1. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Understanding the times helps to understand the novel

2. Warm Up What is the American Dream to you?
Do you think that the idea of the American Dream is still possible?
How does one reach the American Dream?

3. F. Scott Fitzgerald Bio
Write 5 facts you feel influenced The Great Gatsby writer F. Scott Fitzgerald

4. World War I World War I ended in 1918.
Disillusioned because of the war
“The Lost Generation.”
First war with modern weaponry.
20 million people died.

5. Post WWI Americans abandoned small towns in exchange for urban living
Economy prospered as Americans tried to forget troubles of war
- frivolous spending
- illegal liquor
- immorality

6. Roaring Twenties Economy booming America partied Organized crime
Prohibition Act
Decline of moral standards
Decline or destiny? Period between wars.

7. SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE OF CHANGE
popularity of jazz
change of the status of women
fascination with the dream of success ($$$$$$)

8. Prohibition
18th Amendment to Constitution prohibited manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages
Bootlegging
Boardwalk Empire
Mob activity increased to supply the demand for what was once legal
Maffia/ Al Capone/ St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
Passed in 1919/ Appealed in 1933
In "The Great Gatsby" Jay Gatsby is suspected to be a bootlegger and a murderer. And Meyer Wolfshiem is said to have "fixed the World's Series" in Even Jordan Baker is someone who cheated at playing golf. Illegal gambling and bootlegging led to wide-spread corruption in the United States at that time. Prohibition is not taken seriously in "The Great Gatsby": in almost every chapter alcoholic drinks are offered.

9. Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald?
He attended Princeton University.
1917 joined the army.
Published Gatsby in 1925.
Regarded as the speaker of the Jazz Age.
After Gatsby considered a failure in any of his other writing, became a drunk
His wife ended up in countless mental facilities.

10. F. Scott FitzGerald's Purpose for Gatsby
Yes he was a part of the “Jazz Age” participating in the wealth, decadence, and partying BUT
He never felt quite comfortable in this scene this book is criticizing the declining morals and values of society in the roaring 20’s.
“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life”

11. Characters of The Great Gatsby
Jay Gatsby- The self-made wealthy man who lives next door to Nick Carraway and loves Daisy Buchanan

12. Characters of The Great Gatsby
Nick Carraway- the narrator, Daisy’s cousin, Gatsby’s neighbor
Daisy Buchanan- married to Tom, Gatsby’s love interest before the war, socialite

13. Characters in The Great Gatsby
Tom Buchanan- Daisy’s husband, has an affair with Myrtle
Myrtle Wilson- Tom’s woman in the city, married to George
George Wilson- owns the gas station obsessed with his wife
Jordan Baker- Daisy’s friend, professional golfer

14. Setting Long Island, NY during the 1920s (approximately 1925).
West Egg: A ‘hood in the Long Island area. New money. Rich people who have made money rather than inherited it.
East Egg: A ‘hood in the Long Island area. Old money. Rich people who have inherited money going back generations.
The Valley of Ashes: a poor area between Long Island and Manhattan.
Manhattan: Manhattan.

15. Settings in The Great Gatsby
West Egg- where Nick and Gatsby live, represents new money
East Egg- where Daisy lives, the more fashionable area, represents old money

16. Old Money Vs. New Money New Money:
Someone who has achieved the American Dream
Not as respected in the 1920’s
Old Money:
Money from family wealth
Born rich
Respected above all in the 1920’s

17. WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM?
It describes an attitude of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires.
“We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Gatsby is a character that represents this DREAM.
These wishes were expressed in Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence.
The concept of the American Dream is presented from two different POV

18. FAILURE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM
Poverty
Discrimination
Exploitation
Hypocrisy
Corruption
Suppression
The American Dream has totally failed to bring any kind of fulfillment, whether spiritual or material.
For all the progress and prosperity, for all the declaration of democratic principles, there are still poverty, discrimination, exploitation
As far as morality and values, there are also hypocrisy, cu=corruption and suppression.
The Great Gatsby also comments on this. Condition.

19. Jazz Age and Lost Generation
Why might Americans have been “disillusioned with the traditional values that had led to war” following the war? Creating the “Lost Generation.”
19th Amendment passed: Voting rights for women.
Prohibition passed: Alcohol outlawed.
Jazz developed by black musicians in large cities.
How do you think these things combined to create new forms of art in America?

20. Character Roundup:
You will be given a list of attributes that correspond to the characters in the novel. Start by identifying who you are. Don’t show anyone this information.
You need to find the other three characters in the novel.
Your classmates have been given attributes for those characters.
You can ask each classmates ONE question each. For example, are you rich? Are you married? Do you die at the end of the novel . . .
Do not tell your classmates who you are. They need to figure it out.
Once you have all four characters identified, you WIN!

21. Closure: Crash Course
What elements of 1920’s contributed to the literature?