Knowledge & Revision Book

Transcription

1 Knowledge & Revision Book

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3 Context: F. Scott Fitzgerald his life, work & place in American Literature F. Scott Fitzgerald occupies a central place within the canon of twentieth century American Literature; texts like The Great Gatsby and The Damned and the Beautiful are seminal moments in the emergence of a powerful and tragic body of work. Fitzgerald was born on September 24 th 1896 at the turn of the twentieth century. His early life witnessed a broad array of major historical events that came to encapsulate the sense of history that underpins many of his novels; the sinking of The Titanic, The

4 First World War, and later, The Wall Street Crash all came to shape a view of life that is explored both viscerally and painfully in Fitzgerald s writing. Of the five novels that Fitzgerald wrote, all of them, to one degree or another, are informed by arguably the greatest influence on Fitzgerald s development as an author: the Jazz Age. This period in Fitzgerald s life that marked the collapse of old, traditional morality and values in favour of an obsession with free market capitalism was central to the crafting of his characters and the events of his narratives. Fitzgerald s life was marked by excess and tragedy: he was an alcoholic for much of his life and his wife, Zelda, suffered from schizophrenia. However, this hides a life lived in celebrity during the 1920s in New York; Fitzgerald and his wife were major players in New York society, thanks, in part, to the cultural elite s reception of his novel. However, Fitzgerald also spent much of his time in financial difficulty having to fund his alcoholism and his wife s medical care. In turn, Fitzgerald had to borrow money from his literary agent who eventually refused to help him, leaving the author to abandon his long-time friend. Arguably, this points to one of the many complex themes of his novels: the idea that money is itself an evil that pervades much that is good; certainly in Gatsby it brings the characters little by way of happiness, Fitzgerald died on December 21 st 1940.

5 Context: America in the 1920s The Great Gatsby has often been described as the definitive or conclusive representation of life in America in the 1920s. While this may be subjective, there is clearly a sense in which the novel is centrally concerned with America in the aftermath of the First World War.

6 Historians and economists now believe that the 1920s in the United States saw levels of economic growth seen only afterwards in the 1950s and 1990s. That is, periods of sustained economic development which brought about a general social sense of wealth and affluence for all members of US society. Indeed, the name the roaring twenties - as this period is referred to in Europe - reflects the growth of wealth and materialism during this period. That said, the greater financial and economic growth in the United States is counterpointed by a period of moral paradox. On the one hand this is the period of Prohibition: on the other, a time of greater acceptance for the Ku Klux Klan. This morally questionable counterpoint underlies the movement towards a morally ambiguous country that appears to be dispensing with the virtues of its Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence. However, these moral questions are further obscured by a period in which man seems to be at the forefront of invention and adventure: in 1925 the colour television is invented; in 1927 Charles Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic on his own. These moments of invention move the focus away from moral and theological abstracts to that which man can achieve materially. It is in this way that the tension between what some historians see as a spiritual decline, and others a booming decade, come to the fore.

7 Fitzgerald, it seems, is interested in all aspects of the 1920s in his novels, and particularly in The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is a character who was engaged in bootlegging. At the same time, he is almost celebrated by Nick Carraway, which confuses the moral paradigm further. The novel therefore, much like America in the 1920s, is a paradox of virtue and vice; morality and materialism.

8 Context: The Jazz Age The Jazz Age is the period that began in the the 1930s in the United States. The advent of popularity of dance and Jazz in the US. 1920s and gave way to the Great Depression of the radio made possible the upsurge in The birth of Jazz in the US is widely but, during the Jazz Age, the white middle genre. accredited to the African American population classes adopted it as their own, recalibrated the Cities like New York and Chicago became the cultural centres for the upsurge in popularity amongst the white middle classes of the time. However, on the fringes of these major cities, the birth of the radio made it possible for members of all communities to have experience of the newly-popularised form. The Jazz Age is important for all kinds of symbolic reasons: primarily, the sense of fun that it came to represent. This led to a cultural realignment: of generation against generation, of women against men. In turn, what we see when we look at the Jazz Age is a period in which old assumptions are being questioned, which is to say that many young Americans came to rebel against their

9 elders; the subject of women s sexuality came to the fore and was celebrated once more. These were times in the urban areas at least of great social change. However, this period is also a creature of it economic condition: as social wealth and mobility increased because of greater wealth and aspiration, so too did the sense of freedom and hope enjoyed by the middle and upper classes. Fitzgerald takes these ideas as central to his narrative: the proliferation of parties in the novel reflects the sense of celebration and fun that is a characteristic of the time. Equally, the complicated sexual relationships of the characters, and the male desire for Daisy Buchanan, reflects the emerging acceptance in the New York of the time, that women could be sexually powerful and confident women. However, it is also interesting to consider the impact of the ending on the characters: all of the partying and joviality is replaced with a sense of foreboding and disappointment. Indeed, we come to see that all of the hollowness of the decadence and materialism comes to bear on the characters of Fitzgerald s novel, much in the same way as it does on their real-life counterpoints in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash.

10 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Suggested Tasks & Activities Chapter-by-chapter

11 Chapter One Work in pairs to select, prepare and rehearse readings of short extracts from the novel s opening. Focus on Nick Carraway s self-conscious narrative style as a writer, the contradictions revealed by his narration and, aspects of his character. Look carefully at the section from Nick s entrance: The only completely stationary object to Tom and Jordan s exit: strolled back into the library. Work in groups of four to break this down into a number of smaller sections. To help decide on the smaller sections, focus on tensions, and exits and entrances within the group. Once agreed, decide on a title for each small section. Then, prepare a series of still images for each of the titled sections. Focus on characterisation and character relationships, as well as mood and atmosphere. Select a quote from the text to support each still image. Work in pairs. Prepare a list of twenty questions for use in determining if other people have read the chapter carefully. Include some "thought" questions - "How?", "Why". Test another pair. Work in groups of three to prepare a collage of the settings that are described in the first chapter. Focus on Nick s house, and Gatsby s and the Buchanans mansions. Support your presentations with quotes from the text.

12 Chapter Two Imagine that you were one of the characters who attended the party in New York. Using your mobile phone or a Dictaphone, record a spoken diary of the evening s events. Describe what happened and your feelings about the evening. Swap recordings with a partner and compare the feelings and attitudes described. With your partner, rewrite the party sequence using the feelings and attitudes that you recorded. How is your new version different? Which do you think is most interesting and effective? Look again at the description of The Valley of the Ashes on page 26. Annotate the description trying to identify words and phrases that Fitzgerald uses to create a sense of atmosphere. Using the Internet or your school library, find a copy of The Wasteland by TS Eliot, a poem written in 1922, the same year in which the novel is set. Looking closely at The Wasteland, identify a passage that is concerned with landscape and annotate it trying to identify the ways that Eliot creates atmosphere. Critics have suggested a link between bleak landscape of The Wasteland and The Valley of the Ashes. Why do you think Fitzgerald might have wanted to establish such a link? Look back at the description of Dr Eckelburg s advertising hoarding. Using Photoshop, and from the description in the novel, create your own interpretation of what you think it looks like. Annotate your version explaining what you have done to make it an effective advert. What do you think the advert symbolises about America in 1920s?

13 Chapter Three Work in pairs. Identify all of the examples of different rumours that are circulating about Gatsby s past life. Write the different rumours on to pieces of card and with a friend look for evidence from the novel thus far to identify which are most likely to be accurate. Imagine you are showbiz reporter for a major newspaper. Write a report for your editor about the party at Gatsby s mansion. Include: - who was present at the party; - the general mood and atmosphere; - what the party tells us about the state of American high society; - some of the rumours that are circulating about Gatsby. Nick tells us that Gatsby signed the invitation to the party in a majestic hand ; identify other examples of language that could be used by Fitzgerald to emphasise the grandeur of Gatsby s party. Work in small groups. Imagine you work as Party Planners. Research the conventions of 1920s American high society parties and create a party plan for Gatsby. Write a commentary on your plans using textual evidence to explain the choices and decisions that you have made.

14 Research the Ford Motor Company on the Internet or in your school library. What is the significance of the Ford Motor Company - in symbolic terms - at this point in America history? What do you think is important about Gatsby s choice of Ford?

15 Chapter Four Look again at the names on Gatbsy s guest list; put some of the names into Google. What connections are there between each name and the results from your Internet search? Why do you think Fitzgerald has done this? Using both the novel and the results from your research above, to compile a guest list identifying: - who attended; - their social, economic and professional backgrounds. What does the guest list tell you about the social hierarchy that operates in American high society? Gatsby introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfsheim - who allegedly fixed the Baseball World Series in Use the Internet to collect some examples and images of baseball cards and complete cards for all of the characters that Gatsby introduces Nick to in this chapter. Much of this chapter is concerned with the reconstruction of past events. Choose two of these events and rewrite them from the perspectives of different characters to show how they try to construct the events differently. Why do you think these differences exist? Are they solely concerned with memory or do the characters have different agendas? Look again at the passage where the south-eastern Europeans are attending the funeral. Identify all of the different racial and ethnic groups present. On a map of the world identify which nationalities and ethnic groups are identified.

16 Now look at the objects with which they are associated and, using symbols to represent the objects, match these up with the different nationalities. Look at the United States on your map. What does the relationship between the people and the objects outside of the US tell you about the state of America at the time? What does this imply about Gatsby s fate?

17 Chapter Five As Gatsby and Daisy are reacquainted in this chapter, Nick remarks that he is aware of the loud beating of my own heart. Write a short soliloquy that recounts the thoughts and feelings that are running through Nick s head as he witnesses the meeting between Gatsby and Daisy. Look closely at the meeting of Nick and Daisy in this chapter paying particular attention to the mood and tone of the passage. Now re-write the passage from the perspective of a stranger looking in on the two people, unaware of who they are, but conveying the meaning of the conversation by describing their body language and facial expressions. Look closely at the description of Gatsby s mansion, paying specific attention to the descriptions of the objects and decoration of the place. How would you describe the mansion? Imagine that Gatsby s mansion has been turned into a tourist attraction some years later. Write and record the audio guide for tourists walking round the mansion explaining the style of the place. On page 86 Nick remarks that Americans while willing, even eager, to be Serfs have always been obstinate about peasantry and that Gatsby s mansion has a feudal silhouette. Define what each of these statements might mean.

18 Research the historical emigration to the United States from Europe. Thinking about what you know about why people moved from Europe to America, what do you think that Fitzgerald is trying to say about the European legacy that prevails in American high society?

19 Chapter Six Look again at the passage where we learn more about Gatsby s past life. Identify the key differences between James Gatz and Jay Gatsby. Look again at page 96 where Nick recounts Gatsby s relationship with Dan Cody. How does this relationship provide a catalyst for the later events of the novel? Using the notes you have made, complete the essay task below. The great skill of Fitzgerald is to create a character which is as much a figment of his own imagination as he is the reader s. How far do you think this reflects the author s presentation of Jay Gatsby. Work in pairs. Look at the passages where Nick describes how Gatsby constructed his persona and highlight examples of the way that language suggests the building of a character. Within your pairs, each person takes an aspect of Gatsby s character to focus upon. Present to the rest of the group how Fitzgerald uses language to show the creation of Gatsby s character from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby. Throughout this chapter there are a number of extra-textual references: - Platonic Conception; - he must be about his Father s business ; - Madame de Maintenon.

20 Research these references and determine how they enhance the meaning of the passages.

21 Chapter Seven Look again at page 123, Tom Buchanan accuses Gatsby of being a Mr Nobody from Nowhere. What, do you think, are the implications of this phrase? The idea of people living rootless lives is central to the novel. For each of the main characters complete a map based on quotations from the text to show where they have come from. Label the map with your quotations. Fitzgerald uses the Scenic Method to present the events of the narrative; one of the best examples of this is the party in the Plaza Hotel in this chapter. Look again at this passage. Work in small groups to write your own version of this sequence in screenplay format - film script. You should use the same dialogue but focus on how you would present the sequence visually. Film and edit a short sequence from your screenplay. Write a comparison of Fitzgerald s written version and the moving sequence that you have created. Focus on why you think Fitzgerald has used the scenic method throughout the novel. In a previous chapter, we explored the importance of Gatsby s car and its symbolism. However, in this chapter cars are important in terms of Myrtle s death. Reread the passage on page 131 where Myrtle s body is discovered. How do you think the image of the car has been inverted from the earlier chapters here? What point about contemporary American society is Fitzgerald attempting to make with this incident?

22 Chapter Eight Look again at the oblique description of Gatsby s death. How far do you think that it is a fitting end for the character? Why do you think that Fitzgerald illustrated Gatsby s death with the Butler hearing a few shots? Rewrite Gatsby s death passage so that we actually witness the killing. Now compare both versions thinking about which is most effective. Why do you think Fitzgerald opted for his means of portraying the death? Look again at the following quotation from the novel: Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many clothes, and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor. What do you think this quotation has to say about the tension between wealth and poverty in the novel? One reading of the quotation might suggest a tension between a desire for wealth and a pragmatic realisation of its frailties. Find examples from the text where this statement might be true. As a class you are going to have a debate. The topic for the debate is:

23 The death of Jay Gatsby confirms what we already secretly knew: that the American Dream is nothing but the hope that sustains the hopeless. Each member of the group will speak for a maximum of three minutes either in favour of or against the statement.

24 Chapter Nine Look again at the passage that tells of Gatsby s funeral. Imagine that his funeral had been attended by some of those who, in the text, refuse to attend. Choose one of the characters and write the oration that they would deliver in memory of Gatsby. In writing your oration, try to make it represent what that character felt about Gatsby and base it on evidence from the text. Deliver your oration to the rest of the class. Reread from Gatsby s house was still empty when I left to borne back ceaselessly into the past. Annotate the passage focussing on how Fitzgerald uses language to mark the sense of the closing of an era. Complete the essay task below: Fitzgerald s description of Gatsby s house at the end of the novel is as much a description of where wealth and materialism led a country as it is the remnants of a fictional character s life. Discuss the validity of this view by referring to this extract and ranging more widely across the novel.

25 Chapter 1 As the first chapter begins, we are introduced the novel s narrator, Nick Carraway. Nick is in the process of writing a book about his experiences on the East Coast of America, and in particular about his dealings with a man called Jay Gatsby. Nick tells us very little about his own origins, except that he is a descendent of the Dukes of Buccleuch. Nick tells us that he has served in the First World War and that it has had a major impact on his life. His move to the East Coast of America was triggered by returning home to the Mid-West to find it a place changed from the one he remembered before he left. In turn, Nick moves to West Egg. It is here that he and the audience first becomes aware of Jay Gatsby who lives in a mansion next to Nick. Nick describes West Egg as full of white palaces. Nick recounts a visit to the house of Tom Buchanan, one of his old collegiate buddies from Yale, and Daisy, Nick s cousin once removed. Buchanan in an archetypal alpha male: he is physically strong, extremely wealthy and hides a burning aggression; he also holds racist attitudes. As the evening draws to a close, Nick catches his first glimpse of Gatsby; the enigmatic protagonist of the novel is staring, almost transfixed, by a green light at the end of the Buchanan s dock.

26 Chapter 2 The narrator, Nick, describes the Valley of Ashes, which is desolate area between West Egg and New York. The Valley of Ashes sits beneath a massive advertising hoarding featuring Dr T.J. Eklenburg. In the Valley of Ashes we are introduced to Myrtle Wilson, the wife of a motor mechanic, who is having an affair with Tom Buchanan. In this sequence of the narrative, Myrtle is accompanied on a shopping trip to buy cosmetics, magazines and a dog. This is followed by a visit to the apartment that is kept entirely for Myrtle and Tom s adulterous liaisons. Here, they are joined by Catherine, (Myrtle s sister), and a photographer and his wife. As the group drink, they begin to speculate about Jay Gatsby.

27 Chapter 3 One summer evening Nick goes to Gatsby's house for the first time. He is invited by Gatsby's chauffeur and it ends up being a very large and crowded event. He knows no one at first, but sees Jordan and stays with her for the most of the evening. While he is there many guests talk about Gatsby. He is a very mysterious man to them and everyone has their speculations as to how he obtained his money. Some say he was a bootlegger, some say a spy during the war, and others think that he has the look of someone who's killed a man. While moving through the party Nick finally meets Gatsby, although he wasn't aware of it at first. They make small talk and find out that they had seen one another during the war. But their talk is short lived because Gatsby has business to attend to. Jordan says that Gatsby is an Oxford man and Nick watches him curiously for the rest of the evening. He notes that Gatsby seems detached and distant from almost everyone. Later in the evening Gatsby asks to speak to Jordan. After their meeting, she tells Nick that Gatsby has told her something amazing that she can't talk about right now but she asks Nick to look her up sometime. Nick does end up calling on Jordan. They start to spend time with one another and he likes her company. But he says that he has to end his "tangle back home", the engagement misunderstanding, before he can start a relationship.

28 Chapter 4 Nick goes back to Gatsby's for another party. Nick gives a detailed list of all of those in attendance and just what kind of people he thought they were. One morning Gatsby's car pulled up in Nick's driveway. Gatsby tells Nick that they are going to be going to lunch together and Nick agrees. As they are driving, Gatsby tells Nick that he would like to dispel any myths that Nick may have heard about him. Gatsby says that he came from a wealthy family from the midwest - San Francisco - to be exact. He said that his parents died and left him a lot of money. After that he went to war and lived in all of the great cities and later attended Oxford College. Although Nick is skeptical of this story Gatsby shows him a medal he earned from the war and a picture of himself at Oxford. Gatsby also tells Nick that he has a "big request" to make of him but that Jordan Baker will talk to him of it later. Nick is confused, but Gatsby will speak no more of it. When they reach the city Nick is introduced to Gatsby's friend Meyer Wolfsheim, who they dine with. After Meyer leaves Gatsby tells Nick that he is a gambler and the man who fixed the 1919 World Series. As they are talking about Meyer, Nick sees that Tom has also come to the restaurant. Nick thinks that he will introduce the two men but when he turns around, Gatsby has disappeared. After this, Nick goes to meet Jordan for tea. She tells him the story of how she got to know Daisy when they were both younger back in Louisville. Daisy spent quite a bit of time with a young soldier in those days, and now Jordan realized that that soldier was Jay Gatsby. But he had to go to war, they lost contact and Daisy ended up getting engaged to Tom. Jordan was at the wedding and the day before they were to be married, Daisy received a mysterious letter. After reading it, she told Jordan that she wasn't going to get married, but went through with it anyway. Soon after the honeymoon, she and Tom were expecting a baby.

29 Daisy had forgotten all about Gatsby until she heard Jordan and Nick talking about him not long ago. Daisy asks about him and Jordan pieces together that he was the soldier Daisy had spent so much time with. Nick points out what a coincidence it is for them to be living near one another now but Jordan says that it is anything but. Gatsby bought the house to be close to Daisy. This is where Nick fits in. Gatsby would like for Nick to help him see Daisy again.

30 Chapter 5 When Nick returns from the city that evening he finds Gatsby admiring his house. He tells him that he plans to invite Daisy over for tea. Gatsby tries to act casual but it is obvious he is excited. During their exchange Gatsby tries to offer Nick some kind of job, but Nick sees it only as a polite gesture and turns it down. The next day Nick invites Daisy to tea and tells her not to bring Tom. Gatsby comes over to inspect everything to make sure that the tea goes perfectly. Daisy finally arrives and Nick goes out to meet her. When they return inside Gatsby is nowhere to be found. A moment later there is a knock at the door and Gatsby walks in. He and Daisy look at one another in awkward surprise. Nick tries to make the afternoon go smoothly but realizes that the two would like to be alone. He goes out to his porch to let them catch up. When he returns the two seem relaxed but entranced with one another. Gatsby invites them over to see his house. While walking over, Nick asks Gatsby about how he made his money but is answered with a curt "that's my business". The group are given a tour and Gatsby tries to impress Daisy with all of the possessions he has filled his house with. Nick, again realizing that his presence is not needed, leaves the two alone.

31 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Central Characters Chapter 6 A reporter calls at Gatsby's home in attempt to learn more abut him. This visit was fueled by Gatsby s status as a sort of celebrity. He asks questions about many of the myths surrounding Gatsby, but Nick gives us the truest account of Gatsby's life. He was born James Gatz in North Dakota. His parents were poor farm people and to escape the blandness of his existence, Gatsby created a fantasy world. Part of this fantasy included the name Jay Gatsby. As a young man he worked along the shore of Lake Superior doing odd jobs. He tried a small college for a couple of weeks but quickly grew restless and went back to the shore. While walking the shoreline he spots a yacht owned by the wealthy Dan Cody. He warns Cody that he might have sailing troubles. Cody takes Gatsby under his wing. When Cody died Gatsby was supposed to receive a large portion of his fortune but was tricked out of it. However, Gatsby had created a persona and found something that he wanted to achieve at all costs. After an absence of several weeks due to work, Nick goes over to see Gatsby one Sunday afternoon. While there, Tom Buchanan and two others arrive on horseback. Gatsby tries his hardest to be hospitable to the trio. They make an attempt to invite Gatsby with them somewhere but when he goes to get ready, they leave without him. Tom and Daisy attend Gatsby s next party. Tom immediately dislikes the party and begins to question how Gatsby came into so much money. Daisy also seems to be unhappy at the party - which concerns Gatsby. He tells Nick that he will make things right with her and they will be able to go back to how they once were. Copyright 2010 TES English

32 After hearing this, Nick tells the reader of an evening Gatsby and Daisy spent together in their youth. The moment was so perfect and beautiful to Gatsby that he has spent all of his time trying to recreate that moment. It is this recreation that he believes will make him happy.

33 Chapter 7 Nick goes to the Buchanans for an afternoon with Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and Jordan. While they are there, the group - including Gatsby - sees Daisy's child for the first time. As the group talk, Daisy says she loves Gatsby. Being a hot and uncomfortable day, they all decide to go into the city to find something to do. Tom asks to take Gatsby's car. It seems odd to Gatsby but he lets him. Tom, Jordan and Nick drive off together with Daisy and Gatsby in Tom's blue sports car. Tom stops at Wilson's garage to fill up the gas tank and speaks to Wilson. Wilson alludes to the idea that he thinks his wife is having an affair and that he wants to get some money to move out west. Nick thinks he sees Myrtle watching them from the window. The groups meet up in the city and decide to take a hotel suite to enjoy a few cold drinks. While there, Gatsby and Daisy begin to act more obvious about their affections in front of everyone. Tom begins to get angry and starts shouting at them. As the fight continues, Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy has never loved him but that she has always loved him Gatsby. Daisy quietly agrees. Tom, enraged, says that he has investigated Gatsby and found out that he earned his money through being a bootlegger. The argument dies down and Gatsby and Daisy decide to leave in his car. The rest of the group quietly exit with Tom. Meanwhile, a neighbour of Wilson's, stops by to see him and finds him very ill in his office. Wilson tells him that he has locked his wife up and that they will be leaving tomorrow. Wilson never tells Michaelis why they are leaving or why Myrtle is locked up. Michaelis leaves Wilson alone.

34 Later, he comes out of his restaurant and hears Wilson and Myrtle fighting. During the fight, she runs into the road just as two cars are approaching. She is hit and killed but the car does not stop. Tom pulls up a little later when he sees all of the commotion around Wilson's. It is established that the car was Gatsby's. Wilson believes that it was Tom who hit his wife since Tom was driving Gatsby s car earlier in the day. Tom assures him it wasn't. When the group arrives back at Tom's, Nick decides to wait outside for a cab. While waiting, Gatsby appears from behind a bush. He admits that Daisy was driving the car. Nick asks Gatsby to come back with him but Gatsby wants to wait outside the house to make sure that nothing happens to Daisy.

35 Chapter 8 Early the next morning Nick goes over to check up on Gatsby. He has been at Daisy's all night just watching to see if she was safe. He and Nick stay up talking about Gatsby's past. Gatsby is being very honest with Nick and tells him that Daisy was the first nice girl he had ever really met. He was in love with her and planned on marrying her but the War split them apart. When it was over, he intended to go back and marry her but ended up at Oxford instead. When he finally makes it back to America and goes to Louisville, he cannot find Daisy. She is on her honeymoon with Tom Buchanan. Nick has to leave Gatsby to go to work. He is concerned about him, but Gatsby insists that he will be fine. After Nick leaves, Gatsby decides to use his pool and relax. Nick narrates what happened at Wilson's following Myrtle s death. Michaelis stayed with Wilson in order to look after him. Wilson tells Michaelis that someone killed Myrtle on purpose the person who was having the affair with her. Michaelis thinks it is all nonsense and tries to talk reasonably to Wilson. He ends up staying there until late. A man Michaelis recognized from the day of the accident offers to stay with Wilson. When Michaelis returns, both Wilson and the man are gone. Wilson tries to locate the yellow car, and therefore, its owner. By early afternoon, he is on his way to gatsby s house. Wilson shoots Gatsby in his pool and then kills himself.

36 Chapter 9 In this chapter, Nick s narration takes place two years later when he recalls the events of Gatsby s death. Nick calls Daisy's house to speak to her but she and Tom have left and cnnot be contacted. He also tries to contact Meyer Wolfsheim but fails. Wolfsheim sends a letter later saying that he cannot comes to Gatsby's side. A few days later, Henry Gatz - Gatsby's father - comes to the house. He had heard about Gatsby's death in the paper and came at once. On the day of the funeral, Nick goes into the city to see Wolfsheim. Nick has to force himself into Wolfsheim's office, but Meyer refuses to come to the funeral saying that he can't get mixed up in another man's death. When Nick returns to the house, Mr. Gatz describes Gatsby when he was younger. Gatz shows Nick a schedule that Gatsby wrote out. It suggests a very driven and determined young Gatsby. The minister arrives at the house and is ready to start the funeral but Nick asks him to wait for more people to arrive. No one does. When the small group goes to the cemetery, another man arrives for the service. He was a man who came to Gatsby's party that summer and thought he should be there out of respect. He is the only one who does so. Nick goes to see Jordan. She claims that she is engaged to another man and, although not surprised, Nick pretends to be.

37 In October, Nick sees Tom on a street in the city. Tom admits to telling Wilson that it was Gatsby who owned the car that killed Myrtle. Nick decides to move to the Midwest. Nick s narration becomes one of contemplation as he recalls the house, the parties and Gatsby s faith and hope.

38 Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby is a complex character: that is, he is defined by a range of conflicting characteristics which combine to make the whole of his personality. 1. Look at the list of descriptions below and complete spider charts for each one giving textual references and chapter numbers to show which passages you might refer to in order to prove the idea. Gatsby as outsider Gatsby as lonely Gatsby as cynic Gatsby as idealist Gatsby as liar Gatsby as intelligent Gatsby as sensitive Gatsby as hypocrite Gatsby as child Gatsby as suicidal Gatsby as optimist

39 Gatsby as nihilist one who rejects the value and meaning of life & people Gatsby as fatalist one who sees life as predetermined and themselves powerless Gatsby as redeemed saved from his own weakness

40 Gatsby s interactions (Enlarge to A3) 1. Consider all of the interaction that Gatsby has with other characters. For each character, complete the table below: Gatsby s Interactions Character s name Relationship to Gatsby Gatsby s attitude to them What does the character symbolise / represent in the

41 narrative? What does this interaction show us about Gatsby in the wider novel?

42 Characters and Gatsby s world (Enlarge to A3) Some critics have suggested that Fitzgerald uses the characters in the novel to represent both positive and negative aspects of Gatsby s world. 2. Group the characters according to whether they are representations of positive or negative aspects of Gatsby s world, and then try to determine what they represent. Use the table below to structure your ideas: Characters as Representations of Gatsby s World Character s name Positive Negative What does the character represent?

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44 Character continued 3. Now consider whether the characters that you have grouped can be as clearly defined as wholly positive or negative. Which ones are more complex and why is this? Think about Gatsby s own complexity. 4. Think about the novel as a whole. How do Gatsby s interactions throughout the novel reflect on Gatsby as a character? 5. What does Gatsby learn from his interactions with other characters in the novel? 6. Think about the characters we do not see in the novel. Who are they? What do they have in common? Why does Fitzgerald choose not to give them a voice in the novel? What function do these characters serve as opposed to the ones who appear in the novel? 7. Consider Gatsby s death. Is it a fitting end for a character of Gatsby s stature? Use textual detail to support your ideas.

45 Characters & oppositions The characters in The Great Gatsby essentially work as opposites to one another. This is true when we consider the four principal characters. Indeed, the oppositions that define the characters can also be split along the lines of gender such that we see the characters representing opposites of one another. As the novel progresses, this becomes much more complex. In turn, we come to see that there is a duality of characterisation at work in the novel. The immediate dramatic purpose of the novel s characterisation is clear: Fitzgerald establishes these oppositions to enhance the novel s drama, and the final reversal as it concludes. Equally, they tell us something of the society in which the characters exist. Complete the table below for the four main characters in The Great Gatsby to identify their immediate oppositions. Provide textual evidence to support your ideas. Jay Gatsby Nick Carraway Characteristic Evidence Characteristic Evidence Tom Buchanan Daisy Buchanan

46 Characteristic Evidence Characteristic Evidence

47 Character and society (Enlarge to A3) Many of the characters in the novel exhibit attitudes or behaviours that either conform to, defy, or affirm a particular perspective on American society during the Jazz Age. In a novel that is centrally concerned with propriety and its observance, or otherwise, it is inevitable that characters will come to embody elements of that society s values, prejudices and virtues. For each of the major characters in the novel, complete a table like the one below to show how their dialogue and actions demonstrate conformity or defiance of social propriety. Character and society Character s name Dialogue / Behaviour Conformity? Defiance?

48 Textual evidence Explanation

49 Character and conflict (Enlarge to A3) Conflict is central to The Great Gatsby, and the conflicts between the characters essentially drive the plot of the novel. More significantly, it is conflict between the ideals, values and aspirations of the different characters that drive the central axis of the text. Complete the chart below to show which characters are in conflict at different points in the novel, and give an explanation of what the conflict is. It might be about something physical, ideological or moral, for example. Character and conflict Character s name In conflict with Description of conflict Textual evidence

50

51 Character and allegiances (Enlarge to A3) Conversely, loyalty is another central part of the narrative. In a novel that is arguably about codes of American high society, the allegiances that the different male characters make are important. Remember, however, that some of the allegiances that the different characters make, vary in their legitimacy. Complete the chart below to show which characters form allegiances. Give reasons for the allegiances and explain whether or not they are genuine. Allegiances Allegiance Purpose of allegiance Genuine? Textual evidence

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53 Character and hierarchy (Enlarge to A3) In a society like 1920s New York - the period of the novel - the idea of hierarchy was an important tool for imposing order on society. In The Great Gatsby we see different types of hierarchy: financial, nepotistic, age, and gender. All of these things determine the levels of power and influence that each character possesses at different points, and in various exchanges, throughout the novel. For each of the different types of hierarchy that are at work in West Egg, complete a chart like the one below to show how power is distributed. Hierarchy of in The Great Gatsby [Most powerful character(s)]

54 [Subordinate characters] [Subordinate characters] [Subordinate characters]

55 Character and objectification (Enlarge to A3) One of the most interesting elements of The Great Gatsby is the way that characters are valued. Most obviously, this objectification is driven by the male characters. In turn, we can discern an important tension in the novel surrounding both who is objectified, and for what reasons. Complete the chart below to show who is objectified, and by whom, in the novel. Provide textual evidence to support your answer. Objectification Objectified By whom? Reason? Textual evidence

56

57

58 Use this chart to collect the key quotations related to the different aspects of Gatsby s character in The Great Gatsby. [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Jay Gatsby [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic]

59 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Central Characters Use this chart to collect the key quotations related to the different aspects of Nick Carraway s character in The Great Gastby. [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Nick Carraway [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Copyright 2010 TES English

60 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Central Characters Use this chart to collect the key quotations related to the different aspects of Tom Buchanan s character in The Great Gatsby [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Tom Buchanan [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Copyright 2010 TES English

61 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Central Characters Use this chart to collect the key quotations related to the different aspects of Daisy Buchanan s character in The Great Gatsby [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Daisy Buchanan [Characteristic] [Characteristic] [Characteristic] Copyright 2010 TES English

62 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 62 Themes The American Dream Use this sheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. The American Dream Fitzgeralds s novel depicts a very particular moment of doubt in the America of the time: the highminded and admirable ideals of the Declaration of Independence, for the first time, clashed with the realities of contemporary American life. The growing consumerism of 1920s America in which material objects came to supplant the value placed upon ideals and moral The Characters Views about the American Dream The Failure of the American Dream Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

63 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 63 The American Dream & Hope - Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

64 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 64 Themes Listed below are a number of aspects of the narrative that explore the idea of the American Dream. Complete a chart for each one. Gatsby s relationships with others The communities of East & West Egg New York Society The new-found Consumerism of the 1920s Copyright 2010 TES English

65 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 65 GASTBY S RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS & THE THEME OF THE AMRICAN DREAM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM? Copyright 2010 TES English

66 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 66 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE COMMUNITIES OF EAST AND WEST EGG & THE AMERICAN DREAM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM? Copyright 2010 TES English

67 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 67 Copyright 2010 TES English

68 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 68 Themes (Enlarge to A3) NEW YORK SOCIETY & THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM? Copyright 2010 TES English

69 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 69 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE NEW-FOUND CONSUMERISM OF THE 1920S & THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMERICAN DREAM? Copyright 2010 TES English

70 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 70 Themes and character (Enlarge to A3) Each of the characters in The Great Gatsby Gatsby possess their own sense of the American Dream. For each of them, complete the table below to show how they perceive the American Dream. CHARACTERS & THE AMERICAN DREAM CHARACTER WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN DREAM MEAN TO THEM? QUOTATION Copyright 2010 TES English

71 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 71 Themes Ambition & Aspiration Use this sheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. Ambition and Aspiration The characters in The Great Gatsby are linked by their respective ambitions and aspirations. In different ways each of the characters are reflections of a time that promised much in terms of personal and material fulfilment. The novel s central tension Gatsby s longing for Daisy crystallises the fundamental sense in which the characters in the novel are driven by what they want, and Failed Ambitions and Aspirations Key Quotations Destructive Ambitions and Aspirations Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

72 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 72 Ambitions and Aspirations - Key Quotations Themes Listed below are a number of aspects of the narrative that explore the idea of Ambition and Aspiration. Complete a chart for each one. Gatsby s relationship with Daisy Tom and Daisy Buchanan s relationship The tension between the old and new aristocracy Social mobility Copyright 2010 TES English

73 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 73 GASTBY S RELATIONSHIP WITH DAISY & THE THEME OF AMBITION AND ASPIRATION QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMBITION AND ASPIRATION? Copyright 2010 TES English

74 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 74 Copyright 2010 TES English

75 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 75 Themes (Enlarge to A3) TOM AND DAISY BUCHANAN S RELATIONSHIP & THE THEME OF AMBITION AND ASPIRATION QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMBITION AND ASPIRATION? Copyright 2010 TES English

76 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 76 Copyright 2010 TES English

77 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 77 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE TENSION BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW ARISTOCRACY & THE THEME OF AMBITION AND ASPIRATION QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMBITION AND ASPIRATION? Copyright 2010 TES English

78 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 78 Copyright 2010 TES English

79 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 79 Themes (Enlarge to A3) SOCIAL MOBILITY & THE THEME OF AMBITION AND ASPIRATION QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF THE AMBITION AND ASPIRATION? Copyright 2010 TES English

80 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 80 Copyright 2010 TES English

81 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 81 Copyright 2010 TES English

82 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 82 Themes and character (Enlarge to A3) Each of the characters in The Great Gatsby aspire to be, or have, something. Complete a table like the one below to show the ambitions and aspirations of each of the characters. CHARACTERS & AMBITION AND ASPIRATION CHARACTER WHAT IS THEIR AMBITION & ASPIRATION? QUOTATION Copyright 2010 TES English

83 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 83 Themes Decadence and Materialism Use this sheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. Decadence and Materialism Linked to the idea of the failing American Dream is the notion that decadence and materialism become the great vices of the Jazz Age. Fitzgerald s descriptions of the characters and settings, for example, are laden with allusions to the decadent excess and importance of materialism at this time. This aspect of the novel reflects its time: a growing capacity amongst Americans to own objects and develop wealth Obsession with Material Objects Key Quotations Decadent Tendencies Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

84 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 84 Decadence and Materialism - Key Quotations Themes Listed below are a number of aspects of the narrative that explore the idea of Decadence and Materialism. Complete a chart for each one. Mobility and automobiles Tom Buchanan s past Gatsby s parties The New York sequences Copyright 2010 TES English

85 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 85 MOBILITY AND AUTOMOBILES & THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM? Copyright 2010 TES English

86 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 86 Copyright 2010 TES English

87 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 87 Themes (Enlarge to A3) TOM BUCHANAN S PAST & THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM? Copyright 2010 TES English

88 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 88 Copyright 2010 TES English

89 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 89 Themes (Enlarge to A3) GATSBY S PARTIES & THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM? Copyright 2010 TES English

90 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 90 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE NEW YORK SEQUENCES & THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM? Copyright 2010 TES English

91 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 91 Themes and character (Enlarge to A3) 1. Each of the characters in The Great Gatsby have either an obsession with material objects, or are, in someway, decadent. Complete the chart below to show how each of the characters are materialistic and / or decadent. CHARACTERS & DECADENCE AND MATERIALISM CHARACTER WHAT IS THEIR PRETENSION? QUOTATION Copyright 2010 TES English

92 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 92 Copyright 2010 TES English

93 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 93 Themes PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE Use this sheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. Perception and Artifice Fitzgerald s novel is concerned with the ideas of perception and artifice; that is, how the characters perceive themselves and each other, but also how their world of artifice is used to sustain these perceptions. For example, the initial musings of Nick, Myrtle and Tom at the apartment in New York about Gatbsy, reflect clearly the importance of how he is perceived by others. Equally, the white palaces of East Egg also play an Different Perceptions of the Characters Key Quotations Aspects of Artifice Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

94 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 94 Perception and Artifice - Key Quotations Themes Listed below are a number of aspects of the narrative that explore the idea of Perception and Artifice. Complete a chart for each one. Rumour and speculation The property & decoration of the East Egg residents The social roles and functions of the different characters The characters private lives. Copyright 2010 TES English

95 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 95 RUMOUR AND SPECULATION & THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE? Copyright 2010 TES English

96 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 96 Copyright 2010 TES English

97 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 97 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE PROPERTY AND DECORATION OF THE EAST EGG RESIDENTS & THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE? Copyright 2010 TES English

98 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 98 Copyright 2010 TES English

99 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 99 Themes (Enlarge to A3) SOCIAL ROLES AND FUNTIONS OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS & THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE? Copyright 2010 TES English

100 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 100 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE CHARACTERS PRIVATE LIVES & THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE? Copyright 2010 TES English

101 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 101 Themes and character (Enlarge to A3) Each of the characters in The Great Gatsby Gatsby are pretending to be something at one level or another it might be to themselves or to one another. Complete the table below to show what the characters are pretending to be. CHARACTERS & PERCEPTION AND ARTIFICE CHARACTER WHAT IS THEIR PRETENSION? QUOTATION Copyright 2010 TES English

102 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 102 Copyright 2010 TES English

103 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 103 Themes Ego Use this sheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. Ego The title of the novel immediately locates the idea of ego as central to the novel. The ironic idea of the Great Gatsby suggests to us a sense in which the characters of the novel are judged and their status constructed by others. However, there is another element to the novel which is interested in how the characters view, and nurture their own egos: Tom Buchanan, for example, is a man who has a sense of his own strength and Characters and their Egos Key Quotations How characters construct their egos Key Quotations Copyright 2010 TES English

104 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 104 GATSBY AND HIS PAST & THE THEME OF EGO Ego - Key Quotations Themes Listed below are a number of aspects of the narrative that explore the idea of ego. Complete a chart for each one. Gatsby and his past. Tom Buchanan and his masculinity The image of Daisy Buchanan Copyright 2010 TES English

105 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 105 QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME EGO? Themes (Enlarge to A3) Copyright 2010 TES English

106 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 106 TOM BUCHANAN AND HIS MASCULINITY & THE THEME OF EGO QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF EGO? Copyright 2010 TES English

107 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 107 Copyright 2010 TES English

108 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 108 Themes (Enlarge to A3) THE IMAGE OF DAISY BUCHANAN & THE THEME OF EGO QUOTATION CHAPTER / PAGE NUMBER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF EGO? Copyright 2010 TES English

109 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 109 Themes and character (Enlarge to A3) Each characters ego plays a significant role in their fate during the novel. For each of them, complete the table below to show how this is the case. CHARACTERS & EGO CHARACTER HOW DOES THEIR EGO DETERMINE THEIR FATE? QUOTATION Copyright 2010 TES English

110 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 110 Copyright 2010 TES English

111 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 111 Narrative voice Fitzgerald chooses a first person narrator to tell Gatsby s story; Nick Carraway is more complex than simply the first person narrator of the text: he is also an active participant in the events of the novel. This means that Carraway, in addition to being our eyes into the world of the text, is also someone that we have to interpret. The reader is engaged in an interesting but complex game with Carraway: we rely on him to guide us through the narrative, but we also have to make judgements about the validity of his story against the agendas he clearly possesses. Furthermore, the intense complexity of Gatsby is conveyed to us precisely because of the evident contradiction in the role of Carraway. On the one hand, the paradoxes of Carraway s narration are fascinating in understanding who he is as narrator and character but, on the other, they also problematise the complexities in our perceptions of Gatsby s character. Therefore, the choice of Carraway as narrator is important: it not only complicates our understanding of the novel and its world, but also our interpretation of Gatsby himself. Copyright 2010 TES English