THE great gatsby Journals

Guidelines Each journal response should be about ¼ of a page typed or a ½ page handwritten Label each entry with a chapter and heading— Chapter 1: Carraways, Chapter 1: Jordan & Daisy, etc… Journal writing is informal, so please write freely and honestly Be as insightful as possible

Carraways CHAPTER 1 Describe the Carraway family. What is their history like? Compare Nick to the rest of his family members. Describe Nick’s history before he went east.

Jordan & daisy CHAPTER 1 Describe Jordan Baker and Daisy. Compare their personalities. Justify your comparison with evidence from the story.

Fool CHAPTER 1 Explore what you think Daisy means when she says, “The best thing a girl can be in this world is a fool.” What is a fool? And why might it be good for a girl to be one? Does she mean something different than the dictionary definition?

Ash heap CHAPTER 2 Select five single words from the description of the ash heap. Explain the meaning of each word. Then discuss what their meanings all add to each other and to the overall feeling and mood of the setting.

Mistake CHAPTER 2 Examine why Myrtle thinks she made a mistake when she married her husband. Why is it such a big deal that her husband borrowed his wedding suit? Describe what these ladies are like that they think borrowing is a bad thing. What do you think about their values?

party CHAPTER 3 Describe a party you’ve been to where you hardly knew anybody who was there. Explore what it was like to feel like that. Compare how your situation was similar or different to Nick Carraway’s.

privacy CHAPTER 3 Examine what Jordan Baker says about large parties, that she likes them better than small parties because there’s more privacy at large ones. Justify your answer with evidence from the story and from your personal experience.

Visitors CHAPTER 4 Examine the list of visitors to Gatsby’s house that summer. What do you notice about any particular visitors? Compare those details together to infer conclusions about who Gatsby is as a person.

history CHAPTER 4 Explain the history that Daisy and Gatsby have had together going back before the war.

emotions CHAPTER 5 Select a few actions of Gatsby during the scene at Nick’s house and explain what they show about Gatsby’s emotions.

impressive CHAPTER 5 Discuss whether or not Gatsby’s house is impressive. Justify your thoughts with evidence from the story.

shirts CHAPTER 5 Infer why Daisy is so emotionally moved by Gatsby’s new dress shirts.

The name CHAPTER 6 Do your best to explain how Jay Gatsby got his name and history and persona.

The past CHAPTER 6 Nick says that you can’t repeat the past, but Gatsby insists that he can. Analyze this idea with logic, emotions, and evidence from the story.

To town CHAPTER 7 Describe the details of the scene at Daisy’s house that make Daisy keep insisting that she wants to “go to town.” Why do you think she wants to go to town? Why right now? What does she hope going to town will accomplish?

Full of money CHAPTER 7 What does Gatsby mean when he says that Daisy’s voice is “full of money”? How is this a good or bad sound? Justify your analysis with examples and quotes from the story.

Real love CHAPTER 7 As Tom and Gatsby fight over Daisy, explain why Daisy retreats into herself. Discuss whom she really loves. Justify your analysis with examples and quotes from the story.

driving Explore these two scenarios and why they’re different: CHAPTER 7 Explore these two scenarios and why they’re different: Gatsby is driving, or (2) Daisy is driving. How are things complicated in different ways depending on whom is driving during the accident? How will Tom react? Wilson? The police? Nick?

worth CHAPTER 8 Why does Nick tell Gatsby that “we’re a rotten crowd,” that “you’re worth the whole bunch put together”? Is he talking about money? Or something else? What is Gatsby “worth”?

incorruptible What is Gatsby’s dream? And why is it incorruptible? CHAPTER 8 What is Gatsby’s dream? And why is it incorruptible?

wilson CHAPTER 8 Examine Wilson’s behavior as he deals with the death his wife. Predict what he is going to do? With the emotions he has, what actions is he capable of? Justify your answer with evidence or quotes from the story.

God sees CHAPTER 8 When Wilson stares at Dr. T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes on the billboard, why does he say that “God sees everything”?

funeral CHAPTER 9 Explore the various reasons no one is coming to Gatsby’s funeral. Justify your thoughts with evidence and quotes from the story.

Green light CHAPTER 9 “Gatsby believed in the green light, the future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter -- to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther . . . And one fine morning -- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” After having read the whole story, do you think we are supposed to believe in the green light? And what might that long dash after “one fine morning” mean? Explain and justify your thoughts.