The Great Gatsby

1. The Great Gatsby

2. By: F. Scott Fitzgerald

4. Developing and Defending your Thesis • What makes a good thesis?

5. THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT CHARACTER

6. PSYCHOLOGICALLY • Create a potential thesis which: • Identifies the character motivations, inner conflict, and doubts • Considers whether the character changes or learns anything • Focuses on how the character relates to other charactes • Note whether the character seems depressed, manic, abusive, fearful, egotistical, or paranoid.

7. Morally or Ethically • Create a potential thesis which: • Considers the characters virtues and/or vices. • Considers what influences YOUR judgment of the character • Analyzes the different moral values the character has in comparison to other characters of the novel (example: Nick’s honesty vs. the honesty of others) • ** You can also look at how the character fits into and is defined by society (in terms of gender, ethnicity, social class, sex, age, and race). This includes the power your character may have over other characters, etc.

8. LET’s PRACTICE • Let’s practice creating two thesis statements for the character of Meyer Wolfsheim. Remember, I am not expecting a refined statement at this point. I simply that you thinking about aspects of the novel you can look at in your upcoming essay… • 1. • 2.

9. Thinking Critically aboutCharacter WHO? Interpreting Character • Nick Calloway • Daisy Buchanon • Tom Buchanon • Jay Gatsby • Myrtle Wilson • Jordan Baker • With partners, choose ONE character. • Interpret your chosen character psychologically, morally, and ethically.

10. YOUR ASSIGNMENTS • BE PREPARED TO SHARE WITH CLASS! • Create a potential thesis statement on your chosen character. • Find two quotes from the novel to support your thesis statement

11. REMEMBER:You’re Being Watched!

12. Interpreting Setting

13. Setting: The WHEN AND WHERE of the Story • Interpret setting in relation to action, mood, or the characters: • EXAMPLE: How does the setting affect Nick’s mood? • Interpret setting historically or culturally: • EXAMPLE: How does the setting (roaring 20s) impact the outcome of the story? • Interpret setting metaphorically or symbolically: • EXAMPLE: What might the “valley of ashes” symbolize and how does it affect the story and/or charactes?

14. LITERARY MOTIF or THEME • Interpret the story in terms of a traditional story motif or theme: • EXAMPLES: heroic quest, a character’s fall from innocence, family • struggle, etc. • Interpret story in terms of a common literary theme: • EXAMPLES: The American dream, race relations, popular culture, • dynamics of power, class struggles, feminism

15. Your Turn • Compose a list of ten – fifteen statements you would make regarding The Great Gatsby. These do NOT need to be thesis statements, but should be a general opinion you might express regarding some aspect of the novel and it’s setting, themes, and/or point of view. You could include a few statements on character as well. • EXAMPLES: Most of the time, throughout the novel, the characters are drunk and reckless. • There are no true heroes in the novel. • Jordan Baker is the only character that truly represents the • new feminism that was taking place in the 1920s.