The Great Gatsby: Text Analysis

Incorporation of outside texts and resources can help students draw connections with the source material they are reading. For a novel, like The Great Gatsby, which is embedded in historical and cultural significance, students need avenues for building the context in which the novel operates. In terms of classical literature, The Great Gatsby is already an accessible text for adolescent readers because of its themes and fast moving plot. However, combining the novel with external resources really enriches the learning experience and helps students think critically about the novel and its context in American literary history. I initiated this multiple text study with photos from the 1920s and an assignment which helps students inquire into the historical background of the novel. By laying this foundation, students

Scott Fitzgerald’s classical work compares with the original text. I enjoyed the idea of the pass around response journal mention in the text, Reading Aloud and Beyond, so I adjusted this activity to create a critical comments journal. The most important aspect of this activity is that it encourages students to support their evaluations with evidence from the text. This will help build students ability to analyze text and highlights the importance of supporting claims with evidence. Lastly, the final assignment incorporates another classical work of American literature to help students recognize how texts from a similar period address similar themes and topics. These two texts both address dreams: for Gatsby it’s the upper class life with Daisy and for George & Lennie its independence and life on homestead. Likewise, these novels also deal with themes of social class, love/relationships, gender, and the power that comes from wealth. The graphic organizer and open-mind portrait help students organize and connect these themes across the two