English 10
Jane Belton/Pam Newton
Gatsby’s Funeral Speech
4-5 pages, typed, double or 1.5 spaced
Final draft due at our scheduled exam time
Imagine you are the one other guest (aside from Nick, Owl Eyes, and Henry Gatz) to attend
Gatsby’s funeral. Nick invites you to give a speech in commemoration of Gatsby’s life. Your
task is to write this funeral speech. You will deliver the speech to a small group of your peers
during the scheduled exam time.
In your speech, you will make an overarching argument about Gatsby and/or his life.
Through your speech, you will aim to convince your audience of your argument. Your
speech must have three sub-points/body paragraphs and must provide an analysis of key
textual evidence from the novel in each body paragraph (with correct parenthetical citations).
Please note: your body paragraphs should not simply rehash the plot of the novel or the events
of Gatsby's life. Rather, they should draw on moments in the novel to make points about
Gatsby that support your overarching claim.
Traditionally, eulogies are written to praise the dead. Your speech may celebrate or praise
Gatsby, but it does not need to. Instead, think about what needs to be said about him and his
world. What tone do you want to set? What emotions do you want to evoke? What picture do
you want to paint of Gatsby?
The speech should also have a personal dimension. You may draw from your own life
experience to speak about Gatsby or you may pretend you are a character from Gatsby’s
world (you grew up with him in North Dakota, you were one of his party guests, you had a
“business gonnegtion” with him, etc). Either way, your personal stance/point of view should
be clear from the details of your speech.
Some questions to consider when planning and writing:
 What is most important for your audience to remember or understand about Gatsby?
 What aspects of Gatsby or his life should be celebrated or criticized?
 In what ways was Gatsby great or not great?
 Why did he die? Who/what is to blame?
 What does his story have to do with America or the American Dream?
 What can we learn from Gatsby and his story?
Over the next several weeks, we will guide you through several writing workshops and
assignments that will help you craft your final speech. After you complete your speech, you
will also be asked to write a thoughtful process piece, in which you answer the following
questions:
What are you most proud of about your speech? What are the strengths of your
writing/argument? What was particularly challenging about the writing process? What have
you learned about yourself as a writer? What new insight did you gain into Gatsby and the
novel as a whole? What new insight did you gain into the American dream/experience? (1-2
pages, typed, double-spaced)
Project Deadlines
Wednesday 2/23 -- Thesis statement due
Friday 2/25 -- Introduction and outline due
Monday 2/28 -- First body paragraph due
Tuesday 3/1 -- First draft of speech (without conclusion) due
Wednesday 3/2 -- First full draft of speech due
You will submit your final project portfolio at our scheduled exam period.
In the left hand pocket of your final project folder, please include the following:
1. Outline
2. First draft of intro with teacher comments
3. First full draft
In the right hand pocket of your final project folder, please include the following:
1. Final draft with title page and numbered pages
2. Process piece