Literary Analysis of the Great Gatsby

Literary Analysis of The Great Gatsby Due: Wednesday Feb. 29, 2012 (plus TURNITIN.COM)

From our class discussions and reading, you should be clear on the fact that The Great Gatsby is a period piece; critiquing the most visible issues in the 1920s.You must write a correctly formatted essay of 750-1000 words (approximately 7-10 paragraphs or 3 pages, typed, MLA format). Your essay MUST:

 Have a creative/unique title (not Gatsby Literary Analysis or Literary Analysis)  Contain an introductory/topic sentence  Indicate author’s name and novel title somewhere in the first paragraph  Contain a clearly stated thesis in the first paragraph; which is reworded in the last paragraph  Contain NO LESS than 10 CORRECTLY FORMATED IN-TEXT CITATIONS to support your points  Contain NO colloquialism (slang phrases “that’s lame”, “what’s up with that”, etc.)  Contain NO questions – NONE whatsoever!!  Contain NO spelling/punctuation errors – you have a dictionary and people who can spell, there is no excuse for spelling errors!  Be written in PRESENT tense (e.g. “When Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy over for tea…” and NOT “When Gatsby asked Nick to invite Daisy over for tea…”)

I recommend creating an outline. Feel free to show me your outline to check the strength of your paper. DO NOT try to write it the night before it is due – it will be obvious in the quality of your work. You may choose one of the topics below or you may choose your own topic (provided I approve). You may also combine more than one topic.

Topic Choices  Discuss Fitzgerald’s use of color symbolism throughout the novel  Discuss Fitzgerald’s use of weather symbolism throughout the novel  Discuss Fitzgerald’s use of eye symbolism throughout the novel  Discuss the novel as a critique of wealth and status  Discuss the novel as a critique of “The American Dream”  Discuss the novel as a commentary on disillusionment  Discuss Fitzgerald’s use of motif throughout the novel (motif means a repeated element) o Drinking/driving/lying/unfaithfulness/illusion/gangster connection  Discuss Fitzgerald’s theme of hypocrisy. How does Fitzgerald show people’s hypocrisy in numerous ways, especially through his characterization of Tom? Consider hypocrisy in laws, marriages, business, and friendships.  Discuss Fitzgerald’s depiction of social classes  Why did Fitzgerald title this book The Great Gatsby? Is Fitzgerald being ironic? Build a case for Gatsby being great or not based on the way Fitzgerald depicts him in the novel.  Who is the real Gatsby? Explore various stories regarding Gatsby and decide what is true and what isn’t. How does Fitzgerald use the mystery regarding this character to keep the reader interested?  Contrast Nick, the honest realist, with Gatsby, the romantic idealist. Whose state of mind makes the most sense? Support your thoughts with textual examples. ** Remember to consult http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ for assistance with MLA format or writing a literary analysis