The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIewKn6EnAs

(Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald) F. Scott Fitzgerald (Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald) Born September 24, 1896 Born to an upper class family in Minnesota Died December 21, 1940 Considered one of the greatest American authors Coined the term “jazz age” Finished four novels during his lifetime and a fifth one was published posthumously

(Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald) F. Scott Fitzgerald (Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald) He lived in New York, New Jersey, and Minnesota throughout his childhood He attended Princeton University and honed his writing skills; however he neglected his studies and dropped out to join the army He married Zelda Sayre in 1920 (after a long engagement) The couple had one daughter During the 1920s Fitzgerald traveled to Europe and became inspired by its culture

The Lost Generation Fitzgerald is considered to be a part of the “lost generation,” a term popularized by Ernest Hemingway This generation came of age during World War I Many men returned home from war and became disillusioned from the horrors of war They became spiritually lost and often were unable to cope with daily life anymore

The Great Gatsby and the Roaring 20s The Great Gatsby captures the glitz and glamour of the 1920s The economy soared bringing prosperity to all Prohibition became an impetus for bootleggers to make a fortune Speakeasies and private parties became fashionable to elude the police World War I was over, but it left the nation slightly aghast and many people needed to escape They turned to extravagant lifestyles and conservatism was thrown out the window

The Flappers Women of the 20s gained suffrage and became more independent They shocked their mothers with their short skirts, bobbed hair, disdain for convention, and love of jazz Flappers wore excessive make-up, smoked, drove automobiles, and were flippant in relationships These woman began working outside the home and delayed marriage

Not quite as it seems? Fitzgerald was both fascinated and repelled by this generation’s materialism The Great Gatsby explores all of these feelings through his characters He saw through the hypocrisy and emptiness of the wealthy, yet was attracted by their glamour

The Great Gatsby The story is told through Nick Carraway, a youth who has just graduated from Yale and travels to New York to learn about the Bond business. He resides in a cottage in West Egg on Long Island, known for its “new rich” residents. Coming from an Ivy league background he has connections in East Egg, where the established wealthy reside. He meets Jay Gatsby the enigmatic figure of long island and establishes a friendship. Eventually Nick discovers that the extravagant life style on Long Island is not all that it seems. He becomes disgusted by the moral decay and returns to Minnesota.

Characters Nick Carraway: Narrator, World War I veteran, friendly and reserved Daisy Buchanan: Nick’s cousin and Tom’s wife Tom Buchanan: Daisy’s husband and former Yale schoolmate of Nick’s, from the established wealthy class Jordan Baker: Daisy’s friend, beautiful yet dishonest, and represents the Flappers of the 20s Myrtle Wilson: Tom’s mistress George Wilson: Mechanic and Myrtle’s husband Meyer Wolfshiem: Mentor to Gatsby

Jay Gatsby Protagonist Charming, mysterious, and throws lavish parties every Saturday night The people of East and West Egg question where Gatsby came from and how he made his fortune He has shady business connections Slightly eccentric and calls most people “old sport” Makes his dreams into realities, yet is a deeply flawed man

Symbols The green light: The American Dream, the future, idealistic The valley of ashes: Social and ethic decline of Americans due to the relentless pursuit of wealth and the experience of the poor The eyes of T.J. Eckleburg: God? The universe’ meaningless? Human’s need to assign meaning to objects? You decide!

Motifs The Weather: Pay close attention to how the weather mirrors the characters thoughts and feelings. The weather sets the mood of many of the scenes. Geography: The location of events serves to structure the social divide between classes. (New money versus old, wealthy versus the poor, morally pious versus the corrupt)

Themes The decline of the American Dream Rise in materialism The corrupted dream (individualism, happiness, and discovery) Thwarted love Failure to relive the past Social hindrances Moral decay and emptiness of the Upper class New money versus old money Scramble for wealth and status

Journal “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Journal Please respond to that quote.