Happy Tuesday! TODAY: Hand in Portfolios Hand in Portfolios Make sure Gatsby rumor/gossip, scavenger hunt sheet, and final discussion questions stapled to the back. Make sure Gatsby rumor/gossip, scavenger hunt sheet, and final discussion questions stapled to the back. Final discussion Final discussion Moral gauge Moral gauge

What motifs support these themes: Lack of moral compass, Questionable morality Lack of moral compass, Questionable morality Excess & Waste Excess & Waste Illusion vs. Reality Illusion vs. Reality Honesty & Dishonesty Honesty & Dishonesty Responsibility & Irresponsibility Responsibility & Irresponsibility The American Dream, Re-creating onesself The American Dream, Re-creating onesself Personal growth, degradation Personal growth, degradation Loneliness, Longing, Lack of Fulfillment Loneliness, Longing, Lack of Fulfillment Can’t Repeat the Past, Time is Fleeting Can’t Repeat the Past, Time is Fleeting

Connections between motifs & themes Watching/observing/voyeurism  Loneliness Watching/observing/voyeurism  Loneliness Automobiles/driving  Irresponsibility, Carelessness Automobiles/driving  Irresponsibility, Carelessness Color symbolism  Waste/Excess Color symbolism  Waste/Excess  Longing/Loneliness  Longing/Loneliness  Illusion vs. Reality  Illusion vs. Reality Violence  Illusion vs. Reality Violence  Illusion vs. Reality Clocks, time  Time Running Out, Can’t repeat the past Clocks, time  Time Running Out, Can’t repeat the past East vs. West  The American Dream, Waste/Excess East vs. West  The American Dream, Waste/Excess The Eyes of T.J.E., The Valley of Ashes  Waste/Excess, Morality The Eyes of T.J.E., The Valley of Ashes  Waste/Excess, Morality

Gatsby as tragic hero? A tragic hero has “potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he cannot win. He makes some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory, and his spirit lives on.” A tragic hero has “potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he cannot win. He makes some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory, and his spirit lives on.” Do you think Gatsby is a tragic hero? Do you think Gatsby is a tragic hero?

What does this mean? "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Homework Complete Literary Criticism Next Class: A Slight breather… get ready for Frost for Wednesday night homework! Next Class: A Slight breather… get ready for Frost for Wednesday night homework!

Style “Modernist” (and, for the time, quite advanced) ** “Modernist” (and, for the time, quite advanced) ** Pompous tone at times, a little overblown (this period of literature was still quite "drawing room" style in its readership) Pompous tone at times, a little overblown (this period of literature was still quite "drawing room" style in its readership) Imagery: His descriptive writing is littered with imagery related to the themes. (the five senses- descriptions of Gatsby’s parties, valley of ashes, etc.) Imagery: His descriptive writing is littered with imagery related to the themes. (the five senses- descriptions of Gatsby’s parties, valley of ashes, etc.) Symbolism: He uses symbols to highlight characteristics of individuals (Wolfsheim’s cufflinks), themes (the green light for yearning, longing, lonliness), and setting (lights to show excesses of Gatsby’s home) Symbolism: He uses symbols to highlight characteristics of individuals (Wolfsheim’s cufflinks), themes (the green light for yearning, longing, lonliness), and setting (lights to show excesses of Gatsby’s home) Symbolic imagery between characters to describe relationships Symbolic imagery between characters to describe relationships Example: in Gatsby, the disintegration of a marriage is suggested by the husband getting lost in traffic and losing the others, including the car his wife is in Example: in Gatsby, the disintegration of a marriage is suggested by the husband getting lost in traffic and losing the others, including the car his wife is in First person narrative is used realistically: the characters are not necessarily heroes (not Romanticized). First person narrative is used realistically: the characters are not necessarily heroes (not Romanticized).

Modernism, as a literary style, emerged after WWI, beginning in Europe and then progressing into American literature by the late 1920s. After the First World War many people questioned the chaos and the insanity of it all. The world’s “universal truths” and trust in authority figures began to crumble, and Modernism was a response to the destruction of these beliefs. Modernism

Modernism Characteristics: Fragmentation – in plot, characters, theme, images, and overall storyline. Thus, for instance, many modernist works are not in the typical linear sequence. Fragmentation – in plot, characters, theme, images, and overall storyline. Thus, for instance, many modernist works are not in the typical linear sequence. Loss is a huge theme in modernist works. Loss is a huge theme in modernist works. The “truth” is questionable, as a common theme, and thus, you cannot always trust the narrator to tell the truth, whereas in traditional literature it is the narrator’s job to make the reader understand what’s going on. Also, there may be more than one narrator, showing the diversity of truth. The “truth” is questionable, as a common theme, and thus, you cannot always trust the narrator to tell the truth, whereas in traditional literature it is the narrator’s job to make the reader understand what’s going on. Also, there may be more than one narrator, showing the diversity of truth. The destruction of the family unit. The destruction of the family unit. Characters may be given little or no physical description, and one or more characters is usually an "outcast.“ Characters may be given little or no physical description, and one or more characters is usually an "outcast.“ Authority figures are often untrustworthy, reflecting the question of truth. Authority figures are often untrustworthy, reflecting the question of truth. Movement away from religion. Movement away from religion. The reversal of traditional roles (Example: women doing something typically “male” and/or vice versa. Or the changing of customary racial roles). The reversal of traditional roles (Example: women doing something typically “male” and/or vice versa. Or the changing of customary racial roles). Ambiguous ending; such works often leave a lot of questions with the reader; they don’t tie everything up for you. Ambiguous ending; such works often leave a lot of questions with the reader; they don’t tie everything up for you. Often setting is more than just the setting (i.e. more meaning to it than just where the story takes place), or, maybe there is no setting at all. Often setting is more than just the setting (i.e. more meaning to it than just where the story takes place), or, maybe there is no setting at all. The use of improper grammar to reflect dialect. The use of improper grammar to reflect dialect. More use of the first person narrative, reflecting the lack of universal truth, i.e. there are only individual truths. More use of the first person narrative, reflecting the lack of universal truth, i.e. there are only individual truths.

"That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boy's school; a poor boy in a rich man's club at Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works." —F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, pg (Cited in "Quotations," from the EDSITEment- reviewed F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary.) "That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boy's school; a poor boy in a rich man's club at Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works." —F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, pg (Cited in "Quotations," from the EDSITEment- reviewed F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary.)QuotationsF. Scott Fitzgerald CentenaryQuotationsF. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary