Author’s Purpose and the Narrative Perspective

As seen in The Great Gatsby

Author’s PurposeWhat is the author’s purpose?

Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose

usually consists of one or more of the following:

What is the author’s purpose?

Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose

usually consists of one or more of the following: To inform.

What is the author’s purpose?

Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose

usually consists of one or more of the following: To inform. To entertain.

What is the author’s purpose?

Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose

usually consists of one or more of the following: To inform. To entertain. To express himself

or herself.

What is the author’s purpose?

Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose

usually consists of one or more of the following: To inform. To entertain. To express himself

or herself. To persuade

readers to believe or do something.

What is the author’s purpose?

Discuss For which purpose(s) do you think F.

Scott Fitzgerald tells his story The Great Gatsby?

To inform. To entertain. To express himself. To persuade readers to

believe or do something.

Discuss Think of one scene or episode from The

Great Gatsby for each of the possible purposes that F. Scott Fitzgerald might have in writing his book.

To inform. To entertain. To express himself. To persuade readers to

believe or do something.

Possible Purposes Fitzgerald may wish to inform the

readers what the decadent life of the 1920’s upper-class society was really like.

Possible Purposes Fitzgerald may wish to inform the

readers what the decadent life of the 1920’s upper-class society was really like.

The author is entertaining us with a story that involves mystery, betrayal, love, and deception.

Possible Purposes Fitzgerald may wish to inform the

readers what the decadent life of the 1920’s upper-class society was really like.

The author is entertaining us with a story that involves mystery, betrayal, love, and deception.

He expresses himself through Nick’s (the narrator’s) views of the people he encounters.

Possible Purposes Fitzgerald may wish to inform the readers

what the decadent life of the 1920’s upper-class society was really like.

The author is entertaining us with a story that involves mystery, betrayal, love, and deception.

He expresses himself through Nick’s (the narrator’s) views of the people he encounters.

Fitzgerald may wish to persuade us by believing in the themes of the book, including the American dream, loyalty and love, and the emptiness of materialism.

The Narrative Perspective The author’s purpose is carried out by

the author telling the story through the eyes of the narrator.

The Narrative Perspective The author’s purpose is carried out by

the author telling the story through the eyes of the narrator.

We should remember that the narrator’s views do not necessarily represent the author’s, but in many instances the narrator does act as a conduit for an author to convey his or her perspective.

Often we are so involved in the story itself that we don’t pay attention to how the story is being told and who is telling us the story.

Stepping back

Often we are so involved in the story itself that we don’t pay attention to how the story is being told and who is telling us the story.

When you watch an action movie, are you really thinking about which camera angles they’re using?

Stepping back

Let’s compare books and movies:

Books and movies

Let’s compare books and movies:An author uses a narrator to carry out his or her vision.

Books and movies

Let’s compare books and movies:An author uses a narrator to carry out his or her vision.

The movie director uses the camera lens to carry out his or her vision.

Books and movies

Let’s compare books and movies:An author uses a narrator to carry out his or her vision.

The movie director uses the camera lens to carry out his or her vision.

Both the narrator and camera lens control what we see of the story.

Books and movies

What qualities does Nick have as a narrator?

He is the eyes through which we experience the story.

Nick’s role as narrator

What qualities does Nick have as a narrator?

He is the eyes through which we experience the story.

He is a reliable, informed narrator because he is Gatsby’s neighbor and knows both Gatsby and Daisy.

Nick’s role as narrator

What qualities does Nick have as a narrator?

He is the eyes through which we experience the story.

He is a reliable, informed narrator because he is Gatsby’s neighbor and knows both Gatsby and Daisy.

His personal life is not all that interesting; his main job is to tell the more intriguing story going on around him.

Nick’s role as narrator

What are some more qualities Nick has as narrator?

He is a generally likable, inoffensive person, so we are comfortable with him as narrator.

Nick’s role as narrator

Nick: “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” (Chapter 9 p. 179)

What are some more qualities Nick has as narrator?

He is a generally likable, inoffensive person, so we are comfortable with him as narrator.

We can sympathize with his views, taking us closer into the story through shared emotion.

Nick’s role as narrator

Nick: “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” (Chapter 9 p. 179)

What are some more qualities Nick has as narrator?

He is a generally likable, inoffensive person, so we are comfortable with him as narrator.

We can sympathize with his views, taking us closer into the story through shared emotion. He is not as wealthy as

those around him.

Nick’s role as narrator

Nick: “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” (Chapter 9 p. 179)

What are some more qualities Nick has as narrator?

He is a generally likable, inoffensive person, so we are comfortable with him as narrator.

We can sympathize with his views, taking us closer into the story through shared emotion. He is not as wealthy as

those around him. He is not dishonest like

those around him.

Nick’s role as narrator

Nick: “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” (Chapter 9 p. 179)

What are some more qualities Nick has as narrator?

He is a generally likable, inoffensive person, so we are comfortable with him as narrator.

We can sympathize with his views, taking us closer into the story through shared emotion. He is not as wealthy as

those around him. He is not dishonest like

those around him. He does not know

everything, pulling us into the story to try to figure it out.

Nick’s role as narrator

Nick: “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” (Chapter 9 p. 179)

Write a paragraph discussing how Nick is an effective narrator because he embodies the following three characteristics. Provide at least one example with specific evidence from the story for each characteristic.

1. Nick is not as wealthy as those around him.

2. Nick is not dishonest like those around him.

3. Nick does not know everything, pulling us into the story to try to figure it out.

Your assignment