Semester I Final Exam
The Great Gatsby: An Essay Exercise in Feminist Critical Theory
Here’s your essay assignment for The Great Gatsby:
You may build your thesis around one of the prompts below, as framed by
Feminist critical theory or you may choose to develop you own questions.
Again, for your essay, you’re welcome to deviate from my
suggestions, but if you do, beware that the focus and depth of your
essay does not suffer as a result. If you choose to deviate from the
suggested prompts, you must have a conversation with me no later
than Friday, December 13, 2013.
Objectives of Assignment:
 Students will show a clear understanding of critical theory.
 Students will demonstrate research skills in finding and using
secondary source material.
 Students will show critical writing skills by incorporating a secondary
source in an analysis.
 Students will demonstrate skills in analyzing a work of literature.
Prompts:
1. What does The Great Gatsby reveal about the operations (economically,
politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy? How are women
portrayed? How do these portrayals relate to the gender issues of the period
in which the novel was written or is set? In other words, does The Great
Gatsby reinforce or undermine patriarchal ideology? (In the first case, we
might say that the text has a patriarchal agenda. In the second case, we
might say that the text has a feminist agenda. Texts that seem to both
reinforce and undermine patriarchal ideology might be said to be
ideologically conflicted.)
2. What does The Great Gatsby suggest about the ways in which class,
and/or other cultural factors intersect with gender in producing women’s
experience?
3. How is The Great Gatsby “gendered”? That is, how does it seem to define
femininity? and masculinity? Does the characters’ behavior always conform
to their assigned genders? Does The Great Gatsby suggest that there are
genders other than feminine and masculine? What seems to be The Great
Gatsby’s attitude toward the gender(s) it portrays? For example, does The
Great Gatsby seem to accept, question, or reject the traditional view of
gender?
4. What does the history of The Great Gatsby’s reception by the public and
by the critics tell us about the operations of patriarchy? Has the literary work
been ignored or neglected in the past? Why? Or, if recognized in the past, is
the work ignored or neglected now? Why? What does The Great Gatsby
suggest about women’s creativity? In order to answer this question,
biographical data about the author and historical data about the culture in
which he lived will be required.
5. What role does The Great Gatsby play in terms of women’s history?
Women’s fashions change in the twenties. The Nineteenth Amendment was
made effective in 1920. During this time period women were enjoying new
freedoms? How do the female characters in the novel represent or contrast
these new freedoms? Explain and support your response.
Procedure:
1. Select a prompt and generate a well-written thesis statement.
2. Read and annotate the Chapter on Feminist Criticism provided to you,
specifically the sample Essay beginning on page 120, which is a feminist
reading of The Great Gatsby.
3. Find quotations from the essay that support the points of your thesis
statement. Do you agree with all points?
4. Find additional quotations from The Great Gatsby that support the points
of your thesis statement. Do you agree with all points?
5. Outline your argument, weaving in your own analysis with the primary
and secondary material. Use the template that you have been provided.
6. Write the essay.
Your final typed draft is due Friday, December 20th.
Assessment:
The essay should not be any fewer than 4 full pages, MLA format, doublespaced, 12pt font. The Essay must incorporate the critical source provided
to you.
The A Essay:
meets the required length; has all prewriting; is on time in all aspects;
expertly weaves together sources; uses quotations and citations with
mastery; has an original thesis that does not rely too heavily on secondary
material; follows the traditional critical essay customs of introduction,
conclusion, tone, etc.; has no grammatical errors; MOST of all, shows a deep
and thorough understanding of The Great Gatsby and has identified and
utilized expertly a specific critical lens. Also, the A essay analyzes expertly a
variety of literary elements in the process of proving a thesis.
The B Essay:
meets the required length; has all prewriting; is on time in all aspects;
competently weaves together sources; uses quotations and citations with
skill, but has no more than 4 errors in form or format; has an original thesis
but may rely too heavily on secondary material or not be connected to
secondary material enough; follows the traditional critical essay customs of
introduction, conclusion, tone, etc.; has no more than 5 grammatical errors
which do not interfere with reading; MOST of all, shows an understanding of
The Great Gatsby, but might leave out important information or be hazy on
some detail. May have a few literary elements in analysis, but not
effortlessly, consistently, and in connection with proving a thesis. Develops
weakly a critical lens.
The C or D Essay:
meets the required length; is missing prewriting; is not on time in all
aspects; does not skillfully weave together sources; has many errors in
quotation and citation form or format; has an unoriginal thesis and relies too
heavily on secondary material; Has poor introduction or inconclusive
conclusion, inappropriate or informal tone, etc.; has many grammatical
errors which interfere with reading; MOST of all, shows a superficial
understanding of The Great Gatsby and leaves out important information or
has an error in interpreting the novel. Has underdeveloped analysis of
literary elements which are not connected to proving a thesis necessarily.
Essay does not develop a critical lens.