The Great Gatsby Creative Project: written work and guidelines
Due: A Day students: March 11th
B Day students: March 12th
The final product for The Great Gatsby will be a two-part creative writing project. For this creative writing assignment, you will rely heavily on the Reader Response Journals you have completed for the novel. Use your Reader Response Journals for help with themes, symbols/motifs, figurative language and imagery, characterization, and vocabulary; all of these elements should be incorporated into your creative writing assignment. Your writing should reflect those elements of The Great Gatsby, as well as imitate Fitzgerald’s writing style.
PART I. Word Poems (Everyone)
Using the following list of words, create a word poem inspired by The Great Gatsby. Your poem should focus on theme, symbolism, and/or character. Your poem should be a minimum of six lines.
Word list: wealth, decadence, vacuous, white, golden, colors, ashes, haughty, dust.
PART II. Choose ONE of the following:
Option #1: Re-write a scene from a different character’s point of view.
Choose a scene from the novel, and re-write it from a different point-of-view. While the plot events should remain the same, your re-write will include a new perspective on the scene. How might another character in the novel, say Myrtle or Gatsby, interpret the situation differently from Nick? Your re-write should not only reflect Fitzgerald’s style, it should also be an accurate representation of the character whose perspective you’ve represented. Before you begin your re-write, answer the following questions about your character to better understand his or her point of view. Minimum of two full pages, typed and double spaced.
§ What does this character fear the most?
§ What motivates this character?
§ What is this character’s greatest desire/ hope?
§ How does this character feel about the other people in the scene?
§ What is this character’s biggest regret, if anything?
§ How does this character interact with other people in general?
Option #2: Re-write the outcome for either Tom/Gatsby/ Daisy or Nick/Jordan.
This is your opportunity to give your characters what they deserve (or perhaps don’t deserve). This option allows you to change the major plot events for either set of characters: Tom/ Gatsby/ Daisy OR Nick/ Jordan. Choose one set of characters, and write a new ending for them. While you have creative freedom to change the plot, your plot structure and choices must be faithful to The Great Gatsby. You will need to create a new conflict for your characters, and decide how they will resolve it. Think of this option as a mini-short story. The new ending should reflect Fitzgerald’s writing style and incorporate the themes, symbols/motifs, and figurative language/ imagery from the novel. Minimum of two full pages typed and double spaced.
1. _____ (10 pts. possible) Creativity/ Originality—work demonstrates thought, planning, and originality.
2. _____ (20 pts. possible). Connection to The Great Gatsby/ Relevance—(evidence of Gatsby themes, 2-3 symbols/ motifs, use of figurative language and imagery (especially color imagery), and 4-5 vocabulary words used correctly). Logical and plausible plot structure; evidence of conflict.
3. _____ (10 pts. possible) Style—writing is patterned after with Fitzgerald’s writing style; ideas flow together coherently and intelligently. Sentences are connected well and complete. Effective use of language, as well as rules of grammar and mechanics).
4. ____ (5 pts.) TYPE and DOUBLE-SPACE your work.
5. _____ (5 pts.) Followed all directions as listed at the top of the page.
___/ 50
1. _____ (10 pts. possible) Creativity/ Originality—work demonstrates thought, planning, and originality.
2. _____ (20 pts. possible). Connection to The Great Gatsby/ Relevance—(evidence of Gatsby themes, 2-3 symbols/ motifs, use of figurative language and imagery (especially color imagery), and 4-5 vocabulary words used correctly). Logical and plausible plot structure; evidence of conflict.
3. _____ (10 pts. possible) Style—writing is patterned after with Fitzgerald’s writing style; ideas flow together coherently and intelligently. Sentences are connected well and complete. Effective use of language, as well as rules of grammar and mechanics).
4. ____ (5 pts.) TYPE and DOUBLE-SPACE your work.
5. _____ (5 pts.) Followed all directions as listed at the top of the page.
___/ 50
1. _____ (10 pts. possible) Creativity/ Originality—work demonstrates thought, planning, and originality.
2. _____ (20 pts. possible). Connection to The Great Gatsby/ Relevance—(evidence of Gatsby themes, 2-3 symbols/ motifs, use of figurative language and imagery (especially color imagery), and 4-5 vocabulary words used correctly). Logical and plausible plot structure; evidence of conflict.
3. _____ (10 pts. possible) Style—writing is patterned after with Fitzgerald’s writing style; ideas flow together coherently and intelligently. Sentences are connected well and complete. Effective use of language, as well as rules of grammar and mechanics).
4. ____ (5 pts.) TYPE and DOUBLE-SPACE your work.
5. _____ (5 pts.) Followed all directions as listed at the top of the page.
___/ 50
1. _____ (10 pts. possible) Creativity/ Originality—work demonstrates thought, planning, and originality.
2. _____ (20 pts. possible). Connection to The Great Gatsby/ Relevance—(evidence of Gatsby themes, 2-3 symbols/ motifs, use of figurative language and imagery (especially color imagery), and 4-5 vocabulary words used correctly). Logical and plausible plot structure; evidence of conflict.
3. _____ (10 pts. possible) Style—writing is patterned after with Fitzgerald’s writing style; ideas flow together coherently and intelligently. Sentences are connected well and complete. Effective use of language, as well as rules of grammar and mechanics).
4. ____ (5 pts.) TYPE and DOUBLE-SPACE your work.
5. _____ (5 pts.) Followed all directions as listed at the top of the page.
___/ 50