1. The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2. Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
What were the effects of Prohibition during the 1920s?
Would it work today? WHY or WHY NOT?
What is “the American Dream”?
How do you think the concept of “the American Dream” has changed over time?
What does it mean to be successful in America?
Is there a dark side to achieving success in America?
What role does social status (or class) play in our culture?
In high school?
Is “the American Dream” accessible to everyone, regardless of social status (or class)?

3. Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
Is obsession ever a good thing?
How important are money and prestige in achieving true happiness?
When can dreams become destructive?
What effect do you think materialism has on relationships?
How do you think the institution of marriage is different today than it was during the 1920s?
Is marriage dead?
What are some issues facing married couples today?
How true is it that we spend too much of our lives trying to convince others that we are something we’re not?

4. About the Author (Fitzgerald)
1896—1940
Considered “the chronicler of the Jazz Age”
Best-selling author of the 1920s
So to whom might we compare him today?
Distant relative of Francis Scott Key
Who wrote ??
“The Star-Spangled Banner”
Spent his final years in Hollywood writing screenplays
Though just over forty years old, he looked decades older—the years of drinking and abusing his body had caught up with him.

5. Historical Context (Setting)
WHEN: 1922
the flapper era; the Jazz Age; the Roaring Twenties
WHERE: Long Island, New York
Scandalous stories of that time period:
Mob gangsters made millions gambling and bootlegging
1919—the World Series was “fixed”
World War I
Psychological effects on veterans WHY?
The Volstead Act of 1919 (Prohibition)
How do you suppose this law made criminals (technically) out of almost everyone?
How do you suppose it contributed to the decline of morals and values?

6. Themes Corruption of the “American Dream” Class (social status)
wealth, greed, materialism, compromised morals and values
Class (social status)
old money, new money, no money
Romance
Adultery
Past and Future
Crash Course Part I:

7. Characters
in The Great Gatsby

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. 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?

11. 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”?

12. 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?

13. 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

14. 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

15. Point of View First-person Nick’s perception of Gatsby
Nick Carraway’s point of view
A reliable narrator whom the reader comes to trust
Nick’s perception of Gatsby
Admiration and intrigue
Reminds the reader that despite Gatsby’s later foolish or corrupt acts, at the core, Gatsby is “great.”
Nick’s perception of the Buchanans
Harsh and disapproving
Keeps the reader from liking them too much
Shows the reader how corrupt and consumed they are with wealth and materialism

16. Symbolism the green light and the color green automobiles
At the end of Daisy’s dock; Gatsby stares at it throughout the novel; it symbolizes his dream as well as hope.
automobiles
power, status symbols, success
the Valley of Ashes
a wasteland; an area of ruin; lower class society
East Egg
upper class society, glamour, and wealth
West Egg
upper-middle class society

17. More Symbolism the “eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg” billboard sign
God’s eyes brooding over America
Nick’s 30th birthday
the passing of Nick’s youth and Gatsby’s dreams
alcohol
means of escape; moral decline of society
action of the novel
moral chaos
2013 Movie Trailer:

18. Text-Dependent Questions for Chapters 1 & 2
Where in the first two chapters do questions of class, wealth, and privilege arise?
Who’s rich and who’s poor here, and HOW DO YOU KNOW? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
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 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 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story—setting, plot development, character development, etc.

19. Setting