copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson

"Material Without Being Real: Photography and the End of Reality in The Great Gatsby." Barrett, Laura. Studies in the Novel. Winter 1998. 540-557. Barrett discusses photographic images and narrative techniques in The Great Gatsby. She points out that how usually photography is associated with clarity and realism, but in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, it is an instrument of instability. "Possessions in The Great Gatsby." Donaldson, Scott. The Southern Review. Spring 2001. 187-210. Donaldson discusses how The Great Gatsby offers a cautionary tale about the debilitating effects of money and social class on American society. "Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." Sutton, Brian.The Explicator. Winter 2000. 103-106. The reader of Gatsby will most likely understand the theme of light in the novel after reading this short essay on the light. Sutton points out such things as the sun-related imagery, the changing of the seasons, and Gatsby's dream of regaining Daisy's love. "Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." Sutton, Brian. The Explicator. Fall 1996. 37-39. The writer discusses the significance of Fitzgerald's framing of Tom and Daisy in an artificial light. He points out in this essay where in the novel Tom and Daisy are artificial. Character sketches, critical analysis, and summaries MasterplotsComplete. CD-ROM. Salem Press, Inc., 1999.  This CD-ROM provides character sketches, critical analysis, and summaries for The Great Gatsby. It would help the students better understand the characters and the plot. This too would make a good prelude to the novel. "The Great Gatsby." http://www.newi.ac.uk/rdover/between/gatsby.htm A collection of short essays on Gatsby can be found at this web site. The titles include: "The Vision and Waste Land," "An American Tale," and "The Strength to Dream." They focus on the connection of Gatsby and the American Dream. "The Great Gatsby-The American Dream" by Dmitriy Sandler. http://www.chuckiii.com/Reports/English.The_Great_GatsbyThe_American_Dream.shtml This site is an essay on the American Dream and Gatsby from a student's point of view. Sandler tells how the two issues connect. "Celestial Eyes-from Metamorphosis to Masterpiece" by Charles Scribner III. http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/essays/eyes/eyes.html Scribner, a professor at the University of South Carolina discusses a section that he taught on The Great Gatsby and Francis Cugat's paining on the cover of the book. The painting has two large eyes on it that connects to the theme of eyes in the novel. The American Dream "F. Scott Fitzgerald's Evolving American Dream: The 'Pursuit of Happiness' in Gatsby, Tender is the Night, and The Last Tycoon." Callahan, John F. Twentieth Century Literature. Fall 1996. 374-395. The American Dream is a recurring phenomenon in each phase of Fitzgerald's novels. Fitzgerald found this passion for the American Dream from the Declaration of Independence, namely "the pursuit of happiness." 6 Granger Students Charged in String of Armed Robberies   Horiuchi, Vince. "6 Granger Students Charged in String of Armed Robberies."  Salt Lake Tribune 23 October 1996: B1 This article shows the length modern teenagers will go to in their pursuit of their American Dream-- the pursuit of money. These teenagers robbed businesses at gum point after stating in their yearbook that money was the one thing they couldn't live without. Secret O'Life Taylor, James.  "Secret O'Life." James Taylor Live. CD. Columbia Records, 1992. This song is a great way to portray to the students the type of world view that no one in Gatsby has. The song talks about enjoying life for its own sake and learning to enjoy it thoroughly. This is the type of life Fitzgerald advocates by showing us such a bleak world view in the novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Letters to his Daughter Turnbull, Andrew, ed. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Letters to his Daughter New York: Scholastic Magazines, Inc., 1965. Reprinted by permission of Charles Schribner's sons. Fitzgerald speaks to his daughter about his dreams for his own life with fascinating echoes of Gatsby. The American Dream through History Carleson, G. Robert, Edgar H. Chuster, Anthony Tovatt, eds. American Literature: a Thematic Approach. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985. This is valuable because it is a textbook actually used in high school tracing the theme of the American Dream through the history of our country, starting with the dream of a new nation down to the dream for equality. The Moral Life Wilson, James Q. "The Moral Life." Brigham Young Magazine August 1994: 37-39, 54-55. This article speaks to the myth of the American Dream in a new way, saying that the dream should not be about money or social standing, but about morality and hard work. The American Dream Gone Wrong Cloud, John. "Monica's Makeover." Time 15 March 1999: 38-40. This article goes beautifully with both the American Dream unit and the T.S. Eliot poetry unit. It weaves lines from "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock " into the story of Monica Lewinsky's new look. Her story, like Gatsby 's, is one of the American Dream gone wrong, of love misplaced, and of life gone sour. The Hollow Men Edel, Leon, Paul Johnson, Simpson Johnson, eds. Masters of American Literature. Shorter Edition. This is the poem "The hollow men" and a brief commentary on it. This poem fits The Great Gatsby like a glove, covering the same time period and important themes. When they are read together they are far stronger than they are when taken separately. The Poetry of Eliot Eliot, T.S. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. This book is a way to introduce the poetry of Eliot that will interest the students. They may not be able to understand "Lovesong " or "Hollow Men," but they can understand "Macavity " or "Shimbleshanks, the Railway Cat." When played with the "Cats" CD, the students should feel that Eliot is more accessible. American Character Corso, Joseph. "One Not-Forgotten Summer Night: Sources for Fictional Symbols of American Character in The Great Gatsby." Fitzgerald/ Hemingway Annual (1976): 9-34.  This article shows that Robert Crozier had an experience on Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn in 1907 that is very similar to Gatsby's saving of Dan Cody's yacht in the novel.   The Time Period A Flapper's Appeal to Parents  http://www.pandorasbox.com/appeal.html  This is an actual letter written by a flapper to her "flapperhood" to parents. It was published in Outlook magazine in 1922. Songs of the 1920's http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/spicegirls/394/ This website lists various songs and artists from the 1920's. This site would be a good reference when teaching The Great Gatsby because it would allow the students to connect with the time through music as well as literature. Bernice Bobbs Her Hair http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/bernice/index.html This site provides the full text of Fitzgerald's short story, "Bernice Bobbs Her Hair." Through reading this story, students would be introduced to the time period and to Fitzgerald's style. It provides an interesting background to the era. 1920 Time Line http://www.nycenet.edu/csd1/museums/curricula/gateways/harlemcurric.html  This time line provides a brief history of what was occurring when the novel was written. It allows the students to further see the things that influenced and are reflected in The Great Gatsby. "Two Views of the 1920s" by Kevin Rayburn . http://www.louisville.edu/~kprayb01/1920s-remark-page.html Rayburn, a professor at the Louisville University describes the 1920s in this web site. The site includes pictures of the cars and clothes of the "Jazz Era." This site helps Gatsby readers understand the time period that the novel is set in. READING STRATEGIES (Compiled by Jennifer Merrill) |Pre-Reading | During Reading | Post-Reading | MATERIAL TO USE BEFORE 1) Gwinn, Lori. The Great Gatsby, 1920s, Trends. http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/LASSGG4Trends912.html This website contains a brief paragraph with pictures that describe the trends of the time in which The Great Gatsby took place. This is important for bringing the novel – its characters and setting – to life. This information will help explain what parties were like and why they were held in the 1920s, which will help students understand Gatsby’s world better. This web page also contains a link to more information about the 1920’s, specifically about flappers. 2) --- The Great Gatsby, 1920s, Famous People. http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/LASSGG4Famouspeople912.html Lori Gwinn provides additional information about the 1920s on this webpage that delves deeper into the cultural influences of Fitzgerald’s era. Here Gwinn describes the famous people of the time and how they may have influenced literary character development during Fitzgerald’s time. This information can be used to help students understand cultural influences surrounding the novel. 3) WNUR-89.3 FM Jazz Web. http://www.wnur.org/jazz. Copyright 2003. The webpage of the radio station WNUR based in Chicago provides a variety of information about the jazz age, styles of jazz, artists, performances, etc. This is an excellent resource for finding clips of the kind of music one might find at a Gatsby party. Students can listen to the music and learn about its popularity in the 1920s which will help set up the scene before they begin the novel. 4) Dolan, Maryanne. Vintage Clothing: 1880-1960. 3rd Ed. Florence, Alabama: Books Americana Inc, 1987. This book contains detailed pictures and descriptions of early fashion which specific references to the fashion of early 1920s. There is a great picture of what a woman golfer would dress like when she played golf, which can be directly connected to Jordan in the novel. There are also descriptions of male fashion, which can help students create an image of the male characters, like Tom Buchanan or Jay Gatsby, before they read about them. 5) Aceti, Enrica, and Kevin Brazendale, eds. Fifty Years of the World’s Finest Automotive Design. New York: Exeter Book, 1976. This book provides detailed pictures and descriptions of classical cars. There are a couple of specific references to early 1920 models of the coupe that is mentioned in the novel. Understanding what these cars were like will make the imagery of the climatic accident which occurs toward the end of the novel more vivid for the students. 6) Barnes & Nobel Learning Network. Spark Notes: The Great Gatsby; Key Facts. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/facts.html. 2004. This webpage contains a brief overview of many important aspects of the novel such as: genre; narrator; points of view; tone; setting (time and place); major conflict; themes; motifs; symbols; and foreshadowing. This information is useful for introducing the novel and presenting important elements for the students to look for while they read. 7) Bruccoli, Matthew J. A Brief Life of Fitzgerald. South Carolina University Board of Trustees, 2003. http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html. Bruccoli wrote a detailed and informative account of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life, looking at his background, early careers, marriage, literary accomplishments and Hollywood endeavors. Much of the information will helps students see how his personal life influenced his writing as they read his novel and will help them understand why he chose to write this particular novel. 8) Moss, Robert F. “An American Man of Letters.” The Matthew J. & Arlyn Bruccoli Collection: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1996. pp59-60. This short essay defends Fitzgerald as an important literary figure who, though he lived in France for some time (where he finished The Great Gatsby) always portrayed an American sensibility. Moss also provides more background on Fitzgerald, such as who influenced him and how he influenced others. This information will help students understand the author in a deeper sense than just a simple biography. It can also provide subjects or arguments for essays and further discussion about Fitzgerald. 9) Fitzgerald to Van Wyck Brooks. A Letter. Paris, June 13, 1925. The Matthew J. & Arlyn Bruccoli Collection: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1996. Page 65. This is a copy of a letter written by F. Scott Fitzgerald as a response to a gift of The Pilgrimage of Henry James, given to him by Van Wyck Brooks. This letter portrays the strong conviction that the author has for writer’s sensibilities and how much authors are influenced by events of their early years. This letter could be analyzed by the students in order for them to form their own conclusions, derived from evidences found in the letter, about Fitzgerald’s beliefs, attitude, and personality. 10) Cody, Michael. “ ‘Swimming Under Water’: Fitzgerald and the Writing Trade.” The Matthew J. & Arlyn Bruccoli Collection: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1996. pp 11-12. This short essay describes some of Fitzgerald’s writing strategies. It discusses the his grueling and unique process of writing a novel and how much Fitzgerald’s writing comes from his own experiences. It also provides an excerpt from Fitzgerald’s apology which he included in the intro to The Great Gatsby. This information will help students gain an appreciation for the novel before they read it and will help them understand how a novel is created and what it means to be a good author. This material is good for discussions and essay topics. MATERIAL TO USE DURING 11) Gale, Robet L. An F. Scott Fitzgerald Encyclopedia. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1998. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/byuprovo/Doc?id=5007061&page=1. This is an extensive and alphabetized encyclopedia of characters, terms, titles, etc. from all of Fitzgerald’s works. This encyclopedia will be very helpful for students who have questions while they read the novel. It is a good reference to clarify characters and their role in the novel. 12) Library of Congress. Lesson Plan: America Dreams. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/97/dream/overview.html. Last updated12/19/2002. This is an excellent lesson plan for helping students understand the historical context of the American dream. As soon as students can identity this theme in the novel, they may want to know more about it. This lesson helps them conduct simple research, most of which is done over the internet, which will help them understand the American dream and the context of it in the novel. 13) Barnes & Noble Learning Network. Spark Notes: The Great Gatsby, Important Quotations Explained. 2004. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/quotes.html#CHDCEEBG. As students read the novel they may have questions about certain quotes within the novel. This website gives excellent and detailed explanations of some of the most important quotes found throughout the novel and ties them into themes of The Great Gatsby. Focusing on the quotes suggested on this website is also a good way to help students be more critical readers as they read. 14) --- Spark Notes: The Great Gatsby, Study Questions & Essay Topics. 2004. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/study.html. This website presents four important and interesting study questions with their answers that should be reviewed as the novel is read to check for understanding and to help students think more critically and synthetically as they read. It also provides 3 topics for essays which will reinforce student learning. 15) Zelasko, Ken. Lesson Plan: The Great Gatsby. DiscoverySchool.com. http://www.discoveryschools.com 2001. This is a rich website that contains a great lesson plan which combines the novel with elements of drama. This plan involves students acting out specific parts in the novel that emphasize dialog, character interaction, and climax. Students write their own scripts following closely the dialog in the novel and perform their parts for the class. This lesson plan also includes great discussion questions and activities that involve synthesizing, such as writing a letter that Gatsby might have sent to Daisy or writing a report that examines the cause of death of different characters in the novel. Furthermore, this plan includes suggested reading of other books by F. Scott Fitzgerald as well as weblinks and vocabulary terms. 16) OwlEyes.Org. http://www.owleyes.org/gatsby.htm. 2004. This website is a great resource of study questions for every chapter in the book. 3-5 topics are presented as possible subjects for essay questions in each chapter. Some of these topics focus on the meaning of symbols or recurring themes or compares quotes from the novel to important quotes from T. S. Eliot. 17) Hook, Andrew. “The Great Gatsby.” Modern Fiction: F. Scott Fitzgerald. Great Britain: Routledge, Chapman, and Hall, Inc, 1992. pp45-50. The chapter in this book entitled “The Great Gatsby,” focuses on what Fitzgerald aims to accomplish compared to what famous literary figures have claimed should be the aim of every great writer. A specific quote by Conrad inspired Fitzgerald in his writing and is an important theme that reoccurs throughout the novel. As the students read the novel, this quote will guide them to look for specific ideas that “make them see” and will help them be more critical and comprehensive readers. 18) http://www.spellbuilder.com. “Create a Crossword” This website allowed me to create a crossword puzzle about the characters and events of the first 3 chapters of the novel. This is a fun activity that will test students understanding of the novel after they have read the first three chapters and will encourage them to pay close attention as they read. 19) http://www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com. “Crossword Puzzle Games” This is another website that allowed me to create a crossword puzzle about the characters and events of chapters 3-6. This crossword is a little more difficult than the first, but is still very simple. Students who have read the chapters will have no problem remembering the answer or at least knowing where to find it in the novel. 20) www.creativity-portal.com. “Be Creative!” This website includes a Word Search template that you can print off to create your own Word Search. I’ve filled in the squares with names and objects that are significant in the latter end of the novel. Students can enjoy doing a simple crossword that encourages them to remember important people and events from the novel. MATERIAL TO USE AFTER 21) The Great Gatsby, the Movie. Dir. Jack Clayton. With Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Screenwriter: Francis Ford Coppola. 1974. Certain clips from this movie can provide students with a clearer understanding of the plot and events in the story and will help in bringing the characters more to life. Students can also practice comprehension skills by comparing and contrasting the movie to the novel. They can be their own critics and argue which was better or if the director and screenwriter stayed true to Fitzgerald’s work. Lastly, students can take on the role of F. Scott Fitzgerald and, after reading the novel and viewing the movie, can write an assessment about the movie as F. Scott Fitzgerald might assess it 22) Discovery.com. Video Comprehension Questions and Answers. 2001. http://www.school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/greatbooks-greatgatsby. DiscoverySchool.Com has created a list of 7 questions for students to answer while they watch the movie, The Great Gatsby. This study questions are important for assessing students’ comprehension of the film and makes distinct connections to the novel and the culture of the time. 23) Gwinn, Lori. The Great Gatsby, 1920s, Project Description. http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more.LASSGG1ProjectDescription912.html. This is an excellent lesson plan that asks students to publish their own 1920s magazine, focusing on making connections among events from The Great Gatsby to historical events of the Jazz Age. This project involves writing articles, designing pictures, doing research, and so forth. This is a lengthy lesson plan, but if done right will help students synthesis what they’ve learned from the novel. 24) Barnes & Noble Learning Network. Spark Notes: The Great Gatsby, Themes, Motifs, & Symbols. 2004. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/themes. This website provides great ideas for recapping important themes, motifs, and symbols in the novel. The website also provides definitions for each area (what exactly is a theme, a motif, etc.) and provides great topics for discussion, such as the hollowness of the upper class or how geography and weather play a role in the novel. After students have read the novel, this information will help them put it all together and will see the text as a whole. 25) Bucker, Park. “Quotations: F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary.” University of South Carolina, 1997. http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/quotes/quotes1html. This website from the University of South Carolina provides a variety of quotes about Fitzgerald, by him, or from his works. These quotes can serve as great topics for essays, arguments, or other critical thinking activities. Students can discuss whether they agree or disagree and should base their argument around evidences from The Great Gatsby. 26) http://www.gastbysamericandream.com/index2.html. This website is an interesting link to a band in Seattle who derived their name from the novel, calling themselves “Gatsby’s American Dream.” Included is a quote from one of the band members about why they chose this as their name. Lyrics to some of their songs are included and students can use this information to discuss how the novel has influenced our culture today. Students can also interesting parallels between the band’s lyrics and quotes from the novel. 27) Scribner, Charles III. “Celestial Eyes from Metamorphosis to Masterpiece.” University of South Carolina, 2003. http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/essays/eyes/eyes.html. This is an interesting seminar that discusses the thematic connections between The Great Gatsby and its original dust jacket, mentioning the mystery of Francis Cugat (the artist). Students may find the information behind the artist and the connection between his painting and the book interesting. Included are other paintings done by Cugat, one of particular interest being a representation of the Ash City mentioned in the novel. This information can help students make intertextual connections. 28) Barnes & Noble Learning Network. Spark Notes: The Great Gatsby Quiz. 2004. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gatsby/quiz.html. This is a comprehensive quiz with questions that cover the entire novel. It is excellent for testing the students’ knowledge of the events and characters in the novel. To make it more comprehensive, questions pertaining to symbols and themes could be added that not only tests the students’ memories, but their critical thinking skills as well. 29) Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. “The Great Gatsby”. 2004 http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/grgatsb.html. This website provides detailed information about the novel that can be used at the beginning, during the reading, or after the novel is finished. If used after, activities could be derived from this information such as: creating posters that represent the themes listed; debate about the key issues of success, morals, and hope; write an essay about the lessons and morals as described here. 30) Lazo, Caroline Evensen. F. Scott Fitzgerald: Voice of the Jazz Age. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2003. pp73-78. A few excerpts from this book are especially relevant to understanding specific details pertaining to the making of the Great Gatsby how, after reading the novel, we can see how much of Fitzgerald’s life influenced his writing. This information also helps the reader to see that the author knew well the subject he wrote about because he was part of the “very rich” society and had a strong sense of the American Dream. This material is excellent for having students look back on the novel to identify Fitzgerald’s personal feelings and experiences within his writing.

Back to Fitzgerald's Page

 

Reading Resources and Unit Guide for this Novel