The Great Gatsby Summative Project
You’ve fondled details. You’ve peered at things from multiple perspectives. And now you’ve finished reading (!!!) one of the most memorable American novels of all time. At this moment, it’s time to put those skills to the test for your Great Gatsby summative. You will have three options to choose from. Each will provide you with the chance to demonstrate your mastery of the skills mentioned above while enabling you the opportunity to analyze the journey of one particular character as they progressed (or digressed) through the novel. Choose wisely – each option holds its own perks and challenges. Play to your strengths, and work to refine your weaknesses.
Option 1: Character Soundtrack
For this option, you will compile a list of ten songs to accompany one character’s realization or destruction of his/her dreams. These songs do not need to be from one particular generation, nor from one specific genre of music. If you can support, with textual evidence, why each song chosen fits with a part of your character’s journey, anything* goes. (*Anything BUT songs found on the real soundtrack...choosing any of those songs would be considered PLAIGARISM.)
Five of the ten songs must have a justification that integrates at least one quote from the book as well as one line from the song. Use your transitional skills to help move you from song to novel, novel to song. You will need to provide a strong connection between the song and your character’s individual struggle/triumph/obstacle/etc. at the moment(s) they would listen to this song.
The other 5 songs should have an explanation that is at least one compound/complex sentence that ties your song choice to your character’s journey.
Formatting Information: An introductory paragraph should explain who your character is and include a claim that explains the nature of your character’s journey. Songs should be presented in chronological order based on the plot of Gatsby, and a conclusion should tie everything together at the end.
Pursuit of Happyness Example:
10. “Feel this Moment” by Pitbull and Christina Aguilera
If Chris Gardner could have paused his life at the instant he was told he had been hired for Walter Dean, he would have done it to play this song. Each of the previous stages of his life involved hardships including being abandoned by his unsupportive wife, loosing his X-ray machines twice, and succumbing to homelessness. Because of these negative experiences, Chris was better able to appreciate the sweet nectar of the moment when all of his hard work paid off. After stages like “Riding the Bus” , “Being Stupid”, and “Running”, Gardner was finally able to express the best of all: “This part of my life is called Happyness” (Pursuit of Happyness). The fist pumping that ensues as he walks down the street to retrieve his son would be perfectly accompanied by Christina Aguilera’s triumphant declaration: “I just wanna feel this moment” and Pitbull’s assertion that he “make[s] dollars, I mean billions, I'm a genius, I mean brilliance” (Pitbull). After all, it was Chris’ brilliance and genius that led him to attain a job that would eventually allow him to make millions. Along with these bold declarations comes a catchy, upbeat and motivating melody that would encourage any red-blooded American achieving the Dream want to get up and dance.
Option 2: __(Insert name here)___’s Survival Guide through the Dream (Booklet)
This Survival Guide will walk your audience through a tour of the partying, affairs, and ensuing drama through the eyes of one particular character. (NOTE: You may NOT choose Nick for this option...the book was basically an extended version of this option!) For example, you could do “Myrtle’s Guide Through the Valley of the Ashes”. Your character’s survival guide will comprise of ten steps to follow in order to make it through the realization or destruction of his/her dreams. In order to do this, look at your chosen character’s mistakes, faults, and flaws and think how these blunders might have been avoided, or how they could have been handled differently. Put yourself in your character’s shoes (or heels) and write reflectively on what happened to you throughout the story. For five of the ten steps, you must have an extended explanation, including at least 2 embedded quotes (ICEE) per step. These should be beefy paragraphs explaining why this is such an important step for survival in your world. The other 5 steps should be between 3-4 sentences in length.
Formatting Information: Include an introduction to your Survival guide, 5 beefy steps and 5 compound/complex steps (in a mixed order as you see fit), and a conclusion.
Pursuit of Happyness Example:
Step 1: Before you do anything that could lead to the creation of a child, make sure you are committed to a supportive and devoted spouse.
As a fresh couple embarking on a new journey in San Francisco, it was difficult to predict that my ex would end up abandoning me. As we loaded our apartment with the X-ray scanners, she squealed with delight at the thought of my entrepreneurial success, and didn’t mind “doing the hard part” of carrying the heavy loads up the front steps. But as time passed and our son grew, it was clear that she was no longer willing to carry that load. Instead of encouraging me, pumping me up, to sell the rest of the machines, she ordered me with a sharp tongue to return home with a check in place of a machine. And when I was unsuccessful, her face wouldn’t hide the disgust and disappointment she felt. When I finally realized that becoming a stock broker was where I needed to be, she replied by saying, “What? Not an astronaut?” when she should have instead folded me in a warm hug and told me she would support me no matter what, as long as I was trying. And I certainly was trying. “The first time I met my father, I was 27 years old” (Pursuit), and I made it my number one priority to provide for my son both physically and emotionally. Not even that attentiveness to my son could hold my ex in place as the woman and mother of our family. Had I chosen a better mate, I might have been able to avoid putting my son through homelessness and all the anguish that came from being abandoned by his mother.
Option 3: Newspaper Columns
In keeping with our study of perspective, you will practive stepping into the shoes of three different characters from The Great Gatsby. Once again, you may NOT write from Nick’s perspective, as that has already been explored by Fitzgerald, himself. Your newspaper must include the following 3 components: “In Memoriam”, and advice column, and a “Feature” article.
In Memoriam
This needs to be 1-2 beefy paragraphs in length. You are summarizing one character’s life in a short amount of space, so make sure you choose the most important details. You must ICEE a quote from this character within the article. (“They were often heard saying...” or “They lived by this rule...”) Include what they were known for alive, and what they will be remembered for in death. You do not need to choose a character that dies in the book. (1 page in length, single-spaced)
Advice Column
Think “Dear Abby”. This is where one character from the book writes to another character for advice. You will need to include 2 letters from 2 different characters and a response to each. (You could take the perspective of 4 different characters throughout this portion, or choose one character for the responses, and two different characters for the questions.) Word your advice for each letter to fit the persona of the character writing it. (Advice from Daisy would sound very different from advice given by Tom, for example.) The key is to transfer the tone of your character from the book into their advice column. Create a realistic question from each of your 2 chosen characters and put them right before the advice part of the column. You should have a 2-paragraph response persuading your characters to follow a certain set of advice, for a total of 4 paragraphs. Format it as you would a letter. (1 page in length, single spaced)
Fitzgerald’s Feature Article
You have 7 ways to attack this article. First choose a character, then choose an area of focus for that character: fashion, architecture, transportation, crime/prohibition, social class, entertainment, or lifestyle. You will need to do a little research for this so that your character can make authentic comments on various details related to your chosen focus. For example, Daisy might do a “Fashion Feature” where she critiques the styles that were seen at 1920s parties like the ones Gatsby threw. Or Tom might write an “Auto Feature” where he explains his opinions on cars of the Roaring 20s. Have fun with this piece by combining your chosen character’s tone and persona with a historical part of their journey. This should end up a full page.
General Requirements:
Ø No matter what option you choose, you should burn in 3 pages of typed, single-spaced writing.
Ø All projects must be edited, typed, and formatted to look professional and of the highest quality. Use your best judgment when deciding how to format each option. This project is designed as a more creative alternative to writing a 3-page essay, and the final product should reflect that creativity and thoughtfulness.
Ø All juniors will be required to submit their final project to TurnItIn.com BEFORE it will be graded.
Ø The final product is DUE: _______________________________________________________