom not want to divorce Daisy? What does this show about his
character?
3. In this chapter Fitzgerald describes the Valley of Ashes. He also mentions
dust and smoke at the party. These symbols appear numerous times
throughout the novel. What could they symbolize?
4. Assemble what you have learned about Myrtle Wilson and characterize
her. What type of person is she? What does she want from Tom? What is
her personality like? Is she a good or bad natured person and what makes
you believe that?
Symbol - Gatsby’s Green Light
Symbol - The Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg
Symbol - The Valley of Ashes
Theme of Time Period/Novel - Jazz
Age
What is
Fitzgerald, our
author, saying
about humans
and America
during the Jazz
Age as focused
on in Chapter 2?
Myrtle Vs. Daisy - December 11
- In the novel so far, which character do you believe has
more good-natured qualities and characteristics
between these two women and why?
- Compare these two characters and write about what
you notice about their similarities.
- Write about how these characters are different and what
makes them different?
- How were these women described in the novel? What
does this have to do with their characters?
How To Write a Review - December 11
- Take notes as you watch the theater performance.
1. Comment on important characters. How do you rate these actors?
2. Describe voice and movement choices. How did the actors use
their bodies differently to show the characters they played and how
they felt?
3. Discuss the setting and the lighting used in the performance. Did it
work well for the production? Why or why not?
4. What did the actors do that particularly impressed you? Give
examples of good and bad things about voice, gesture and
movement throughout the play.
5. Was it a successful production? Did it work for you? Did you enjoy
it? Why or why not?
6. Why do you think we should see a play like this?
Chapter 1 & 2 Quiz - The Great Gatsby
1. Who is the narrator of our story?
2. What type of character/man is Tom? Use two
adjectives to describe him.
3. What is Jordan Baker’s career?
4. Why are the phone calls that interrupt dinner so
bothersome?
5. What is the difference in West Egg and East
Egg?
Chapter 1 & 2 Quiz - The Great Gatsby
6. Describe the Valley of Ashes using two
adjectives.
7. Who does Tom take Nick to meet in this
chapter? What is this character’s relation to
Tom?
8. What type of person/character is Myrtle? What
do her actions say about her?
9. What reason does Catherine, Myrtle’s sister,
give Nick for why Tom and Myrtle aren’t
Gatsby’s Parties - December 12
In this next chapter we will finally get to meet the
mysterious Mr. Gatsby.
- What are your impressions of his character so far?
- What type of person do you think he is?
- Imagine you are invited to one of his elaborate parties.
What do you see there?
- Describe in detail what you think one of his parties will
look like? What type of food will he have? What type of
people will be there? What type of entertainment will he
have?
The Flapper - Discussion Questions
1. Read and annotate the poem for imagery, tone, theme,
etc.
2. What are Dorothy Parker’s thoughts on flappers based
on her tone and voice in this poem? Does she approve
or disapprove? How do you know?
3. Choose two lines from the poem. One that you think
clearly represents Myrtle’s character and one that you
think clearly represents Daisy’s character. Be ready to
justify your answer.
4. Does this poem promote a positive or negative view of
Symbol - The Automobile (pg. 39 & 53-54)
Chapter 3 Journal Responses - December
12
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. How is the party in Chapter 2 different from the party in Chapter 3? How is
it similar?
2. What was your impression of Jay Gatsby? Give specific examples from the
text to support your answer.
3. Gatsby receives a message from his butler that “Chicago was calling him
on the wire.” Based on any prior knowledge of Chicago and the 1920s,
what might you assume about Gatsby? Why might readers infer this?
4. Describe the meeting between Nick and Gatsby. Comment on Fitzgerald’s
skill in preparing for Gatsby’s entrance into the story.
Agree or Disagree - December 15
Agree or disagree with the following statements and explain your reasoning.
1. “Clothes make the man.”
2. “It’s better to have second hand diamonds than none at all.”
3. “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Issues/Concerns - The Great Gatsby
Using the notecard I just gave you, please identify
any issues/concerns/or questions you may have
about The Great Gatsby.
1. Please list things you do not understand.
2. Ask any questions that you might still have
about the text.
3. List events, characters, symbols that you do not
understand.
Chapter 4 Journal Response Questions December 15
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. Explain what happened with their relationship after Gatsby and Daisy met.
2. Explain in detail what Gatsby tells Nick about his life.
3. What is your impression of the kind of person Mr. Wolfsheim is? What
context clues allow you to make your conclusion about him?
4. When Gatsby spoke to Jordan in his library in Chapter 3, he had devised a
plan involving Nick. What was it? Why did he not ask Nick directly?
Exit Ticket - Irony in The Great Gatsby
1. Define Irony.
2. Explain how Jordan’s comment about large parties is
ironic. She says, “And I like large parties. They’re so
intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.”
3. How might Jordan really be correct in what she says
about small and large parties?
Illegal Money - December 16
Agree or disagree with the following statement,
explain your reasoning, and explain how the
statement relates to the novel.
- “When one comes into wealth illegally, he or
she is very likely to pay for it in the end.”
Character Analysis - Nick Carraway
- Analyze the importance of Nick’s character
by answering the following questions.
1. What would we lose if the story were not told
from Nick’s first person narrative? How does
this benefit us?
2. How does Nick react to the lifestyles of those
around him? (Tom, Daisy, Gatsby)
Chapter 5 Journal Response Questions December 16
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. Gatsby’s actions in preparing for Daisy’s arrival seem flamboyant and
absurd. What does he do? Why do you think he does this?
2. Describe Daisy’s reactions during the course of her meeting with Gatsby.
What does this say about what she is feeling?
3. What are Gatsby’s feelings by the end of the chapter? Gatsby’s dreams
seem to be fulfilled; however, there are indicators that reality simply cannot
satisfy his dreams. What are these indicators? How do you know?
4. Has Nick been affected by the meeting between Gatsby and Daisy? How
do you know? In what way?
Mind Map - Compare & Contrast of Major
Characters
On the open mind diagram I have given you, it is your task
to compare and contrast two of the following characters
listed below. You are to search the text, find and write
direct quotes for each character that shows their good and
bad character traits, goals, hopes, conflicts, and any
obstacles they may face. You must have at least six direct
quotes for each character.
- Daisy & Myrtle
- Tom & Gatsby
- Nick & Jordan
Old Money vs. New Money - December 17
Agree or disagree, explaining your reasoning in
detail, with the following statement:
- There is no difference between a family that
has been wealthy for generations and one
which was poor until just recently. (Old
money vs. New money)
Chapter 6 Journal Response Questions December 17
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. Why does Tom attend Gatsby’s party? How does this scene reveal the
contrast between Tom and Gatsby?
2. More of Gatsby’s past is revealed in this chapter. It is effective that the
truth is revealed after we have seen Gatsby’s present wealthy lifestyle, for
it shows how Gatsby came to live in such a glamorous illusion. What truths
do we learn about Gatsby in this chapter? How does this affect the
reader's view of him?
3. In what way was Dan Cody involved in Gatsby’s destiny? What did Dan
Cody do for Gatsby?
4. What is Daisy’s opinion of Gatsby’s party? How does this affect him? What
is Tom’s opinion of Gatsby’s party?
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
1. Daisy’s nose is broken at the end of chapter
2.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
2. Nick lives in East Egg.
The Great Gatsby True of False Quiz
3. George owns a car repair shop.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
4. Jordan Baker, whom Nick meets at Tom and
Daisy’s, is a professional tennis player.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
5. The Great Gatsby is set during The Great
Depression.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
6. The Great Gatsby is narrated in the first
person perspective of Nick Carraway.
The Great Gatsby True of False Quiz
7. Nick Carraway works in the bond business.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
8. Jordan asks Nick, on the behalf of Gatsby, to
invite Daisy over for tea.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
9. Myrtle Wilson is Nick’s girlfriend.
The Great Gatsby True or False Quiz
10. The Valley of Ashes symbolizes desolation,
ruin, gloom, and despair.
Gatsby’s Fate - December 18
- Make a prediction for what you believe
Gatsby’s future holds.
- Why do you feel this way?
- What do you think will become of him and
Daisy?
- What do you think will happen with Nick and
Jordan?
Character Analysis - Jay Gatsby or James
Gatz
1. How is the character of Jay Gatsby
presented to the reader?
2. Is Jay Gatsby really great? What is the
meaning of the title? In what way is Gatsby
great? In other words, is Fitzgerald’s title
sincere or ironic? Explain.
New Year’s Resolution & Goals - January 5
- What goals are you making for yourself for 2015?
- Looking forward to your senior year, what plans do you
have and what goals have set as far as your education
and future are concerned?
- Do you feel that you have succeeded in my class like
you hoped to at the beginning of the year? Please
explain.
- Make one new goal for 2015 and explain it in detail.
Chapter 8 Journal Response Questions January 5
Choose 2 questions. Answer EACH in at least a well-written paragraph.
1. How does Wilson view the “eyes of Doctor E.J. Eckleburg”? Does Wilson’s
statement have a symbolic level for the novel as a whole? Explain.
2. At the beginning of the chapter, the story is interrupted at its most dramatic
point. What’s the author’s purpose in breaking the story here? Explain.
3. As Nick leaves Gatsby the morning after the accident, he remarks,
“They’re a rotten crowd.” Explain the people that the “they” refers to and
why are they rotten?
4. How does Nick compliment Gatsby and what is Gatsby’s reaction? Why is
it important that Nick thank Gatsby?