The Great Gatsby Essay: Who is the Villain? Write a concise analysis that argues for who is the villain of The Great Gatsby and contextualize your argument within a particular historical or cultural moment. The best arguments will directly connect the argument about the novel’s villain to a historical or cultural detail. Mon. 10/15 (G): Finish The Great Gatsby: plan essay Tues. 10/16 (A): Write focusing incident Weds. 10/17 (B): PSAT Thurs. 10/18 (C): Write body of essay: hand in at end of class Fri. 10/19 (D): The Bluest Eye, pp 3‐32 Tuesday, 10/16 Write your focusing incident paragraph (300 words) in order to provide context for your argument. You may bring your focusing‐incident quote to class, but nothing else. Thursday, 10/18 Write the body of the essay: introduction paragraph + 2 supporting paragraphs + 2‐3 sentence conclusion. You may bring your thesis and 4 quotes to class, but nothing else. OUTLINE Focusing‐incident paragraph: Choose one of our wiki entries as your context, the lens through which you will analyze The Great Gatsby (you can choose entries from The Great Gatsby or My Antonia). Use this first paragraph to introduce and discuss the details of your context that matter to the novel, and provide a close reading of a quote or a specific historical or cultural moment. However, DO NOT mention the novel or your argument about it until the next paragraph. Brief introduction paragraph: Shift gears by introducing the novel and your specific argument about who is the villain and why. Explain how your argument makes sense within the context you offer in your focusing incident, but from this point on, keep your focus on the novel until you get to the conclusion. Thesis: _____________ is the villain of The Great Gatsby because ________________. Ultimately, your reasoning should connect to your context in some way. If it isn’t completely clear in your because‐clause, then explain the connection in your introduction paragraph. First supporting paragraph (2 quotes) Second supporting paragraph (2 quotes) 2‐3 sentence conclusion: Explain the significance of your argument by returning to the context you provide in your focusing incident.