Ms. Ressler
English 10CP
Name_________________________
Great Gatsby Essay
To complete the unit on The Great Gatsby, you must write a five-paragraph essay on one
of the options listed below. Choose ONE of the following prompts. All essays must be
typed and double-spaced.
The Great Gatsby Essay Topics:
1. The Ladies. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel focuses on several male characters, but
he has several clearly delineated female characters as well, each with her own
desires, motivations, and needs. Write an essay comparing and contrasting Daisy
Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, and Jordan Baker.
2. The Guys. Tom Buchanan and George Wilson are more similar than different.
Write an essay in which you compare and contrast these two men according to
their attitudes toward women, their ways of showing violence, and their reactions
to being “cuckolded”.
3. SETTING: Compare and contrast any two places in the novel, explaining how
the places differ, what each place symbolizes, and how each reflects the society of
the times and the morals and values of its inhabitants.
4. Nick. Some characters are static; they remain the same from start to finish.
Others are dynamic; they emerge at the end, having experienced a great change.
Is Nick a static or dynamic character? Does he change? If so, how? If not, why
not?
Your essay will be worth 50 points. Use the rubric for specifics. Must be submitted
to Turntin.com
Your 5 paragraph essay must be typed in Times New Roman 12-point font and
double-spaced. The essay MUST include a minimum of 3 quotes from the novel,
one quote in each body paragraph. Papers that do not meet the aforementioned
qualifications will not be accepted and must be resubmitted the following day, and
you will be penalized 10 points. Also, any late papers will face a 10-point daily
deduction.
PLEASE AFFIX THE RUBRIC SHEET TO YOUR FINAL COPY OF THE
ESSAY. Failure to do so will result in a 5-point deduction from your final grade on
the essay.
QUOTATION USAGE
For this particular paper, you are going to be required to incorporate direct quotations/passages from the
text. I would like 1 quotation per body paragraph. However, to accurately incorporate a quotation, you must
do the following:
1.
Use quotation marks:
A. Passages that not in quotations in the text, meaning they are the author or narrator’s
words are document like this: “PASSAGE”
B. Quotations that are dialog and appear in quotes in the book are document like this: “
‘QUOTE’ “
A quote/passage that is longer than 4 lines is considered an extended quotation and is documented as
follows: Space over each line 2 tabs and type the quote double-spaced, but without quotation marks. Also,
punctuate to signal the end of the passage, then place page number in parenthesis.
2.
Lead into the quote:
Example: Stryver’s arrogance can be seen with the following words: “QUOTE”
Lucie’s genuine kindness is clear when she says, “QUOTE”
3.
Include the page number in which the quote is found. Use the author the first time only.
Follow this format:
Example: “How goes it Jacques ?” (Dickens 211).
“It was dark when Charles Darnay left him” (125).
4.
Adequately and completely explain the quote that you use.
Example: “… a letter de cachet would have sent me to some fortress indefinitely” (111). With
this line, Darnay illustrates his suspicion that the Marquis wishes to be rid of him.
Example: “…In your reception of it, don’t heed me any more, than if I was a speaking
machine—truly, I am not much else” (19). When Jarvis Lorry speaks this line, he attempts to
show no emotion, again reiterating the point that he considers himself to be a man of
business.
*Here is a sample line that encompasses all of the characteristics that your quote needs to contain:
Stryver is a comical character, known for his arrogance and high opinion of himself when he
describes himself as “ ‘ a man already pretty well off, and a rapidly rising man, and a man of some
distinction: it is a piece of good fortune for her…’” (129). With this line, Stryver illustrates his belief that he
would be a good “match” for any woman because his high social standing. Ironically, there is no one in the
novel who shares this high opinion of himself.
English 10CP
Ms. Ressler
Name ____________________
Period _____
The Great Gatsby: Writing Assignment Rubric
_____ (10) FOCUS
 A clearly stated central idea unites the essay
 The writer stays on topic with no extraneous information
 There is a clearly stated thesis sentence that anticipates the body paragraphs
_____ (15) CONTENT
 The writer uses one direct quotation per body paragraph is used and introduced
 The writer explains the importance of each quotation and relates the significance
to the topic
 The writer uses specific examples from the novel to illustrate his/her ideas
 The utilized examples are factually accurate
 All ideas are adequately explained
_____ (10) ORGANIZATION
 Transitional devices are used to connect ideas
 There is a lead-in statement
 There is a conclusion that reiterates the points of the paper
 Your ideas follow a logical order
 The details within each paragraph related to that paragraph’s topic sentence and
the end of each paragraph refers back to the central idea
_____ (10) STYLE
 The writer uses sophisticated and varied sentence structures
 The writer uses an elevated level of vocabulary
 The writer avoids errors in sentence structures
 No slang or awkward phrasing is utilized
 No contractions are used
 The paper is written in THIRD person only or a ZERO in this domain (no “I” or
“you”)
_____ (5) CONVENTIONS
 Proper grammar, spelling and punctuation is used
 -1 for every 2 errors
 Original title
 MLA set-up of name, title, pages, quotes is correct
-5 if rubric is not attached; late papers lose 10 points daily.
_____ (50) TOTAL SCORE