NAME: ______PER.: ____
Gatsby, The Final Paper
DIRECTIONS: Now that we have completed our reading of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, you are going to be responsible for writing a brief literary response to one of the following essay prompts. Your response should be four paragraphs long (introduction, two body, and conclusion), incorporate relevant details (with proper MLA citations!) from the text, and will be graded on the 50 pt. rubric we have been using all year; this means that a strong thesis and supporting analysis are key!
1. Gatsby’s death is a sad ending to his primarily hopeful life. Who is at fault for Gatsby’s ultimate demise, and what does his or her culpability communicate about the state of the American Dream?
2. The Great Gatsby is narrated by a man and focuses on a male protagonist, but both men have critical interactions with and opinions of women. What is the role of women in this novel, and what does it tell you about how women fit into the American Dream?
3. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are two very different men. Compare and contrast these two characters and determine what their characterizations imply about the state of the American Dream.
4. Myrtle Wilson and Daisy Buchanan are two very different women. Compare and contrast these two characters and determine what their characterizations imply about the state of the American Dream.
5. The green light is an important symbol in the novel. What is the significance of the green light, and how does it connect to the state of the American Dream?
6. Nick mentions that Gatsby has a great capacity for hope. Does Gatsby’s hope help or hurt his character, and what does his hopefulness imply about the state of the American Dream?
Schedule & Due Date Information
Monday, 4/10 / Tuesday, 4/11 / Wednesday, 4/12 / Thursday, 4/13 / Friday, 4/141. Pick a prompt.
2. Rough draft thesis—what do you think the answer to your question is?
3. Mine text for appropriate details and take notes!
HW: Detail notes! / 1. Thesis time! How are you answering the research question?
2. Introduction example and composition time in class.
HW: Finish intro! / 1. Using your detail paragraph as a model, and incorporating details from your notes, begin work on your analytical body paragraphs! / 1. Continue working on your body paragraphs.
HW: Finish body! / 1. Conclusion example.
2. Peer review and collaboration on conclusions.
3. Composition time in class.
HW: Finish paper!
Final Draft Due Monday, 4/17! Please share on GoogleDocs.