great gatsby essay plans

The Great Gatsby Unit Plan | Entire Novel Study

This resource includes an  ANTICIPATION GUIDE (pre-reading activity) for the novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

An anticipation guide is a comprehension strategy that is used  BEFORE   reading  to activate students’ prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic.

In this lesson, students will respond to several claims by indicating if they agree or disagree with that said statement. Next, students will work collaboratively in groups to answer related discussion questions to further build anticipation about the novel before reading.

Are you looking for  pre-reading activities for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald ? Why not pay homage to the beautiful artwork of Spanish artist Francis Cugat who painted the original cover of the novel  The Great Gatsby !?

Have students analyze the text and graphics of the famous artwork; they will literally  judge a book by its cover  by answering questions about the emotions and associations they think of while looking at the image. Then, students should make predictions about what the story will be about.

This activity is fun and engaging for students! It’s a great reading strategy to build anticipation prior to a novel study on the American novel  The Great Gatsby.

This resource includes guided notes for  Background Information for the novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  The Great Gatsby background info is essential for students to learn and be familiar with before reading the novel!

The focus of this lesson entails a brief history of the 1920s to include the following topics: author background, setting of  The Great Gatsby,  1920s culture, the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, the economic boom, gender roles, racism, prohibition, modernism, art deco, new money vs old money, social class, the Harlem Renaissance, post-war era, the Lost Generation, organized crime, and the American Dream.

Before reading the novel  The Great Gatsby , teach your students about the author, the setting, society, and culture of the 1920s to ensure they truly understand the prominent themes in the novel.

In this lesson, your students with be engaged as they take notes from a Powerpoint presentation and answer questions using the accommodating worksheet provided.

Students will answer questions along the way that create personal connections to the time period of the 1920s.

Have your students create a collaborative poster and learn about  F. Scott Fitzgerald  in a fun, engaging way!

Your students will create an author biography by researching F. Scott Fitzgerald and establishing his profile on a poster.

Students will learn about Fitzgerald and his body of work as a legendary author.

This goes perfectly for any novel study on  The Great Gatsby!

Additionally, they will learn the importance of collaboration and effective communication.

Project Steps:

1) To construct the author study poster, your students will work in groups to conduct research on Fitzgerald.

2) Students will then transfer their findings to boxes on the poster.

3) Next, they will work together to color or paint the pieces of the poster.

4) Lastly, students will tape together the final product.

The poster is made up of six pieces of paper, which can be printed on regular copy paper or card stock.

Once taped together, the final product will be  28″ x 15″  and can last a lifetime if you laminate it!

This resource includes the following:

• Step by Step Student Directions (PDF & editable word document)
• Author Study Project Rubric (PDF & editable word document)
• Author Study Graphic Organizer for Students (PDF & editable word document)
• 6 Blank Coloring Pages that come together as one beautiful poster (PDFs)
• F. Scott Fitzgerald Author Study Answer Key
• Example of Final Project: Completed Text & Fully Colored Body

This resource includes a fun, engaging activity that will get your students talking about  The Great Gatsby  before reading the novel! This  pre-reading activity for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  consists of over 20 classic “Would You Rather” questions.

The questions are all closely related to themes, motifs, and events directly from the novel—but without any spoilers! For example… Would you rather: marry someone rich OR make your own fortune??

Your students will be able to personally connect with the text, make predictions, and build anticipation before completing a novel study on the famous American novel  The Great Gatsby!

This resource entails 90 academic words defined:  Vocab Lists & Quizzes for All 9 Chapters!  All   The Great Gatsby   by F. Scott Fitzgerald vocabulary resources you need in one place!

Included in this resource  The Great Gatsby Vocabulary:

1. Powerpoint presentation with 90 words—and their definitions—from  The Great Gatsby.

2. Graphic organizers for students to record all definitions as well as write their own.

3. Teacher answer key for all 90 words.

4. Three quizzes: 30 words each, separated by every 3 chapters.

5. Answer keys for quizzes.

Make sure your students are completing their independent reading for the novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald  with these quick  Reading Checks or Chapter Quizzes ! This product works well if your students are reading independently or if you are reading as a class and you want to ensure students are paying attention! 🙂

These questions require brief responses; they are recall questions that are meant to be easy to remember for anyone who has completed the reading. This is a tool used simply to check that students are completing the independent reading, comprehending the basic information, and/or are engaged during class.

The reading checks are divided by every individual chapter (9 chapters altogether). There are two different versions of every set of questions (a & b). This is so you can use different quizzes for different classes and avoid cheating (students talk and share answers).

This product includes a Powerpoint presentation as well as printable worksheets that are meant to be cut in half and distributed to students (optional).

To administer quizzes:

• project the questions on your board for students to see
• have students use scrap paper or lined paper to write their answers down (or print the worksheets included)
• when everyone is done, have students grade each other’s answers by switching papers in class
• review the correct answers out loud and project them on the board
• collect graded quizzes

Teacher answer keys included!

The Great Gatsby Chapter Activities — Chapter by Chapter Literary Analysis & Text-Dependent Reading Questions!

This resource includes literary analysis, reading comprehension, and discussion-type questions for all nine chapters of the novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as 10 after reading discussion questions.

As your students read the novel  The Great Gatsby,  chapter by chapter, have them digest, analyze, and discuss the important scenes and literary elements Fitzgerald demonstrates.

There are 10 questions per chapter, plus 10 after reading questions, totaling in 100 awesome questions in this product! Thorough answer keys are included.

You can print this resource as one all-encompassing packet or you can provide students worksheets one chapter at a time.

Students will analyze point of view, theme, imagery, symbolism, irony, and more with this lesson.

This Imagery Project is an after reading activity based on the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

For this project, students will carefully select a scene from the novel  The Great Gatsby  that is filled with imagery. Students will illustrate and analyze the scene. To analyze the scene, students will pick out textual evidence that appeals to the five senses: sight, taste, touch, smell, and sound. Students will describe the effect the descriptive language has on the reader and the overall mood of the scene. Student’s must also explain Fitzgerald’s purpose for the use of imagery in the scene.

For this after reading activity based on the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, students will write an obituary for Jay Gatsby using characterization skills.

If you are looking for engaging after reading activities for  The Great Gatsby,  this writing task provides students an opportunity to analyze Jay Gatsby’s character in an interesting way! Students will discuss Jay Gatsby’s history, his accomplishments, his personality, and more, all in a well-written tribute to his memory.

Have your students analyze characters from  F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  novel  The Great Gatsby  in a fun and engaging way:  Character Collabs !

Your students will use several  characterization  methods to depict each character’s profile, demonstrate their understanding of the literature, and present their final work on a poster.

Posters will showcase your students’ body of work after completing each character’s biography.

Additionally, students will learn the importance of collaboration and effective communication.

There are seven characters included in this resource:

• Nick Carraway
• Daisy Buchanan
• Tom Buchanan
• Jordan Baker
• Myrtle Wilson
• George Wilson

1) To construct each poster, your students will work in groups to analyze their specific character.

2) Students will then transfer their findings to boxes on each poster.

3) Next, they will work together to color the pieces of the posters.

4) Lastly, students will tape together the final products.

Each poster is made up of six pieces of paper, which can be printed on regular copy paper or card stock.

Once taped together, each final product will be  28″ x 15″ .

• Teacher Guide
• Student Directions
• Brainstorm Character Analysis Worksheet
• Blank Coloring Pages for each character
• Answer Keys
• Example of Final Project for Jay Gatsby
• Digitally Colored Examples for every character
• Editable documents: directions, rubric, brainstorm worksheet

After reading the beloved American novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald,  have your students reexamine the  most important quotes  and dialogue throughout the book.

In this lesson, students will first identify 10 popular quotes by their speaker. Next, students will take a closer look at 25 quotes from all nine chapters of  The Great Gatsby.  Students will analyze these quotes for their meaning and significance by answering open-ended questions pertaining to each quote.

This activity is a great addition to any  novel study  of  The Great Gatsby  and a nice review for after reading! Detailed answer key included.

In this resource, students will conduct a literary analysis of  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  and write a  TDA Essay  using textual evidence to support their responses.

There are TWO writing options students can choose from for this Response to Literature/TDA essay.

Included in this product you will get one copy of the following each as PDFs  (ready to print)  as well as one copy of the following each as WORD Documents (as to be  editable   for teachers ).

• Essay Prompts for two different topics on the novel  The Great Gatsby
• Two Prewriting Graphic Organizers for students to brainstorm ideas, thesis, examples, and textual evidence
• TDA Essay Rubric broken down into categories: content, focus, organization, style, conventions, and format

Teach your students about the  Symbols/Symbolism and Colors in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In this resource, you will get a Powerpoint lesson that is 58 slides, filled with information, quotes, examples, and photos to help your students analyze the important symbols and colors in the novel.

Below is a list of symbols your students will analyze:

• Dan Cody’s Yacht
• Gatsby’s Shirts
• New York City
• Valley of Ashes
• Wolfsheim’s Cufflinks
• Gatsby’s Uncut Books
• The Eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg
• West Egg and East Egg
• Gatsby’s Car
• Gatsby’s Mansion
• Gatsby’s Bedroom
• Gatsby’s Swimming Pool
• The Green Blinking Light on Daisy’s Dock

This lesson is great for cooperative learning and group work. Instructions for a jigsaw activity are included (optional).

In addition to the Powerpoint presentation, you will receive two graphic organizer options and an answer key.

Your students are going to love  The Great Gatsby Digital Escape Room!  Students will decipher and solve puzzles in this dramatic, backyard pool scene from the novel. In this 360° digital escape room, students will try to evade the police and enter Gatsby’s mansion to pack a get away bag!

This activity is designed to work for a laptop, tablet, or smart phone. Students will solve a series of clues based on the novel  The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald in order to crack the master lock and escape the premises.

This game entails reading comprehension skills, finding textual evidence, and making inferences. Watch the preview video to get a closer look of what this resource entails.

Included in this download are teacher instructions, student instructions (digital), the master lock graphic organizer, answer keys, and a reflection sheet (optional).

PLEASE READ: While using this resource, you must have a wi-fi connection and the ability to access the following sites: Google Forms and Kuula.co. Please check that these websites are not blocked by your district’s filter before purchasing. Your students do not need to have a Google account.

This resource includes  The Great Gatsby Final Unit Test with a Study Guide for Review and Answer Keys!

This test, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  The Great Gatsby , requires students to demonstrate what they learned from the novel and their overall comprehension of the book. (Answer key included)

This exam consists of 68 questions and offers students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of ways, to include:

• multiple choice questions
• true or false
• short answer (1-2 sentences)
• character identification (with word bank)
• extended response (5 sentences or more)

Also included in this product is an accommodating  study guide  that closely mirrors the expectations of the test. (Answer key included)

Additionally, I provide an “answer sheet” for any teachers that prefer students to not write on the actual tests because it is quicker to grade multiple choice questions with answer sheets. Answer sheets are  completely optional!

The Great Gatsby Movie Guide  worksheet is an in-depth Film Analysis and Book Comparison based on the 2013 movie  The Great Gatsby,  directed by Baz Luhrmann.

This exercise is meant for students to analyze the film as well as specific decisions made by the director. Students will also be required to input personal opinions regarding the movie, such as cast and music choice.

Answer guide included!

Have your students share their unique understanding of the novel  The Great Gatsby   by F. Scott Fitzgerald  by imaginatively blending their written ideas with colorful images based on information from the text.

With this  one-pager reading comprehension project,  students will analyze the literature by determining theme, symbolism, characterization, point of view, setting, important quotes and more. Students’ artwork make for unique and creative analyses of the literature and also make great  bulletin boards!  This is the perfect project for students to work on at the end of a novel study and to summarize their thoughts/ideas about the book.

Included in this purchase is:

• Student directions for the one pager summary project
• Rubric for the one pager project
• Example one-pager based on the novel  The Great Gatsby
• 10 BLANK TEMPLATES (printable—optional)

This resource includes  FIVE FULL WEEKS of content for The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald!

Additionally, in this  UNIT PLAN BUNDLE , you will receive a teacher guide that encompasses an example Unit Schedule/Pacing Guide!

Lessons Included in this Bundle:

• Anticipation Guide and Questions
• Judge The Book by its Cover Before Reading
• Background Info on 1920s, the American Dream, the Roaring Twenties culture, and F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Would You Rather Pre-Reading Game
• Vocabulary For Every Chapter with Quizzes
• Reading Checks/Quizzes for All 9 Chapters
• Imagery and Descriptive Language Project
• Obituary for Jay Gatsby Project
• Character Analysis and Characterization Activity
• Important Quotes Explanation and Analysis
• Reading Questions for Every Chapter
• TDA Essay Prompt and Rubric
• Symbols and Colors Powerpoint Lesson
• Digital Escape Room Reading Comprehension Game
• Study Guide and Final Test
• Movie Guide and Comparison Worksheet (Baz Luhrmann Film, 2013)
• One Pager Creative Project

1 thought on “The Great Gatsby Unit Plan | Entire Novel Study”

This unit is awesome! It is well designed and includes everything that I wanted to include in my personal unit plus the ancillary materials that I will not have to make myself. Thank you!!

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The Great Gatsby and Philip Larkin essay plans

Description.

• language and literature
• philip larkin
• the great gatsby
• scott fitzgerald
• comparative
• use descriptive tags to organise your content

Resource summary

The exam The exam is 2 hours and 30 minutes, with two sections: unseen prose non-fiction, and the Gatsby and Larkin question if you've studied the 'Society and the Individual' topic. You should spend 1 hour and 30-45 minutes on the Gatsby and Larkin question, which is 30 marks (the biggest question). It is Section B of Edexcel's English Language and Literature A Level Paper 2.  The question will be structured along the lines of 'Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present __________'. The essay plans provided in this resource cover 8 possible steers: masculinity, femininity, power, materialism/consumerism, death/violence, society's negative influence on an individual, illusion vs. reality, and love. I have also included introductions for some of the topics.    When writing the answer, remember to consider the following points as a tick list: SAGE MICE ECCC Structure Arguments Genre Evaluative comments Motifs/symbols Introduction Conclusion Evidence from Larkin Evidence from Gatsby Comparative language  Context of reception Context of production   There are 4 assessment objectives for this question: AO1- terminology and written expression. Make sure you analyse both literary and linguistic techniques AO2- analysis and evaluation. AO3- context of production and reception AO4- comparison           

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present masculinity

Introduction Example   Despite writing in vastly different eras, both Larkin’s poetry collection ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ (1964) and Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925) hold a strikingly similar portrayal of masculinity as a form of control; men are considered successful based on their possessions, including their wife and family. While Fitzgerald indicates that cramming men into this stereotype is detrimental- Gatsby dies as a result of the struggle between class- Larkin seems to have a more ambivalent relationship with masculinity. He never fought in the war due to his bad eyesight, and he never produced children, so he may be viewed as a subversion of the masculine stereotype, especially given his rejection of the philistine and sometimes vulgar nature associated with men in the 1950s and 60s. However, he also considers the concept of legacy; despite being very famous for his poetry, he considered himself not having a legacy as he had no children (the ultimate show of masculinity).

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present women

Introduction Example   In their works, Fitzgerald and Larkin both scrutinise women and the feminine identity, but in significantly different manners. Fitzgerald’s novel, ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925), is arguably utilised to highlight how women are subject to male control and violence, and are forced to conform to the rigid stereotype of femininity constructed by men. Fitzgerald may have used the novel as a way to criticise the fallacy of women’s suffrage in 1920- the women’s efforts have gained them very little, and Fitzgerald argues whether they actually have real autonomy. In contrast to Fitzgerald’s exposure of sexism, Larkin uses his poetry collection, ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ (1964), to convey sexist beliefs, although it is unclear as to whether these beliefs are a result of intentional misogyny, or due to his lack of understanding of women. His relationship with women is ambivalent; he pities their inferiority in society, but also conforms to many of the sexist beliefs that were typical of 1950s/60s Britain. His relationships with multiple women simultaneously only goes to show his misunderstanding of their nature. It is also fundamental to note that both authors are male, so we may expect their portrayal of women to be subject to the male gaze, consciously or not.

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present power

Introduction Example   Although writing in significantly different eras, there is a striking similarity between Fitzgerald and Larkin’s portrayal of power. On the one hand, we see power as a form of control employed by those in positions of authority or status to manipulate those inferior to them. Fitzgerald’s novel, ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925), clearly demonstrates the power within relationships is controlled by the man. As a result, we could argue that Fitzgerald presents this imbalance of power in order to criticise the sexism that was typical of 1920s America. Similarly, Larkin uses his poetry collection ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ (1964) to illustrate male authority, perhaps influenced by his father’s controlling relationships with his mother. However, an alternate reading of power within these two works is the durability and impact of love and dreams. Although power destroys Gatsby, the power of his love and dreams is still admirable to Nick. Larkin often questions the validity of love and faith, but seems to appreciate its power over our lives.  

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present materialism/consumerism

Introduction Example   Although writing in vastly different eras, both Larkin and Fitzgerald provide a striking portrayal of materialism and consumerism, and the detrimental effects they have on lives. In Fitzgerald’s novel, ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925), we see materialism and consumerism as the true downfall of Gatsby, Myrtle and George- they pursued their dreams of wealth, only to have them stripped from them, ironically enough, by the wealthy. There is a sense of absence to the aforementioned wealthy people in the novel, which is most apparent in Tom and Daisy. Fitzgerald may be criticising the inert and thoughtless nature of old money, especially when we see the vitality of Gatsby being so callously cut short. Larkin illustrates a similar state of affairs in 1950s and 60s Britain; materialism and consumerism has made people blind to reality. Instead, people dress up in costumes and perform their daily routines in a monotonous cycle of buying and consuming, buying and consuming.

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present death and violence

Introduction Example   In their works, Fitzgerald and Larkin portray subtly different views of death, although their illustration of violence is startling similar. In Fitzgerald’s novel, ‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925), we see death as a symbol of failure to achieve dreams, and even, to an extent, how dreams are the true downfall of the characters. Gatsby dies as a result of Daisy’s actions, George dies as a result of his dream to leave the VoA with Myrtle, and Myrtle dies as a result of her relationship with Tom. Interestingly, all deaths are unnatural in The Great Gatsby- murder and suicide- so we could comment on how desire ultimately kills. Larkin, in contrast, has a more ambivalent view of death; he fears it, but it also intrigues him. In many of his poems, the cause of death is consumerism, much like Fitzgerald, but he also shows the power of death in poems like ‘An Arundel Tomb’, which considers legacy.

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present society's negative impact on individuals

Introduction Example   Despite the time differences between Larkin writing his poetry collection ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ in 1964, and Fitzgerald writing his novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ in 1925, both writers reflect on the ways in which their distinct societies affect individuals’ lives, particularly in a negative manner. Larkin often utilises his poetry to critique society’s view of relationships, especially in terms of female inferiority, while Fitzgerald’s novel, although fictional, provides a scathing perspective of the ways in which wealth and social class creates loveless marriages and infidelity, perhaps portrayed as a result of Fitzgerald’s tumultuous relationship with Zelda. Larkin also explores faith and patriotism; he takes a cynical view of how society constructs religion for personal gain. In contrast, Fitzgerald rarely mentions religion specifically, instead being more implicit; Daisy is the object of Gatsby’s worship, and Gatsby represents a sort of Antichrist. Tom’s skewed patriotism is also illustrated to offer a critique of society’s detrimental perspective of diversity.

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present illusion vs. reality/ deception

Evaluate the effectiveness of methods used by F Scott Fitzgerald and Philip Larkin to present love

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — The Great Gatsby

Essays on The Great Gatsby

The great gatsby essay topic examples.

Whether you want to analyze the American Dream, compare and contrast characters, vividly describe settings and characters, persuade readers with your viewpoints, or share personal experiences related to the story, these essay ideas provide a diverse perspective on the themes and complexities within the book.

Argumentative Essays

Argumentative essays require you to analyze and present arguments related to the novel. Here are some topic examples:

• 1. Argue whether the American Dream is achievable or illusory, as depicted in The Great Gatsby .
• 2. Analyze the moral ambiguity of Jay Gatsby and the consequences of his relentless pursuit of the American Dream.

Example Introduction Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a tale of ambition, decadence, and the elusive American Dream. This essay delves into the complex theme of the American Dream, exploring whether it remains attainable or has transformed into a tantalizing illusion, luring individuals like Jay Gatsby into its enigmatic embrace.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay: In conclusion, the analysis of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby invites us to reevaluate our perceptions of success and fulfillment. As we contemplate the fate of Jay Gatsby and the characters entangled in his world, we are challenged to define our own version of the American Dream and the sacrifices it may entail.

Compare and Contrast Essays

Compare and contrast essays enable you to examine similarities and differences within the novel or between it and other literary works. Consider these topics:

• 1. Compare and contrast the characters of Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, exploring their contrasting worldviews and motivations.
• 2. Analyze the similarities and differences between the portrayal of the Jazz Age in The Great Gatsby and Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises .

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: The characters and settings in The Great Gatsby and other literary works offer a rich tapestry for comparison and contrast. This essay embarks on a journey to compare and contrast the enigmatic Jay Gatsby and the brash Tom Buchanan, delving into their contrasting values, aspirations, and roles within the novel.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Essay: In conclusion, the comparison and contrast of Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan illuminate the divergent paths individuals can take in pursuit of their desires. As we consider the consequences of their choices, we are prompted to reflect on the complexities of ambition and morality.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays allow you to vividly depict settings, characters, or events within the novel. Here are some topic ideas:

• 1. Describe the opulent parties at Gatsby's mansion, emphasizing the decadence and extravagance of the Jazz Age.
• 2. Paint a detailed portrait of Daisy Buchanan, focusing on her beauty, charm, and the allure she holds for Gatsby.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: The Great Gatsby immerses readers in the lavish world of the Roaring Twenties. This essay embarks on a descriptive exploration of the extravagant parties at Gatsby's mansion, capturing the opulence and hedonism of the era, as well as the illusions they create.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Descriptive Essay: In conclusion, the descriptive portrayal of Gatsby's parties serves as a vivid snapshot of the Jazz Age's excesses and the fleeting nature of indulgence. Through this exploration, we are reminded of the allure and transience of the materialistic pursuits that captivated the characters of the novel.

Persuasive Essays

Persuasive essays involve arguing a point of view related to the novel. Consider these persuasive topics:

• 1. Persuade your readers that Nick Carraway is the moral compass of the story, serving as the voice of reason and morality.
• 2. Argue for or against the idea that Gatsby's love for Daisy is genuine and selfless, despite his questionable methods.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: The Great Gatsby presents a tapestry of characters with complex moral dilemmas. This persuasive essay asserts that Nick Carraway emerges as the moral compass of the story, guiding readers through the labyrinth of decadence and disillusionment in the Jazz Age.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay: In conclusion, the persuasive argument regarding Nick Carraway's role as the moral compass underscores the importance of ethical navigation in a world characterized by excess and moral ambiguity. As we reflect on his influence, we are compelled to consider the enduring value of integrity and virtue.

Narrative Essays

Narrative essays offer you the opportunity to tell a story or share personal experiences related to the themes of the novel. Explore these narrative essay topics:

• 1. Narrate a personal experience where you encountered the allure of materialism and extravagance, similar to the characters in The Great Gatsby .
• 2. Imagine yourself as a character in the Jazz Age and recount your interactions with Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: The themes of The Great Gatsby resonate with the allure of a bygone era. This narrative essay delves into a personal encounter with the seductive pull of materialism and extravagance, drawing parallels to the characters' experiences in the novel.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Narrative Essay: In conclusion, the narrative of my personal encounter with the allure of materialism reminds us of the timeless nature of the themes in The Great Gatsby . As we navigate our own desires and ambitions, we are encouraged to contemplate the balance between aspiration and morality.

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"The Great Gatsby": Theme and Symbols

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The Portrayal of Female Characters in F.s. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

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April 10, 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Novel; Fiction, Tragedy

Jay Gatsby , Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, Jordan Baker, Meyer Wolfsheim, George B. Wilson, Trimalchio, Mr. Gatz

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "The Great Gatsby" with multiple motivations in mind. Firstly, he sought to critique the materialistic excesses and moral decay of the Roaring Twenties, a period of post-World War I prosperity. Fitzgerald aimed to expose the disillusionment and hollowness behind the glittering facade of the American Dream. Additionally, he drew inspiration from his own experiences and observations of the wealthy elite and their decadent lifestyles. Through the character of Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald explored themes of unrequited love, longing, and the pursuit of an unattainable ideal. Ultimately, Fitzgerald's intent was to capture the essence of an era and offer a profound commentary on the human condition.

The story revolves around Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a married woman with whom he had a romantic past. Narrated by Nick Carraway, a young man from the Midwest, the novel delves into the opulent and extravagant lives of the wealthy elite in Long Island. As Gatsby throws lavish parties in the hope of rekindling his relationship with Daisy, the narrative explores themes of love, wealth, illusion, and the disillusionment that comes with the pursuit of the American Dream.

The American Dream , decadence, idealism, resistance to changes, social excess, caution.

The influence of "The Great Gatsby" extends far beyond its initial publication in 1925. F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel has become a literary classic, revered for its exploration of themes such as wealth, love, and the elusive American Dream. It remains relevant due to its timeless portrayal of human desires, societal decadence, and the consequences of relentless pursuit. The book's vivid characters and atmospheric prose have inspired countless writers and artists, shaping the landscape of American literature. With its commentary on the dark underbelly of the Jazz Age, "The Great Gatsby" continues to captivate readers, serving as a cautionary tale and a poignant reflection of the human condition.

1. During F. Scott Fitzgerald's lifetime, approximately 25,000 copies of the book were sold. However, since then, it has gained immense popularity, selling over 25 million copies and establishing itself as one of the most renowned American novels. 2. The Great Gatsby did not have its original title as the author considered various options, ranging from "Under the Red, White and Blue" to "The High-Bouncing Lover." These alternative titles were potentially revealing too much about the content prematurely. 3. In 1926, just a year after its publication, the book was adapted into a film, demonstrating its quick transition from page to screen. 4. Fitzgerald's cause of death is believed to have been tuberculosis rather than a heart attack. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 44. 5. The price of this famous novel at the time of its publication in 1925 was $2, representing its value in that era. 6. The Great Gatsby did not immediately receive critical acclaim upon release. However, it has since garnered recognition and praise, becoming a significant literary work.

"The Great Gatsby" has made a significant impact on various forms of media, captivating audiences across generations. The novel has been adapted into several films, with notable versions including the 1974 adaptation starring Robert Redford and the 2013 adaptation featuring Leonardo DiCaprio. These cinematic interpretations have brought the story to life visually, further immersing audiences in the opulent world of Jay Gatsby. Additionally, the novel has been referenced and alluded to in countless songs, television shows, and even video games, solidifying its cultural significance. Its themes of love, wealth, and the pursuit of the American Dream continue to resonate and inspire creative works in popular culture.

“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.’” “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” “Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.” “So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight.” “I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

Studying "The Great Gatsby" holds great importance due to its enduring relevance and literary significance. The novel offers profound insights into themes such as wealth, love, social class, and the corruption of the American Dream. Its exploration of the Jazz Age exposes the allure and emptiness of a materialistic society, making it a compelling study of human desires and societal decay. F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterful prose and symbolic imagery provide rich material for analyzing character development, narrative techniques, and social commentary. Moreover, delving into the novel's historical context allows for a deeper understanding of the cultural and societal shifts of the 1920s.

The inclusion of "The Great Gatsby" as an essay topic for college students stems from its exploration of themes like the American Dream, the juxtaposition of poverty and wealth, and the destructive allure of corruption. The character of Gatsby embodies the American spirit and can be paralleled to contemporary individuals fixated on materialism and fame as measures of romantic success. Furthermore, this literary masterpiece holds a significant place in American literature, as F. Scott Fitzgerald skillfully weaves socio-cultural elements into each sentence, providing a timeless portrayal of American life that resonates across generations. The choice to analyze and write about "The Great Gatsby" allows students to delve into these thought-provoking themes and examine their relevance to society.

1. Stallman, R. W. (1955). Conrad and The Great Gatsby. Twentieth Century Literature, 1(1), 5–12. (https://doi.org/10.2307/441023) 2. John Jerrim, Lindsey Macmillan, (2015). Income Inequality, Intergenerational Mobility, and the Great Gatsby Curve: Is Education the Key?, Social Forces, Volume 94, Issue 2. (https://academic.oup.com/sf/article/94/2/505/2583794) 3. Robert C. Hauhart (2013) Religious Language and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby’s Valley of Ashes, ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, 26:3 (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0895769X.2013.798233) 4. Burnam, T. (1952). The Eyes of Dr. Eckleburg: A Re-Examination of “The Great Gatsby.” College English, 14(1), 7–12. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/371821) 5. Tom Phillips (2018) Passing for White in THE GREAT GATSBY: A Spectroscopic Analysis of Jordan Baker, The Explicator, 76:3. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00144940.2018.1489769?scroll=top&needAccess=true&role=tab) 6. Matterson, S. (1990). The Great Gatsby and Social Class. In: The Great Gatsby. The Critics Debate. Palgrave, London. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-20768-8_9) 7. Licence, A. (2008). Jay Gatsby: martyr of a materialistic society: Amy Licence considers religious elements in The Great Gatsby. The English Review, 18(3), 24+. (https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA173676222&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=09558950&p=LitRC&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E5a84816e) 8. Khodamoradpour, Marjan and Anushiravani, Alireza, (2017) Playing the Old Tunes: A Fiskean Analysis of Baz Luhrmann's 2013 Cinematic Adaptation of the Great Gatsby. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, Volume 71. (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3020752) 9. Anderson, H. (1968). THE RICH BUNCH IN" THE GREAT GATSBY". Southern Quarterly, 6(2), 163. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/6a9e704a476d873aada2d2529821b95a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2029886)

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Teacher Guide

The great gatsby lesson plan.

• Study Objectives

If all of the elements of this lesson plan are employed, students will develop the following powers, skills, and understanding:

If all of the elements of this lesson plan are employed, students will be able to:

1. Develop a thorough understanding of the historical context in which The Great Gatsby was written and how the novel relates to social and political concepts in American culture;

2. Read and analyze Fitzgerald's writing closely, paying particular attention to his use of figurative language and extended metaphors;

3. Analyze and discuss, both individually and as a class, the important and common themes in the novel;

4. Speak and write insightfully about the ideas contained in...

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The Great Gatsby Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Great Gatsby is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What are some quotes in chapter 1 of the great gatsby that show the theme of violence?

I don't recall any violence in in chapter 1.

the most significant men in daisy Buchanan's life are Tom and Gatsby. compare and contrast the two men and include a discussion about what Daisy finds attractive in each.

Tom is a philandering brute. He doesn't treat Daisy well but affords her a rich lifestyle that comes from old money (money inherited through generations). Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy. He puts Daisy on a pedestal and sees her as a goddess. His...

What is your question here?

Study Guide for The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is typically considered F. Scott Fitzgerald's greatest novel. The Great Gatsby study guide contains a biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Great Gatsby
• The Great Gatsby Summary
• The Great Gatsby Video
• Character List

Essays for The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

• Foreshadowing Destiny
• The Eulogy of a Dream
• Materialism Portrayed By Cars in The Great Gatsby
• Role of Narration in The Great Gatsby
• A Great American Dream

Lesson Plan for The Great Gatsby

• About the Author
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Great Gatsby
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Great Gatsby Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Great Gatsby

• Introduction
• Historical and biographical context
• Plot summary
• Major characters
• Writing and production

89 The Great Gatsby : Best Topics and Examples

Looking for some creative titles for The Great Gatsby essay? There are many themes to explore about this novel. We offer you The Great Gatsby essay examples about symbolism, character analysis, the style of the novel, and many other topics.

📙 The Great Gatsby – Essay Writing Tips

🏆 the great gatsby essay titles – top 15, 🍸 catchy essay topics for the great gatsby, ❓ great gatsby essay questions, 🎁 other the great gatsby essay titles.

The Great Gatsby, the masterpiece written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, will help you dive into the Roaring Twenties’ wealth atmosphere. This is a story of a millionaire Jay Gatsby and his passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan

Your professor may ask you to analyze topics such as decadence, money, American Dream, or symbolism in your The Great Gatsby Essay. But what if you have no idea what to write? Well, below, you can find some tips and essay samples that you may use to compose your papers

Tip #1. Analyze symbolism in The Great Gatsby

First, let’s define what symbolism is. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, symbolism is “practice of using symbols, especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible using visible or sensuous representations.” The Great Gatsby story is full of symbols. And here are just two examples of them:

• The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg painted on a billboard in the Valley of Ashes. You can find a lot of The Great Gatsby essay samples that draw the conclusion that Eckleburg represents God. However, let’s ask a few more questions. Why do these eyes have no mouth or arms, or legs? Does this mean that Eckleburg can only watch people transgressions without any ability to punish them as a God-like entity? Does this billboard mean anything?
• Use of color in Fitzgerald’s story. If you carefully read the novel, you might notice the use of a few colors throughout the book. They are green, gray, gold, and yellow. Think, what do these colors can symbolize and represent these ideas in your paper.

Tip #2. Think about point of view in The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is written in the first-person point of view. Nick Carraway, one of the main characters, tells us about the life and thoughts of Gatsby. In your writing, you can imagine how different the novel would be if it were told in the third-person point of view.

You also can provide some examples if the story was told from Gatsby’s perspective.

Tip #3. Assess how the book relates to the American Dream

If you look through the vast majority The Great Gatsby essay titles, you can find out plenty of samples that address the validity of high society or the social class divide. Gatsby had achieved the American Dream by building his wealth. However, he’s still not satisfied with the shallowness of the upper class and wants something more.

In your paper, you can argue why does one can never attain the American Dream, and why dreamers always want more.

Tip #4. Analyze the characters and their relations

Fitzgerald put each character into the novel for a particular reason. And your job is to analyze what they represent and why they are in the story. For example, Tom represents evil, while Daisy represents innocence. Another aspect you should examine is relationships between Daisy and Gatsby, Tom and Daisy, Nick and Gatsby.

Tip #5. Examine the tone of the novel

When we talk about the tone of the story, we mean how the author describes the events and characters. In your paper, decide what the tone of the novel is and analyze how it affects the readers’ attitude to characters and events.

Now, check The Great Gatsby essay examples below and use the acquired ideas to write your own paper!

• Tom and Gatsby: Compare and Contrast Essay In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald pays attention to the relationships between both Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan. Scott Fitzgerald’s book is mainly focused on the relationship of Daisy with Gatsby and Tom, […]
• Daisy Buchanan: “I Did Love Him Once, but I Loved You, Too” Another scene shows Daisy’s immoral behavior when she is in the room with Gatsby, Jordan, and Nick. This view shows Daisy’s lustful side in that she pushes Jordan to do the same and is out […]
• The Clock as a Symbol in “The Great Gatsby” By incorporating metaphorical elements that allude to the fleeting nature of time, “the Great Gatsby” emphasizes the idea of the futility of life and the inescapability of the past and its mistakes.
• Analysis of the Shirt Scene in “The Great Gatsby” Film Although the shirts mean nothing to Gatsby without Daisy, the audience watches Gatsby’s facial expression display a great deal of empathy and love whenever Daisy seems distressed, especially in this scene when she begins to […]
• Nick as the Narrator in The Great Gatsby Therefore, his connection with the Gatsby’s story is that he is depended upon to serve as the mouthpiece of the older generation as he metaphorically transcends through time to retell the Great Gatsby tale accurately […]
• Silver & Gold: Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Although the color palette presented in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is rich, the problem of differing social status is most vividly described in the novel through the use of golden and silver colors that stand […]
• The Great Gatsby Reflection Paper Throughout the novel the major character Nick who was the narrator managed to bring out the main themes of the novel as well as developing other characters.
• The Great Gatsby: Analysis and Feminist Critique The feminist critique is an aspect that seeks to explore the topic of men domination in the social, economic, and political sectors.
• American Culture in the Novel “The Great Gatsby” In The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald documents these changes through an in-depth exploration of cultural changes such as the rise in consumerism, materialism, greed for wealth, and the culture of loosening morals in the 1920s […]
• Daisy’s Character Study in “The Great Gatsby” The argument is that the author attempts to describe her as a pure and innocent female to ensure that the reader understands the perspective of Jay, but particular aspects of her true identity are revealed […]
• The Great Gatsby and Winter Dreams by Scott Fitzgerald In this analysis, the researcher will try to confirm the argument that the Great Gatsby was a continuation of the Winter Dreams.
• Gatsby & Nick in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel of vibrant characters, and paradox is one of the main themes of the book. Even though Daisy and Tom are married, Nick agrees to help Gatsby be with the […]
• The American Dream in The Great Gatsby After spending some time in this neighborhood, Nick finally attends Gatsby’s exuberant parties only to realize that Gatsby organizes these parties to impress Daisy, Nick’s cousin, and wife to Tom.
• The Great Gatsby All these characteristics of America during 1920 are evident and inherent in the main character, Jay Gatsby, in the novel The Great Gatsby. This is one of the themes in the novel The Great Gatsby.
• Autobiographical Elements in “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The story is set during the roaring twenties, a period of significant social and cultural change, and it incorporates many of the author’s personal experiences, feelings, and perceptions of the time.
• Why is Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby a Satire? Another aspect of satire in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is the wealth associated with Gatsby, as the reader observes in chapter two.
• “The Great Gatsby” Film by Baz Luhrmann The Great Gatsby is a film that stars Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, and the Southern Belle Daisy. The influence of the past comes out throughout the course of the film.
• Female Characters in A Streetcar Named Desire & The Great Gatsby: Comparative It can be seen in the case of Stella and Daisy wherein in their pursuit of what they think is their “ideal” love, they are, in fact, pursuing nothing more than a false ideal that […]
• “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald Who will take care of the dead creatures seems not to be in Tom’s order of what to bother him and together with the wife is comfortable enjoying their wealth while the creatures are rotting […]
• Time as a Theme in The Great Gatsby The embodiment of these negative aspects comes in the form of Gatsby and his life, which in the end is seen as hollow and empty, just as the morals and values of the characters seen […]
• “The Great Gatsby” by Baz Luhrmann The filmmakers never stop depicting Gatsby’s wealth and his otherness. He throws money around and he is a topic of heated debates in the society.
• Fairy Tale Traits in The Great Gatsby Basing on the several evident parameters, for instance, the character traits, the behavior of prince and princess, and gender distinctions amongst others, Fitzgerald’s masterwork stands out as a variation and sophisticated version of the fairy […]
• Architecture in “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald From this perspective, the case of Gatsby’s mansion is a symbolic call for leaving behind the anachronistic ideas of aristocracy and embracing American ideals.
• “The Great Gatsby”: The American Dream in the Jazz Age The Jazz Age is a period in the history of the United States of America from the end of World War I to the beginning of the Great Depression due to the remarkable popularity of […]
• Women’s Role in “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald Though the women in the novel are depicted as careless, treacherous, and selfish, the author uses them to underscore the power of the will to rebel against societal norms in pursuit of happiness.
• The Corrupted American Dream and Its Significance in “The Great Gatsby” The development of the American dream and its impact on the society of the United States is a pertinent topic of discussion for various authors.
• “The Great Gatsby” Novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald However, what the reader should acknowledge is that the author manages to present a wholesome and clear image of the issues and occurrences that defined the United States throughout the 1920s.
• The Dilemmas of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a story of a young man in the early twentieth century who seems to know what he wants in the way of that dream and what to do to achieve it.
• The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Review Gatsby’s dream to become wealthy to gain Daisy’s attention “is simply believable and is still a common dream of the current time”. However, Gatsby is the story’s main character and is a “personification” of the […]
• Fertile Questions: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald The two fertile questions arising from the novel are: what are political and economic impacts of the World War I? and what are the challenges faced by American students born from poor families post-World War […]
• Impressions of “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald The contact between Gatsby and Nick is unique and consequently flavors the narrative. Global controversies such as depression are excluded from the narrative of hedonistic affluence and moral bankruptcy.
• Tom and George in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby At the same time, the motives of Tom and George’s behavior differ due to their backgrounds, origins, and belonging to different social classes.
• “The Great Gatsby Directed” by Baz Luhrmann This is due to the fact that the film is an indirect adaptation of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’s book “The Great Gatsby”.
• Jay Gatsby: The Great Fool or the Unfortunate Genius The main idea of the work is to show the unfairness of the fate of a poor young man who cannot marry the girl he loves.
• Novel Analysis: The Great Gatsby and Siddhartha Hesse’s Siddhartha seems complementary to The Great Gatsby as Brahman, the main role in Siddhartha, finds contentment in self-realization and not in money, sensuality, and love.
• Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’, Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ and the American Dream “The America Dream’ is a longstanding common belief of the American population that in the United States, people are free to realize the full potential of their labor and their talents and every person in […]
• Characters in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” The author presents challenges faced in the society as a result of the mixture racial and gender discrimination that a young black girl goes through in search of her dream and personal identity.
• Greene’s “Our Man in Havana” and “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald It is imperative to realize that the purpose of the paper is not to carry out a critical analysis of the plays but to carry out a comparison of the attributes in which they relate […]
• What Money Cannot Buy: ‘The Great Gatsby’ Book by F. S. Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby is a book that unveils the instrumental role of the social aspect of life among people; which not only concentrates on the economic part of it.
• First-Person Narrative in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” Joyce’s “The Boarding House,” Bowen’s “The Demon Lover” In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Joyce’s short story “The Boarding House,” and the Scottish poem The Demon Lover, the first-person narrative is used differently to achieve the authors’ objectives and create a comprehensive picture of […]
• First-Person Narrative in Bowen’s ”The Demon Lover,” Updike’s ”A&P,” Fitzgerald’s ”The Great Gatsby” In this work, the unworked, repressed experience of the First World War is personified and embodied in the image of the ghost of a person who died in this war.
• “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald: Betrayal, Romance, Social Politics and Feminism This work seeks to outline the role of women in the development of the plot of the book and in relation to the social issues affecting women in contemporary society.
• Jay Gatsby, Jean Valjean and Henry Fleming: The Compare and Contrast Analyses of the Characters The way the characters of the main protagonists are revealed in the novel is one of the most important things in every piece of literature.
• Alvarez’ “In the Time of the Butterflies” & Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” The shallowness, the injustice, the strive for wealth and power, brutality, and greed are the common themes, developed and explored in the books by Julia Alvarez “In the Time of The Butterflies” and by F.
• Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” Jay Gatsby’s tragic flaw is related to his na ve way of thinking that implies his belief in the ability to buy true feelings.
• ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ Literature Comparison Stella is a devoted wife struggling to make her marriage work, even though her husband Stanley, subjects her to a lot of pain and suffering.
• The Great Gatsby’ by Scott Fitzgerald Literature Analysis This is one of the details that can be identified. This is one of the issues that can be singled out.
• Political Satire in American Literature Scott Fitzgerald was one of the more famous satirists of the time, particularly in his production of the work The Great Gatsby.
• The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald In the novel, the fictional village of West Egg is perhaps one of the key items that symbolize the life of the new millionaires in the city.
• ‘The Great Gatsby’: Tom and Blanche Like Tom, Blanche in the book of Street Car Named Desire, is loyal to her sister who is the only member of her family that we come across.
• Gatsby & Jean Valjean He is a mysterious person, and no one exactly knows his origins and the ways he used to acquire his fortune.
• The Ethicality of an Action Jay Gatsby As well, an action is “wrong” if it results in the opposite of happiness to the people. Mill’s utilitarian theory can be used to assess the ethically of Jay Gatsby’s action, as presented in the […]
• Babylon Revisited & The Great Gatsby: Motifs & Themes When he pleads his case to the guardians of Honoria, his sister-in-law Marion, and her husband, he continually evades his escapades of the past and recounts his hard work and sincerity of the present.
• Francis Scott Fitzgerald & His American Dream In the novel “Tender is the Night,” Fitzgerald describes the society in Riviera where he and his family had moved to live after his misfortune of late inheritance.
• Jay Gatsby & Eponine From Les Miserables: Compare & Contrast Gatsby is the main character in the book “The Great Gatsby,” while Eponine is one of the characters in the book “Les Miserables”.
• Jay Gatsby & Gean Valjean: Characters Comparison This essay compares and contrasts the characters of Gatsby and Jean Valjean in the Les Miserable novels and films. Gatsby strikes the readers as a na ve and lovesick individual though his character is negative.
• Jay Gatsby and Valjean in ‘Les Miserables’: Comparative Valjean’s life contains a series of misfortunes in the sense that he has to hide his true identity. Most of the people in his life were there just for convenience and for the fact that […]
• The Idea of Love in The Great Gatsby and the Parallels or Contrasts That Can Be Drawn With the Presentation of Love in The Catcher in the Rye Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Jerome Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, it is possible to state that the notion of love is presented there similarly even though the texts are absolutely different and […]
• Fitzgerald’s American Dream in The Great Gatsby & Winter Dreams To my mind, Winter Dream is a perfect example of the American Dream, since the main hero, Dexter, implemented each point of it, he was persistent and very hard-working, he was a very sensible and […]
• What Destroyed Gatsby’s Dreams in “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald?
• How Far Does “The Great Gatsby” Demonstrate a View of the American Dream?
• What Is a Good Thesis Statement for“The Great Gatsby”?
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• How “The Great Gatsby” Is a Replica of America?
• Why Is “The Great Gatsby” So Famous?
• What Are the Four Major Themes in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Does “The Great Gatsby” Explore the Ideas of Illusion Versus Reality?
• How Does “The Great Gatsby” Compare to the Life of Fitzgerald?
• What Going From West to East Meant for the Characters in “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald?
• How Does “The Great Gatsby” Portray the Death of the American Dream?
• How Does Tom Buchanan Represent 1920’s Society in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How and Why Does F. Scott Fitzgerald Use Nick Carraway as His Narrator of “The Great Gatsby”?
• How New Money and Women Are Marginalized in “The Great Gatsby”?
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• What Makes “The Great Gatsby” a Classic?
• Does Fitzgerald Condemn the American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”?
• What Does the Green Light Symbolize in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Women Are Portrayed in “The Great Gatsby”?
• What Techniques Does Fitzgerald Use to Convey the Main Themes in “The Great Gatsby”?
• Why Did Fitzgerald Write “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Does Nick Carraway Narrate “The Great Gatsby”?
• What Is “The Great Gatsby” Actually About?
• What Social Problems Are Exposed in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Multiple Incidents Develop the Plot Line in “The Great Gatsby”?
• Does Money Buy Love in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Has Fitzgerald Used Cars as a Motif in “The Great Gatsby”?
• Is “The Great Gatsby” Still Relevant Today?
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AQA essay plans comparing The Great Gatsby to pre 1900 poems

Last updated

23 October 2021

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Resources included (8)

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan HOW SOCIAL CONVENTIONS IMPEDE LOVE

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan POSSESSIVE LOVE

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan UNFULFILLED LONGING.

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan IDEALISED LOVE.

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan DESIRE.

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan INFIDELITY.

AQA Love Through the Ages Gatsby and pre 1900 poems: essay plan barriers to love.

AQA Love Through the Ages, section C, Gatsby and anthology essay skills

A detailed collection of essay plans with either a powerpoint or pdf version, covering the comparison of The Great Gatsby and pre 1900 poems from the AQA English Literature specification. This includes context and ideas/close textual analysis for essay preparation on the theme of the following titles: BARRIERS TO LOVE INFIDELITY. DESIRE. IDEALISED LOVE. UNFULFILLED LONGING. POSSESSIVE LOVE HOW SOCIAL CONVENTIONS IMPEDE LOVE.

PLUS A BONUS POWERPOINT ON ESSAY SKILLS

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Review: A New ‘Great Gatsby’ Leads With Comedy and Romance

This musical adaptation, now on Broadway, is a lot of Jazz Age fun. But it forgot that Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel endures because it is a tragedy.

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By Laura Collins-Hughes

Jay Gatsby — self-made enigma, party host extraordinaire and talk of the summer season in West Egg, Long Island — doesn’t carry his insecurities lightly. The facade of his wealth-drenched life is a grand and precarious creation, and propping it up requires constant vigilance.

His is new money, so he has to prove his worth to the snobberati. Thus his pathetic habit of showing that photo of himself in his Oxford days to people he has barely met. Or, more endearingly, his over-the-top insistence on glamming up the humble cottage of his neighbor, Nick Carraway, when the lost love of Gatsby’s life, the fabled Daisy Fay Buchanan, is coming over for tea.

In the new musical “ The Great Gatsby ,” which opened on Thursday night at the Broadway Theater, the grass outside the cottage is groomed, flowers are everywhere, and a fleet of servants is ferrying food. And Jeremy Jordan’s Gatsby is an adorably panicked basket case, second-guessing in charming comic song his plan to ambush Eva Noblezada’s Daisy with a reunion.

“She is late, so I’m off to go scream in a jar,” he sings, but Daisy arrives before he can flee. Unsuavely, he topples into some greenery.

It’s a perfectly winsome scene, and a highlight of this ultimately underwhelming new adaptation, which has a book by Kait Kerrigan (making her Broadway debut), music by Jason Howland (“Paradise Square”) and lyrics by Nathan Tysen (also “Paradise Square”). Comedy and romance are strong suits of this production by Marc Bruni (“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”), which ran in the fall at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey.

There are plenty of big dance numbers, too (by Dominique Kelley), with some standout tap. The 1920s costumes (by Linda Cho) are fun to look at, Daisy’s in particular: all those handkerchief hemlines, wafting on air. Gatsby’s yellow Rolls-Royce and Tom’s blue coupe drive onstage, extravagantly. And while the fireworks we see in the distance are projections, other sparkling pyrotechnics are delightfully real.

The darker elements of “The Great Gatsby” prove more elusive, which blunts the impact overall. So does the show’s anodyne Broadway sound, which is poppy and pleasant without being memorable. It summons neither the Jazz Age, like the soundtrack to Jack Clayton’s 1974 movie adaptation did, nor a spirit of wild abandon, like the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 take. The score to this “Great Gatsby” is missing a vital urgency.

This is not, by the way, the other high-profile musical adaptation you may have heard about since F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel entered the public domain in 2021. Next month, the Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin directs “ Gatsby ,” with a book by the Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok and a score by Florence Welch and Thomas Bartlett, in Cambridge, Mass.

Bruni’s Broadway production has the tremendous asset of a terrific core cast, including Noah J. Ricketts as the decent, disillusioned narrator, Nick, who, in this telling, is for some unnecessary reason Gatsby’s tenant; Samantha Pauly as Jordan Baker, a famous golfer and anti-marriage New Woman who enjoys a screwball romance with Nick; and John Zdrojeski as Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s pampered, polo-playing bully of a husband.

She should of course be rid of him. Still, they are a handsome pair; their clothes, screaming silently of luxury, hang elegantly on them both. Their infant daughter, Pammy, wears less flattering clouds of lace. When Jordan objects to such little-girl outfits on principle, Daisy replies with absolute nonchalance: “But there’s nothing to be done about that. It’s how babies dress.”

Noblezada and Pauly are easy with humor, and Kerrigan has taken care to deepen Daisy and Jordan, who, with their talk of the limitations of life for women, sound practically “ Suffs ”-adjacent. Noblezada gives Daisy steel at her center that further ensures she isn’t a manic pixie dream girl, even if the incurably dreamy Gatsby perceives her through gauze.

As for theatrical illusion, it, too, is precarious; at Saturday’s matinee, technical glitches shattered it repeatedly in Act I. Projections, integral to Paul Tate dePoo III’s set design, would blink out and disappear, leaving vast expanses of matte black screen where a vision of splendor had been.

And so it was for Gatsby’s and Daisy’s reunion. There they stood in front of the cottage, laying eyes on each other for the first time in years, when much of the little house and its surrounding copse — the parts that aren’t three-dimensional scenery — abruptly vanished, along with the ambience. A bit on the nose for a show with mirages as a theme, and more than a bit distracting.

Even with flawless tech, the projections have a hyper-vividness reminiscent of video games. If that’s a deliberate attempt to question the solidity of all the sumptuousness — like the sozzled party guest in Fitzgerald’s novel who, wandering into Gatsby’s library, is astonished to find that the books are real — the aesthetic is nonetheless jarring, particularly for a show set a century ago.

The musical’s truly unbalancing trouble, though, is its rendering of Tom’s affair with the working-class Myrtle Wilson (Sara Chase), the one character the show doesn’t take seriously or treat with dignity. Even when tragedy befalls her, there’s a laugh line in the immediate aftermath. We know more about Myrtle’s husband, George (Paul Whitty), the gas station owner, than we do about her. And what we do know is so one-note tawdry that it’s difficult to believe Tom would set up an entire down-low life with her.

The implosion of the summer hinges not only on Daisy and Tom’s notorious, soul-corrupted carelessness, but also on the Wilsons. No matter how much this adaptation wants to riff on other elements, it needs to set up their part of the story so that the wider devastation lands.

But this “Great Gatsby,” which is not terribly bothered, either, with the moral shadings of its title character’s rise and fall, is principally interested in a good time. When Nick utters the novel’s sober final line, about “boats against the current,” the words have no heft. An ensemble of dancers is upstaging him anyway, wanting to give the audience one last moment at the party.

The Great Gatsby

At the Broadway Theater, Manhattan; broadwaygatsby.com . Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes.