Happy Happy Tuesday!Tuesday!

TODAY:TODAY: Hand in PortfoliosHand in Portfolios

Make sure Gatsby Make sure Gatsby rumor/gossip, rumor/gossip, scavenger hunt sheet, scavenger hunt sheet, and final discussion and final discussion questions stapled to questions stapled to the back. the back.

Final discussionFinal discussion Moral gaugeMoral gauge

What motifs support What motifs support these themes:these themes:

Lack of moral compass, Questionable Lack of moral compass, Questionable moralitymorality

Excess & WasteExcess & Waste Illusion vs. Reality Illusion vs. Reality Honesty & DishonestyHonesty & Dishonesty Responsibility & IrresponsibilityResponsibility & Irresponsibility The American Dream, Re-creating onesselfThe American Dream, Re-creating onesself Personal growth, degradationPersonal growth, degradation Loneliness, Longing, Lack of FulfillmentLoneliness, Longing, Lack of Fulfillment Can’t Repeat the Past, Time is FleetingCan’t Repeat the Past, Time is Fleeting

Connections between Connections between motifs & themesmotifs & themes

Watching/observing/voyeurism Watching/observing/voyeurism Loneliness Loneliness Automobiles/driving Automobiles/driving Irresponsibility, Carelessness Irresponsibility, Carelessness Color symbolism Color symbolism Waste/Excess Waste/Excess

Longing/LonelinessLonging/Loneliness

Illusion vs. RealityIllusion vs. Reality Violence Violence Illusion vs. Reality Illusion vs. Reality Clocks, time Clocks, time Time Running Out, Can’t repeat the Time Running Out, Can’t repeat the

pastpast East vs. West East vs. West The American Dream, Waste/Excess The American Dream, Waste/Excess The Eyes of T.J.E., The Valley of Ashes The Eyes of T.J.E., The Valley of Ashes

Waste/Excess, MoralityWaste/Excess, Morality

Gatsby as tragic hero?Gatsby as tragic hero?

A tragic hero has “potential for greatness A tragic hero has “potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he cannot win. He makes situation where he cannot win. He makes some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory, and his spirit lives on.”victory, and his spirit lives on.”

Do you think Gatsby is a tragic hero?Do you think Gatsby is a tragic hero?

What does this mean?What does this mean?

"So we beat on, boats against the "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into current, borne back ceaselessly into

the past." the past."

HomeworkHomework

Complete Literary Criticism Complete Literary Criticism

Next Class: A Slight breather… get Next Class: A Slight breather… get ready for Frost for Wednesday night ready for Frost for Wednesday night homework! homework!

StyleStyle ““ModernistModernist” (and, for the time, quite advanced) **” (and, for the time, quite advanced) ** Pompous tonePompous tone at times, a little overblown (this period at times, a little overblown (this period

of literature was still quite "drawing room" style in its of literature was still quite "drawing room" style in its readership)readership)

ImageryImagery: His descriptive writing is littered with : His descriptive writing is littered with imagery related to the themes. (the five senses- imagery related to the themes. (the five senses- descriptions of Gatsby’s parties, valley of ashes, etc.)descriptions of Gatsby’s parties, valley of ashes, etc.)

Symbolism: Symbolism: He uses symbols to highlight He uses symbols to highlight characteristics of individuals (Wolfsheim’s cufflinks), characteristics of individuals (Wolfsheim’s cufflinks), themes (the green light for yearning, longing, lonliness), themes (the green light for yearning, longing, lonliness), and setting (lights to show excesses of Gatsby’s home)and setting (lights to show excesses of Gatsby’s home)

Symbolic imagerySymbolic imagery between characters to describe between characters to describe relationshipsrelationships Example: in Gatsby, the disintegration of a marriage Example: in Gatsby, the disintegration of a marriage

is suggested by the husband getting lost in traffic and is suggested by the husband getting lost in traffic and losing the others, including the car his wife is inlosing the others, including the car his wife is in

First person narrative is used realistically: the First person narrative is used realistically: the characters are not necessarily heroes (not characters are not necessarily heroes (not Romanticized). Romanticized).

ModernismModernism, as a literary style, emerged , as a literary style, emerged after WWI, beginning in Europe and then after WWI, beginning in Europe and then progressing into American literature by progressing into American literature by the late 1920s. After the First World War the late 1920s. After the First World War many people questioned the chaos and many people questioned the chaos and the insanity of it all.the insanity of it all.

The world’s “universal truths” and trust in The world’s “universal truths” and trust in authority figures began to crumble, and authority figures began to crumble, and Modernism was a response to the Modernism was a response to the destruction of these beliefs. destruction of these beliefs.

ModernismModernism

ModernismModernismCharacteristics:Characteristics: Fragmentation – in plot, characters, theme, images, and overall storyline. Fragmentation – in plot, characters, theme, images, and overall storyline.

Thus, for instance, many modernist works are not in the typical linear Thus, for instance, many modernist works are not in the typical linear sequence.sequence.

Loss is a huge theme in modernist works.Loss is a huge theme in modernist works. The “truth” is questionable, as a common theme, and thus, you cannot The “truth” is questionable, as a common theme, and thus, you cannot

always trust the narrator to tell the truth, whereas in traditional literature always trust the narrator to tell the truth, whereas in traditional literature it is the narrator’s job to make the reader understand what’s going on. it is the narrator’s job to make the reader understand what’s going on. Also, there may be more than one narrator, showing the diversity of truth.Also, there may be more than one narrator, showing the diversity of truth.

The destruction of the family unit. The destruction of the family unit. Characters may be given little or no physical description, and one or more Characters may be given little or no physical description, and one or more

characters is usually an "outcast.“characters is usually an "outcast.“ Authority figures are often untrustworthy, reflecting the question of truth.Authority figures are often untrustworthy, reflecting the question of truth. Movement away from religion.Movement away from religion. The reversal of traditional roles (Example: women doing something The reversal of traditional roles (Example: women doing something

typically “male” and/or vice versa. Or the changing of customary racial typically “male” and/or vice versa. Or the changing of customary racial roles).roles).

Ambiguous ending; such works often leave a lot of questions with the Ambiguous ending; such works often leave a lot of questions with the reader; they don’t tie everything up for you.reader; they don’t tie everything up for you.

Often setting is more than just the setting (i.e. more meaning to it than Often setting is more than just the setting (i.e. more meaning to it than just where the story takes place), or, maybe there is no setting at all.just where the story takes place), or, maybe there is no setting at all.

The use of improper grammar to reflect dialect.The use of improper grammar to reflect dialect. More use of the first person narrative, reflecting the lack of universal More use of the first person narrative, reflecting the lack of universal

truth, i.e. there are only individual truths.truth, i.e. there are only individual truths.

"That was always my experience—a poor boy "That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boy's in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boy's school; a poor boy in a rich man's club at school; a poor boy in a rich man's club at Princeton.... However, I have never been Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works." has colored my entire life and works." —F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters—F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. , ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, 1994. pg. 352. (Cited in "1994. pg. 352. (Cited in "Quotations," from ," from the EDSITEment-reviewed the EDSITEment-reviewed F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary.) .)