GATSBY PROMPTS

Your final essay in this class will be on The Great Gatsby. The book is rich with themes and, as such, your essay should be mature and have depth. As well, your writing should be very high quality.

What you will be graded on:

1.      Your thesis -Is it clear and specific? Does it lead your paper?

2.      Address of the prompt - Do you answer the questions? Is it focused?

3.      Your discussion of the book - Do you show insight about Gatsby’s themes? Do you misunderstand things?

4.      Your organization - Is everything logically placed? Does it flow well?

5.      Your in-text citations -Are they correct for MLA format?

6.      Your grammar

Prompts:

1.      What makes someone “great”? Discuss how the attributes or qualities you discuss apply to Jay Gatsby. Then, lead into a discussion whether or not Gatsby is indeed “great”?

2.     Similar to #1, discuss whether or not the title of the novel is meant to be taken literally or ironically. How do you know? What evidence does Fitzgerald give either way?

3.     How does The Great Gatsby symbolically take on the idea of the “American Dream”? Looking at the possible symbols, what is Fitzgerald’s take/opinion on the American Dream? Does he believe in it? How do we know?

4.     Discuss, in depth, the positive and negative effects of chasing after our dreams, using The Great Gatsby as the guide for your discussion. What characters are affected by chasing after their dreams positively and negatively? What do we learn from them? Do you have personal experiences to bring into the discussion as well?

5.     How can you apply Gatsby to yourself? Do you feel its themes are universal?  What did you learn from it or what did it help you understand? As an extension of these questions, why do you think the novel is considered a classic?

6.     After reading the book, if you have a question/prompt you want to address, please ask Mr. Durham. If you do not clear your prompt with Mr. Durham, you will have to redo your essay.