SEE COMMENTS IN AND FOLLOWING TEXT
Robert Klemme
Mr. Jennings
Honors English III 2
2-18-12
Summary and Response Essay
The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920s, there's no questioning that. What can be
debated though is what this book is stating about the time. This has prompted many
people to summarize WC (analyze) the book and give their attempt at interpreting its
message. (OVERGENERAL) Some will observe how Jay Gatsby will go after his dream
no mater C the consequences, others the writing styles and life of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Whatever is said, it's is up to readers of the article to decide whether they agree or
disagree. (OVERGENERAL) NEXT PAR. START HERE>>One such article is titled
"The Great Gatsby Captures the Essence of the Roaring Twenties, 1925." A summary of
the article follows. SHOW VS. TELL.
The Great Gatsby was a critiqued piece of writing with its lovers and haters, which
marked a turning point in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s career, but is perusing C the
"American Dream" at all costs really a good idea? Drawing from some real world
sources, such as Long Island parties, his wife, and other elements of the 1920s, he C got
the ideas and images for The Great Gatsby. This book is well known for how it portrays a
big picture with such a small amount of words, although the book didn't instantly become
popular. The fact that he didn't earn very much money from the book combined with
arising issues in home life caused some trouble for him. With a new rise in critics and
others interested in F. Scott's life and reputation and the way his writing is structured led
to the revival of his novels especially The Great Gatsby. His book can be classified as a
social commentary, focusing on the ambitious people of the 1920s and the wild times.
Perusing their American Dreams with no care for what happens to them is a risky chance
they take.
I agree with this statement, characters in this book will go after their dreams and
desires without a care in the world. All they want is that one thing and they're going to
get it no mater C (ETC.)what (or at least try till they die)<<NICELY PUT. Jay Gatsby is
more or less the best example to pull from in the book.
INTRODUCE QUOTATION“His stories embodied a high degree of wish
fulfillment for readers, pitching them into living vicariously among the smart set of the
1920’s, with their wild parties, sporty automobiles, & high-keyed, pleasure-seeking
adventures.” (Roaring Twenties) From this set of criteria, Fitzgerald makes characters in
his book, including Gatsby. He holds these lavish parties, filling his house with countless
guests, night after night just on the slim chance that Daisy Buchanan will show (a
character who is based off of Zelda Fitzgerald, the author’s wife). She is also a wild
character, having possibly married for money and in a not so healthy relationship. Tom,
her husband, has a mistress and things aren’t looking too happy for the couple.EXPLAIN
WHAT THIS SHOWS.
Jay once fell in love with Daisy. But not always being rich, he lost Daisy to Tom.
Now he’s back with vengeance, trying to win back the girl. These ideas and most of the
other fictional items in Fitzgerald’s books come from his own life. It seems he too had
fallen into the trend of the 1920s to try and make it big in the world and his world was the
world of writing. He had his moments while he was alive but like most artists, their work
becomes more valuable and well known after they die. INTRODUCE (ETC) “He faced
financial crises caused by the family’s expensive living style. Zelda’s increasing mental
problems required her institutionalization, & Fitzgerald’s own increasing alcohol
problems, self-doubts, declining health, & inability to write a new novel commensurate
with the quality of The Great Gatsby made the author’s life a troubled one.” (Roaring
Twenties) The Great Gatsby would become a great critique OF? and a great example of
his writing style and imagery. PAR. MAIN IDEA?
“The critics of the time were generally favorable, praising the spare style of the
short (fifty-thousand-word) novel. Commentators were especially impressed by
Fitzgerald's compressed details that make scenes blaze with life, his poetic imagery, his
framing of complex characters and universal themes in ironic terms, and his use of a
sophisticated first-person narrative.” (Roaring Twenties) Using very few words, F. Scott
is able to paint vivid images of the 1920s in the readers mind. This is a necessary skill to
even begin to picture what the 20s was about. With such opportunities, it’s no wonder
people were going crazy trying to make the best of the times. There is a difference though
between striving or working towards a goal and achieving success when that goal is
reached. Unfortunately for Gatsby, he got the short end of the stick.
Gatsby being killed while striving for his goal seems like a defeat for him. His
behaviors were risky and he paid the price. Taking the blame for Daisy, he is killed by
Wilson. Was his death really in vain though? Or was dying for the girl he loved a victory
in itself? Society would have differing opinions on both of these standpoints.
OVERGENERAL“Later literary criticism focused on Fitzgerald as a social commentator,
as the issues and value clashes of the 1920's depicted in the novel were confronted by
succeeding generations pursuing the American Dream.” (Roaring Twenties)
“Fitzgerald thus was seen as more than a keen-eyed chronicler of the Roaring
Twenties; he became a prophet warning oncoming generations of the terrible price to be
paid for pursuing illusive dreams.” (Roaring Twenties) Nick was the only one that played
it safe. He would not do outrageous things to get his dream. He would work from the
ground up, building himself his own life and living with the choices he made. His goals
were obtainable with a relative amount of ease and hard work, much simpler than people
set on one path to achieve their giant goal. The 1920s had its share of risk takers and
steady goers.
ROBBIE: Good overview of your source. Make sure your response is organized as an
extension of points in the article you agree with and points you with which you have
issues. Make sure you are clearly pointing out what ideas come from your source and
what ideas are yours. This means clarifying that the discussion around quotations either
is a paraphrase of the idea in the source or is an idea not in the source that you thought of.
Last, make sure you bring in textual evidence from Gatsby. This evidence, not in the
article, is the meat and potatoes of your response.
Works Cited
"The Great Gatsby Captures The Essence Of The Roaring Twenties, 1925." DISCovering
World History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Discovering Collection. Gale.
Affton High - Affton 101. 26 Feb. 2012
<http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&source=gale&srcprod=DISC&use
rGroupName=morenetaffton&prodId=DC&tabID=T001&docId=EJ2105240057
&type=retrieve&contentSet=GSRC&version=1.0>.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.