Lit Analyzer:______________________________
The Great Gatsby Reading Journals
Chapter One:
Characterization and Themes
In Chapter One we are introduced to the characters of Nick, Daisy, Tom, and Jordan. For each character,
write what you think they represent (idea like passion, american ideals, etc). Then write at least three
character traits for each character.
Nick:
1.
2.
3.
Tom:
1.
2.
3.
Daisy:
1.
2.
3.
Jordan:
1.
2.
3.
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Two:
Narrator Bias
Nick may not be telling us all that he should. To fix this, pick a passage and rewrite the passage from
another character’s point-of-view. Have his or her thoughts, actions, and reactions from a first person
point-of-view. (Example: Tom punching Daisy from Tom’s point-of-view). Include appeals to the senses
(hearing, seeing, etc) and the character’s inner thoughts to help the reader. (5-8 sentences)
Scene:
Rewritten Scene:
Extra Credit: Find a newspaper article, newsclip, story, or blog post (to name a few) that demonstrates narrator
bias. Write a few sentences explaining what that bias is.
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Three:
Theme and Narrator Bias
“Town Tattler”: Write down three pieces of gossip about Jay Gatsby that was heard at the party.
1.
2.
3.
Then write down three characteristics of Gatsby that we can gain from this information and write what
your opinion of this characteristic is, and what Nick’s opinion probably is.
Ex. 1. The piece of gossip suggests he is pretentious.
Me: I think pretentious people are misinformed and need a reality check.
Nick: He probably thinks pretentious people see things clearly.
1.
Me:
Nick:
2.
Me:
Nick:
3.
Me:
Nick:
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Four:
Author Style
“Dear Daisy…Love, Jay” Letter:
Write a letter in your journal (like the letter Daisy received on her wedding night) from Gatsby to Daisy
while he was off in WWI. Be sure to write it in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s style (see notes if not sure). This
letter should take place after their romance, but before Gatsby found out she was married to Tom. (4-5
sentences)
Now, write this letter in the style of Ernest Hemingway in “Short, Happy Life…” (4-5 sentences)
Which one is more effective as a love letter? Why? (3-4 sentences)
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Five:
Theme Development
Choose one of the following topics/subjects from the story (class, American Dream, or lies/deceit) and
write down at least one quote from each of the first five chapters that show how it has changed or
developed in the story. After each quote, create a theme for the topic. Then, decide if it agrees, disagrees,
subverts, reinforces, explains or contradicts the previous chapter’s thought on the subject.
Topic:___________________________________
Ch. 1
Quote:
Theme:
Ch. 2
Quote:
Theme:
This quote (agrees with , disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts) the previous
chapter’s thought. (circle one)
Ch. 3
Quote:
Theme:
This quote (agrees with , disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts) the previous
chapter’s thought. (circle one)
Ch. 4
Quote:
Theme:
This quote (agrees with , disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts) the previous
chapter’s thought. (circle one)
Ch. 5
Quote:
Theme:
This quote (agrees with , disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts) the previous
chapter’s thought. (circle one)
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Six:
Source Evaluation
Find one quote that is significant in Chapter Six, and explain what it says about Nick, as a narrator.
Quote:
What is the argument/idea he is presenting?
Does it show his bias? How or how not?
If you wrote a paper about journalism bias, could you use this quote to support your ideas? Why or why
not?
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Seven:
Theme and Characterization
For each of the five main characters (Nick, Jordan, Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby), write down one new
quote for each that demonstrates characterization. Then write down at least one new characteristic for
each character.
Nick characteristic:
Quote:
Jordan characteristic:
Quote:
Daisy characteristic:
Quote:
Tom characteristic:
Quote:
Gatsby characteristic:
Quote:
Has he or she changed since your first journal about characterization? How? Write about each character
and include if the new information agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts
the previous chapter’s thought.
Nick: (agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts)
Why? (1-2 sentences)
Jordan: (agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts)
Why? (1-2 sentences)
Daisy: (agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts)
Why? (1-2 sentences)
Tom:(agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts)
Why? (1-2 sentences)
Gatsby:(agrees with, disagrees with, subverts, reinforces, explains, contradicts)
Why? (1-2 sentences)
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Eight:
Integration of Author Choices
Write down one prediction for the end of the novel and write what the prediction is based on. Write at
least one piece of evidence from the novel that would suggest this, and write at least one piece of evidence
from something else you’ve read that would suggest this. Bottom line: authors have similar story lines,
and we can learn from these.
ex. Prediction: Jordan will leave Nick and go overseas to play tennis.
Evidence from Gatsby: She has been competing in numerous events throughout the novel like
tennis (pg. 58) and often gets bored of things easily (pg. 26).
Evidence from Grapes of Wrath: The story ends with Tom leaving the family.
Prediction:
Evidence from Gatsby:
Evidence from ___________________:
Lit Analyzer:______________________________
Chapter Nine:
Skill Wrap
Answer the following questions to close the book on Jay Gatz.
1. Was your prediction correct in the previous chapter correct? Do you think Nick told the whole
story? (2-3 sentences)
2. Write the passage of what happened here:
3. What is a topic that this passage refers to? What does it say about it? Is what it says any different
from the rest of the novel? (4-5 sentences)
4. Now, rewrite what happened using a different style. This can be from any of the authors we’ve
learned about so far this year.
Author:_______________________________
Rewritten passage (3-5 sentences):