The Great Gatsby

Essential Question:

How do American authors use language and rhetorical choices to convey their message? How can we, as writers, use language and rhetorical choices to convey our message?

Portrait of a Graduate:

Critical Thinking

Communication

Inquiry Question:

What is the American Dream and to what extent is it achievable for all Americans?

2. Inquiry Question:

What is Fitzgerald arguing about America–and the Dream– and what methods does he use to convey his argument?

3. Inquiry Question:

How does the use of symbols add to a work of literature?

How can the choices a director makes affect the way the story is told, even when the story is well known?

Student Outcomes:

Students will be able to identify and analyze the themes in the novel and what methods Fitzgerald uses to convey them.
Students will be able to evaluate and analyze Fitzgerald’s argument about the American Dream.
Students will be able to participate in class discussions surrounding the themes of the novel.
Students will analyze scenes from the film and the choices made by the director.

2. Student Outcomes:

Students will be able to identify and analyze the themes in the novel and what methods Fitzgerald uses to convey them.
Students will be able to evaluate and analyze Fitzgerald’s argument about the American Dream.
Students will be able to participate in class discussions surrounding the themes of the novel.
Students will analyze scenes from the film and the choices made by the director.

3. Student Outcomes:

Students will be able to identify and analyze the themes in the novel and what methods Fitzgerald uses to convey them.
Students will be able to evaluate and analyze Fitzgerald’s argument about the American Dream.
Students will be able to participate in class discussions surrounding the themes of the novel.
Students will analyze scenes from the film and the choices made by the director.

Skills Demonstrated:

Literary analysis
Class discussions
Vocabulary

Standards:

R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R10
W9
SL1
SL4
L4

Additional Skills:

Resources:

Baz Luhrmann’s film The Great Gatsby and possibly the A&E production of Gatsby

[Our Hidden Google Drive Resource link]