The Real Jay Gatsby
The Great Gatsby Obituary Project
The obituary section of a newspaper lists any recent deaths of people within the community. You are to write an obituary for Jay, Myrtle, and George. This creative writing assignment must be modeled after an obituary (a published announcement that a person has died, often containing a short biography of the person’s life). You should mention Jay, Myrtle, or George’s deaths near the beginning of their obituary.
Directions: Throughout The Great Gatsby, various characters question Jay Gatsby’s past. Some people think he killed a man, others think he graduated from Yale, and still others believe he is a war hero. However, none of these rumors are true. The truth behind Jay Gatsby’s past is revealed toward the end of the novel. Using your book, describe the real Jay Gatsby. Include information about his past, including: any information about his family, what his life was like when he was an late teen, any jobs he may have had, his relationship(s) with Daisy, how/why he moved to New York, etc. You may include your own twists and ideas on the various aspects of his life. However, do not embellish your stories so much that they do not match with what is mentioned in the novel. Please make sure you talk about his life as a young man and an adult.
You will also write an obituary for Myrtle and George. Their personal lives are not as developed in the novel as Jay’s. It is up to you to create details about their lives based off of what you know about them. This is your chance to be creative and embellish on their characters.
Include a picture with each obituary. The picture can depict the deceased character or any aspect(s) from their life.
Requirements
Jay Gatsby:
400 word minimum
Information about his past from the novel
Picture
Myrtle:
200 word minimum
Picture
George:
200 word minimum
Picture
Spelling and grammar DO count (this is an English class)!
Must be in newspaper form