The Great Gatsby
March 2011
Do Now
Take Introduction and Chapter 1 quiz over The Great
Gatsby
Objectives
• Understanding Chapter 1
• Introduction to major themes and symbols
Homework
• The Great Gatsby, Chapter 2, pages 22 - 38
The Great Gatsby
Characters overall – obsessed by class, privilege and social position
Nick Carroway
• Tolerant, reserves judgment
• Fought in World War I
• Lives in West Egg (part of Long Island)
• Nouveau riche: those who have recently made money and lack an
established social position
• Impartial narrator, but no passive – Gatsby presents a challenge
to the way in which Nick is accustomed to thinking about the
world
The Great Gatsby
Tom Buchanan
•
Nick’s classmate at Yale
•
From a wealthy family
•
Reading The Rise of the Colored Empire, a book about racism and
white supremacy – which he believes
•
Grotesque, lacking redeeming features: “big, hulking physical
specimen”, Daisy – tension dominates Buchanan family scenes
Jordan Baker
•
Friends with Daisy
•
Professional golfer
The Great Gatsby
Daisy Buchanan
• Frail
• Laughs at every opportunity
• She and Jordan are dressed in white when Nick arrives,
“white girl-hood” which stands in contrast to their actual
decadence and corruption
Jordan Baker
• Friends with Daisy
• Professional golfer
The Great Gatsby
Gatsby
• First appearance – almost godlike
• Utterly alone, posture of mysterious worship
• Reaching towards a green light, which he cannot
grasp – something Gatsby is hopelessly striving for
The Great Gatsby
Remember the types of conflict...
• Individual vs. society
• Individual vs. individual
• Individual vs. self
The Great Gatsby
Byronic Hero
• An idealized but flawed character
Tragic Hero
• Hero's misfortune is not brought about "by vice and
depravity but by some error of judgment.” - Aristotle
The Great Gatsby
Themes to look for:
• Honesty
• Decay
• Gender Roles
• Violence
• Class
• Religion
• World War I
The Great Gatsby
Symbols to look for:
• The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
• The Valley of Ashes
• Heat
• Automobiles
The Great Gatsby
Upcoming project
• Explore the historical period of the 1920s by
creating posters that provide in-depth information
on what is happening in the following artistic
communities: music and jazz, theater, visual arts,
photography, and dance.
• Research paper on the topic selected
• 4 – 6 pages typed