1. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning.
Select one symbol from The Great Gatsby, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
2. Many works of literature contain a character who intentionally deceives others. The character’s dishonesty may be intended either to help or to hurt. Such a character, for example, may choose to mislead others for personal safety, to spare someone’s feelings, or to carry out a crime.
Choose a character from The Great Gatsby who deceives others. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the motivation for that character’s deception and discuss how the deception contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole (the theme). Do not merely summarize the plot.
3. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions, attitudes, or values of a character.
In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby must contend with certain aspects of his past. Write an essay in which you show how the character’s relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole (the theme). Do not merely summarize the plot.
4. In his 2004 novel Magic Seeds, V. S. Naipaul writes: “It is wrong to have an ideal view of the world. That’s where the mischief starts. That’s where everything starts unravelling.”
Select a character from The Great Gatsby who holds an “ideal view of the world.” Then write an essay in which you analyze the character’s idealism and its positive or negative consequences. Explain how the author’s portrayal of this idealism illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole (the theme).
Your essay must make an assertion or state a claim as a controlling idea for the paper (a thesis statement)
Your essay must present a line of reasoning (Thesis + Support Claim + Supporting Claim + Supporting Claim) where your EVIDENCE PROVES your supporting claims and thesis statement
use some of the language of the prompt in your opening paragraph (do not simply restate the prompt)
introduce the full name of the author and title of the work (always italicize the title)
use the author’s last name for the remainder of the paper
use specific details and examples from the book in your supporting body paragraphs
create strong transitions between sentences and paragraphs
do not include plot summary
eliminate personal tone (“I think…” or “In my opinion,” for example)
form a conclusion to demonstrate that you have proven your thesis
500-word essay in solid academic writing.
Rubric highlights will include your Thesis, Evidence/Analysis, and Sophistication.
In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald employs the symbol of the green light to illustrate the elusive and unattainable nature of the American Dream, and to reveal the true character of the novel's protagonists. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a quintessential American novel that delves into the complexities of the American Dream, wealth, and society. The novel is replete with symbols that illustrate the themes and the characters' motivations. One such symbol is the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. Throughout the novel, the green light represents an unattainable goal that drives the novel's protagonist, Jay Gatsby, to amass a great fortune and throw lavish parties in hopes of winning back his former lover, Daisy. This paper will analyze how the symbol of the green light functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole.
Copyright © 2012 - 2023 Apaxresearchers - All Rights Reserved.