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The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
O What were the effects of Prohibition during the 1920s?O Would it work today? WHY or WHY NOT?
O What is “the American Dream”?O How do you think the concept of “the American
Dream” has changed over time? O What does it mean to be successful in America?O Is there a dark side to achieving success in America?
O What role does social status (or class) play in our culture?O In high school? O Is “the American Dream” accessible to everyone,
regardless of social status (or class)?
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
O Is obsession ever a good thing?O How important are money and prestige in achieving
true happiness? O When can dreams become destructive? O What effect do you think materialism has on
relationships? O How do you think the institution of marriage is
different today than it was during the 1920s?O Is marriage dead? O What are some issues facing married couples today?
O How true is it that we spend too much of our lives trying to convince others that we are something we’re not?
About the Author (Fitzgerald)
O 1896—1940O Considered “the chronicler of the Jazz Age”O Best-selling author of the 1920s
O So to whom might we compare him today? O Distant relative of Francis Scott Key
O Who wrote . . . ??O “The Star-Spangled Banner”
O Spent his final years in Hollywood writing screenplays
O Though just over forty years old, he looked decades older—the years of drinking and abusing his body had caught up with him.
Historical Context (Setting)O WHEN: 1922
O the flapper era; the Jazz Age; the Roaring TwentiesO WHERE: Long Island, New YorkO Scandalous stories of that time period:
O Mob gangsters made millions gambling and bootleggingO 1919—the World Series was “fixed”
O World War IO Psychological effects on veterans . . . WHY?
O The Volstead Act of 1919 (Prohibition)O How do you suppose this law made criminals
(technically) out of almost everyone? O How do you suppose it contributed to the decline of
morals and values?
ThemesO Corruption of the “American Dream”
O wealth, greed, materialism, compromised morals and values
O Class (social status)O old money, new money, no money
O RomanceO AdulteryO Past and Future
O Crash Course Part I:O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw9Au9OoN88
Characters in The Great Gatsby
Nick Carraway
Narrator Lives in the West Egg Tries to maintain his values Exists in a world of
corruption Realizes shallowness of
others Will he change?
Daisy Buchanan
Nick’s cousin Tom’s wife—(They live in the East
Egg.) In love with Gatsby--(She was his
girlfriend years ago, before he left
for the war.) Unreal and shallow Toys with the past and the present
How might these things cause
trouble or create conflict?
Tom Buchanan
Daisy’s husband Ex-jock (football player);
attended Yale University Born into wealth Hard, forceful, violent Very opinionated and self-
centered Sexist, racist What do you suppose has
caused him to be this way?
Myrtle Wilson
Lives in “the Valley of Ashes”—the
lower class part of town Married to George Wilson Mistress to Tom Buchanan Longs for a “better” life of
materialistic things Manhattan apartment—paid for
by Tom. How might she (from what you
know now) represent corruption of
“the American Dream”?
George Wilson
Lives in “the Valley of Ashes”—the lower class part of town
Working class—owns a garage
Years of hard work with little or
no gain have worn him down.
Unaware of Myrtle’s affair with
Tom Loves and adores his wife What is the dramatic irony
here?
Jordan Baker
Friend of Daisy’s Becomes Nick’s love interest
Successful pro-golfer Beautiful and pleasant Yet shallow and, as Nick says,
“incurably dishonest” Somewhat careless
and, of course . . . Gatsby
Nick’s wealthy West Egg neighbor;
owns a gigantic mansion Has become known for hosting
huge parties every weekend
Self-made man—has spent years
acquiring his wealth Loses himself in a world of greed
and corruption His lust for wealth stems from his
desire to win back Daisy, whom he
fell in love with years ago. Attempts to recapture the past
with wealth and materialism
2013 Movie Trailer The Great Gatsby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7AFnJbETLw
Point of ViewO First-person
O Nick Carraway’s point of viewO A mostly reliable narrator whom the reader comes to
trustO Nick’s perception of Gatsby
O Admiration and intrigue O Reminds the reader that despite Gatsby’s later foolish
or corrupt acts, at the core, Gatsby is “great.” O Nick’s perception of the Buchanans
O Harsh and disapprovingO Keeps the reader from liking them too muchO Shows the reader how corrupt and consumed they are
with wealth and materialism
Setting Map
SymbolismO the green light and the color green
O At the end of Daisy’s dock; Gatsby stares at it throughout the novel; it symbolizes his dream as well as hope.
O automobilesO power, status symbols, success
O the Valley of AshesO a wasteland; an area of ruin; lower class society
O East EggO upper class society, glamour, and wealth
O West EggO upper-middle class society
More SymbolismO the “eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg” billboard sign
O God’s eyes brooding over AmericaO Nick’s 30th birthday
O the passing of Nick’s youth and Gatsby’s dreams
O alcoholO means of escape; moral decline of society
O action of the novelO moral chaos
O the color yellowO wealth, opportunity, and even death
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapters 1 & 2
O Where in the first two chapters do questions of class, wealth, and privilege arise?
O Who’s rich and who’s poor here, and HOW DO YOU KNOW? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
O Nick isn’t exactly “poor,” but how is his money or status different from those of the other characters? Cite evidence from the text that suggests a difference in class between Nick and the other characters.
RL.11-12.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc.
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapters 3 & 4
O Gatsby talks to Jordan privately in Chapter 3. What do you suppose their conversation was about?
O Read the epigraph on the title page of the novel. (HINT: It’s the quote on the title page.) What does it reveal about Gatsby and his love for Daisy?
RL.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of a text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc.
O DISCUSS: Imagine you are Gatsby at the beginning of Chapter 5. It’s the day that Daisy comes to tea. You’ve been waiting for this day for five years. How are you feeling? What are you going to say to her?
O PREDICT: What do you think will happen at Gatsby’s next party? There have been some scenes of Gatsby’s previous parties. How might this party be different?
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapters 5 & 6
RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc. RL.11-12.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapter 7
O PREDICT: What do you think will happen to the relationships between Gatsby and Daisy, Tom and Daisy, Tom and Myrtle, Nick and Jordan?
O EXAMINE: Myrtle watches Tom, Nick, and Jordan arrive at Wilson’s garage. Describe this incident from her point of view.
O EVALUATE: Tom asks Gatsby about his expression “old sport,” but Gatsby gives no answer. Why do you think Gatsby calls everyone “old sport,” and why does it annoy Tom?
RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc. RL.11-12.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapter 8
O What do you suppose prompted Gatsby to talk freely to Nick now when he was unwilling to so in the past?
O What does Nick mean when he talks about Gatsby’s supposed “corruption” and his “incorruptible dream”?
RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc. RL.11-12.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Text-Dependent Questions for Chapter 9/Whole Novel
O At the end of the novel, Nick imagines what the continent must have been like when it was first seen by Dutch sailors. How does this idea of the continent then contrast with the environment of the 20th century Jazz Age environment discussed in the novel?
O Consider the title of the novel. In what way is Gatsby “great”?
RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc. RL.11-12.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
“West Egg, especially, still figures in my more fantastic dreams. I see it as a night scene by El Greco: a hundred houses, at once conventional and grotesque, crouching under a sullen, overhanging sky and a lustreless moon.
In the foreground four solemn men in dress suits are walking along the sidewalk with a stretcher on which lies a drunken woman in a white evening dress. Her
hand, which dangles over the side, sparkles cold with jewels. Gravely the men turn in at a house—the wrong house. But no one knows the woman’s name, and no
one cares” (177).
1. Close-read/annotate the passage. What symbolism do you notice in the passage? What is the tone? In 3-5 sentences, discuss the tone and symbolism in the passage. What details does Fitzgerald use to create this tone? What details may be interpreted as symbols? Cite evidence from the passage to support your answer.
2. Explain what Nick sees in the El Greco painting that reminds him of New York and especially of West Egg. Cite evidence from the text that might be connected to the painting itself.
Crash Course Part IIO http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn0WZ8-0Z1Y
O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjTS6AhMJ8
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