Great Gatsby: Curriculum Unit

by Patricia Dillon, Mary Anne Kovacs

This unit's 12 lessons have students analyze literary elements such as imagery, figurative language, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony, paradox, diction, and syntax. They also discuss themes, point of view, characters, and setting. Lessons offer opportunities for group work, research, writing, and speaking. Grades 9-12. (CFL311)

Genres: Classics, Fiction

83 pages, Spiral-bound

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating study of a fascinating man. In a time where nearly any personal transformation was possible, the great Gatsby achieved that transformation. And he paid a terrible price for it.

[Seyf · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was so many ways he could have get the girl, but the only logical thing to do for him was throw party after party hoping she’d show up
Like come oooon just go knock on her door and talk to her idk
Nick and Jordan deserved better than just being passive witnesses
I liked it but I’m frustrated

[Sahil Tallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Gatsby was a great book that I really enjoyed reading. While reading the book, I practically never felt a moment whenever I was born. I did not read the book because I was required to do so, but because I felt the book was truly interesting. The plot progresses wonderfully in my opinion, and the tone of the book changes with the plot twists and deaths in the end, which started with Myrtle and ended with Gatsby. In the book I realized that there was so much symbolism, and Fitzgerald used a lot of objects that symbolized themes for this book. Although, this was a great book, my taste in books is usually first person narration, and the narrator being Nick made me a little confused while reading the book, because I am really used to reading books with a separate narrator or it being in first person, and it felt weird with Nick.

[Jade Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally, I really enjoyed this book “The Great Gatspy”. I found this book very entertaining because of the drama, suspense, and love. This book has many characters with different personalities so it was very entertaining so see these characters interact with each other. The affairs and sneaking around caught my attention and made me interested in this book. Another reason I liked this book was because of the time period. Hitting girls was a more common thing to do back then which blew my mind. I really took to heart the message and imagine about “American Dream” because even thought there are amazing things in life like fame and popularity, at the end of the day it matters who you have surrounding you.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

G asked me, his grandma the Grammar Nazi, to read a paper about this and it made me go back and read. Probably would not have been five stars but I recognized G's comments about parts of the book and it gave me a really good and warm grandmotherly feeling...

[Brody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good a book it was very interesting. I like how it takes people back into the old time and creates a movie in their head to keep the reader engaged. I recommend this book for anyone interested.

[Azucena Coronel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It began a bit slow, but then totally trapped me.
I loved the descriptions, not overwhelming,....just the precise detail for you to be able to picture in your mind the setting.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, great writing!

[Devin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book, would not recommended to read. Don't put yourself through this!

[Lavery Hoard]

Great book. Gatsby is such a 4

[Samantha Lacavich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book it uses great imagery and words to depict the time this story was placed in. It has hints of drama and mystery to it that grabs the reader right when you start reading it.

[Kelly Maney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the great Gatsby. At the beginning it was a little slow while Nick Callaway was explaining Gatsby but once Nick Gatsby the book was always exciting with not knowing what would happen between Daisy Gatsby and daisys husband and who would end up together the ending surprised so much by the phone call being Nick and not Daisy and no one went to Gatsby's funeral because of the crime he was thought he did but Daisy actually did. Not even Daisy came

[Samuel Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

They way Fitzgerald captivates his words brings the reader not only for a ride but brought into the time period giving cultural norms and great depictions of the scene.He paints a picture that you can't help to not look at twice, an absolute masterpiece.Complete art from cover to back,this book is a classic must read.

[Allie Kozlowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the book! At a few points I was a bit confused on some of the relationships but I was always interested in reading more. Again with this book I would wait it out and see how mature your class can handle books and the discussions about them, especially if they have seen the movie before reading the book.

[Lewis Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll never forget the light at the end of the Dock.

[Yoshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Hannah]

This book lives up to the hype. I loved it. But being an young teenager, it was very challenging to keep up eith. But i understood it. The ending was very shocking. But all together it was great.

[Dalia]

In reading The Great Gatsby, I was not even one chapter in and I was immediately shocked at how women were portrayed. Women in The Great Gatsby are mostly there to entice and undermine the power of men. In the novel it seemed like the main concept regarding gender was that Without women messing things up, life would be a lot better. Reading this as a young woman it had me surprised that men in that society believed that. I was also confused and when daisy the main female character in the novel says “And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." The fact that women in that day in age believed that they couldn't be anything more than a beautiful fool disgusted me and the idea that they should be ignored so they don't have to have it hard in life made me think about society during this time. As I continued reading on in the novel the theme of men being above women occurred to be shown more and more. Men were portrayed as powerful whereas women were in the background looking pretty. Some questions I had was Does Daisy represent the "ideal woman" of the upper class? and How does the way George Wilson treats his wife Myrtle different from others? Does the way that a man treats a woman comment on his character in this text?