Think back upon the texts you have read and consider the following:
1. How can intolerance lead to conflict? 2. How do people create a sense of self? 3. What essential human freedoms should be accorded to all persons? After taking a moment to think about these questions, leave a response that addresses all three of these questions. You do not need to cite any specific evidence in your comment. Your comment should be no shorter than a paragraph in length.
15 Comments
1. Nick has written this account of Jay Gatsby and chose to title it "Great Gatsby." Was Jay Gatsby great or merely mediocre? Explain your thinking.
2. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses many symbols. What is one important symbol from the novel and what does it represent? (If possible, try not to repeat symbols others have used). 1. A Tragic flaw is a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character leading to his downfall. This trait could be the lack of self-knowledge, lack of judgment and often it is hubris (pride). In what way(s) is Jay Gatsby tragically flawed?
2. If Gatsby was a symbol of the American Dream, what does his tragic death tell us about the American Dream? 1. Compare & Contrast Tom and Gatsby. How are they alike? How are they different?
2. Given the extremely negative light in which Tom is portrayed throughout the novel, why might Daisy choose to remain with him instead of leaving him for Gatsby? 3. WHy does Tom insist that Daisy and Gatsby drive together? What might this imply about Tom's character? Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
Nick says, “You can’t repeat the past.” Gatsby replies, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” Gatsby then describes a moment when he had kissed Daisy. Nick describes Gatsby’s memory as “appalling sentimentality,” after which Nick himself remembers a “fragment” and an “elusive rhythm.” 1. Are these passages about Nick or Gatsby? What has Nick forgotten that he is trying to retrieve? 2. Does Gatsby misuse the past and his memories in order to enliven the present? 3. Gatsby believes that the past can be repeated. Is he right? Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
1. Describe the mood and tone of Jay and Daisy's reunion and describe the underlying meaning of their conversation by describing their body language and facial expressions. In what ways do these moments seem more genuine than Jay and Daisy's daily life? 2. On page 86 Nick remarks that ‘Americans while willing, even eager, to be Serfs have always been obstinate about peasantry’ and that Gatsby’s mansion has a ‘feudal silhouette’. Define what each of these statements might mean. Thinking about what you know about why people moved from Europe to America, what do you think that Fitzgerald is trying to say about the European legacy that prevails in American high society? Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
1. What is the green light and what might it symbolize? 2. How would you describe the world that Gatsby lives in? Would you say that he has achieved the American dream? Why or why not? Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
1. At the end of Chapter 3, Nick says: “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” When you consider his role as narrator, do you believe that he is honest? Are his depictions of others honest? If he is not honest, why does he believe he is so honest? In other words, is Nick a reliable narrator? Nick believes he is an honest, nonjudgemental narrator. Do you agree? Provide evidence to support your answer. Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
1. Consider the settings you have been introduced to (East Egg, West Egg, Valley of Ashes, & New York). What parts of 1920s society or life might each setting represent? 2. Based upon the gossip about Gatsby, what idea or image do you have of Jay Gatsby? Explain. Answer the question(s) by leaving a comment. After several comments have been left, comment on at least 2 other comments. Remember that this is a virtual DISCUSSION.
1.Why do you believe Nick is telling this story? 2. Why is Nick “confused and a little disgusted” at the end of the chapter? |