The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Author Biography:
F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the major American writers of the twentieth century -- a figure whose life and works embodied powerful myths about our national dreams and aspirations. Fitzgerald was talented and perceptive, gifted with a lyrical style and a pitch-perfect ear for language. He lived his life as a romantic, equally capable of great dedication to his craft and reckless squandering of his artistic capital. He left us one sure masterpiece, The Great Gatsby; a near-masterpiece, Tender Is the Night; and a gathering of stories and essays that together capture the essence of the American experience. His writings are insightful and stylistically brilliant; today he is admired both as a social chronicler and a remarkably gifted artist. Information retrieved from Amazon.com.
Published by: Scribner
ISBN: 0743273567
Genre: Fiction/Crossover
Reading Level: Grades 9 - 12
Reader’s Annotation:
Nick Carraway moves from his home in Minnesota to West Egg New York to learn about bonds and develop a career from it. During his studies he crosses paths with Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who uses Nick to help him meet an unrequited love. As Nick struggles to forge the reunion and learn about his career choice, he is exposed to all the glamour, excess, and drama of the elite and is unwittingly drawn into it beyond his choice. He also uncovers the shocking mystery of Jay Gatsby and sees many of the skeletons hidden in the closets of the elite.
Plot Summary:
Having finished his military service in World War I, Nick Carraway decides to take up the bond business and move to New York to learn about it. Nick’s journey takes him to West Egg, relatively opulent area but not as much as the beautiful East Egg. Luckily for Nick, he has several high-level social connections in East Egg, which will serve him well during his education.
Unbeknownst to Nick, however, is that he lives next to Jay Gatsby – an incredibly wealthy and enigmatic man prone to throwing random, lavish parties. Nick is eventually invited to one of Gatsby’s parties, drawing him into a world of fashion and excess he had never known. As he enjoys the party, becomes acquainted with Gatsby, and the two become fast friends.
As the duo meet with each other, Gatsby reveals he once loved a woman named Daisy Buchanan – Nick’s second cousin once removed, incidentally – but was unable to solidify their relationship. Gatsby is heartsick now that he knows she lives just across the bay from his mansion, and hopes Nick can orchestrate a reunion with her since she is family. The problem, however, is Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, a rather large man prone to violence.
As Nick develops a way for Gatsby to meet, he begins learning many of the dark secrets of the high class which include infidelity, abuse, and Gatsby’s true character.
Critical Evaluation:
The Great Gatsby is a novel full of drama, beautiful locations, romance, violence and more that will titillate readers. The narrative also takes many veiled shots at the high class by presenting them as flippant, spoiled, violent, and out of touch with reality. This provides important talking points to teens and students on the effects of wealth, and how it can change someone for either good or ill. The book also has light mystery elements in the form of Jay Gatsby who, if readers look very closely at his behavior, may notice he may not be the person he presents himself to be.
Fans of historical fiction and drama will likely enjoy The Great Gatsby for its narrative and picturesque descriptions of 1922 New York along with a host of eleite characters who seem dedicated to living a life of pleasure and extremes.
Curriculum Ties:
Challenge Issues:
None
Defensive Maneuvers:
n/a
Book Talk Ideas:
For as much as we may envy others for their wealth and beauty, at times its truly what's on the inside that counts. This is certainly what Nick learns as he parties with the wealthy high class and finds many of them have extremely low class habits.
Why This Book?
The Great Gatsby is a fairly swift read at 218 pages and once the reader gets past the drama of the book, discovers a greater commentary on wealth and the elite class. It is a novel that will make readers think twice about if they want greater wealth, and perhaps make them question what kinds of people money would transform them into.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the major American writers of the twentieth century -- a figure whose life and works embodied powerful myths about our national dreams and aspirations. Fitzgerald was talented and perceptive, gifted with a lyrical style and a pitch-perfect ear for language. He lived his life as a romantic, equally capable of great dedication to his craft and reckless squandering of his artistic capital. He left us one sure masterpiece, The Great Gatsby; a near-masterpiece, Tender Is the Night; and a gathering of stories and essays that together capture the essence of the American experience. His writings are insightful and stylistically brilliant; today he is admired both as a social chronicler and a remarkably gifted artist. Information retrieved from Amazon.com.
Published by: Scribner
ISBN: 0743273567
Genre: Fiction/Crossover
Reading Level: Grades 9 - 12
Reader’s Annotation:
Nick Carraway moves from his home in Minnesota to West Egg New York to learn about bonds and develop a career from it. During his studies he crosses paths with Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who uses Nick to help him meet an unrequited love. As Nick struggles to forge the reunion and learn about his career choice, he is exposed to all the glamour, excess, and drama of the elite and is unwittingly drawn into it beyond his choice. He also uncovers the shocking mystery of Jay Gatsby and sees many of the skeletons hidden in the closets of the elite.
Plot Summary:
Having finished his military service in World War I, Nick Carraway decides to take up the bond business and move to New York to learn about it. Nick’s journey takes him to West Egg, relatively opulent area but not as much as the beautiful East Egg. Luckily for Nick, he has several high-level social connections in East Egg, which will serve him well during his education.
Unbeknownst to Nick, however, is that he lives next to Jay Gatsby – an incredibly wealthy and enigmatic man prone to throwing random, lavish parties. Nick is eventually invited to one of Gatsby’s parties, drawing him into a world of fashion and excess he had never known. As he enjoys the party, becomes acquainted with Gatsby, and the two become fast friends.
As the duo meet with each other, Gatsby reveals he once loved a woman named Daisy Buchanan – Nick’s second cousin once removed, incidentally – but was unable to solidify their relationship. Gatsby is heartsick now that he knows she lives just across the bay from his mansion, and hopes Nick can orchestrate a reunion with her since she is family. The problem, however, is Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, a rather large man prone to violence.
As Nick develops a way for Gatsby to meet, he begins learning many of the dark secrets of the high class which include infidelity, abuse, and Gatsby’s true character.
Critical Evaluation:
The Great Gatsby is a novel full of drama, beautiful locations, romance, violence and more that will titillate readers. The narrative also takes many veiled shots at the high class by presenting them as flippant, spoiled, violent, and out of touch with reality. This provides important talking points to teens and students on the effects of wealth, and how it can change someone for either good or ill. The book also has light mystery elements in the form of Jay Gatsby who, if readers look very closely at his behavior, may notice he may not be the person he presents himself to be.
Fans of historical fiction and drama will likely enjoy The Great Gatsby for its narrative and picturesque descriptions of 1922 New York along with a host of eleite characters who seem dedicated to living a life of pleasure and extremes.
Curriculum Ties:
- Differences in social class
Challenge Issues:
None
Defensive Maneuvers:
n/a
Book Talk Ideas:
For as much as we may envy others for their wealth and beauty, at times its truly what's on the inside that counts. This is certainly what Nick learns as he parties with the wealthy high class and finds many of them have extremely low class habits.
Why This Book?
The Great Gatsby is a fairly swift read at 218 pages and once the reader gets past the drama of the book, discovers a greater commentary on wealth and the elite class. It is a novel that will make readers think twice about if they want greater wealth, and perhaps make them question what kinds of people money would transform them into.