ENG2DBReading and ExaminingChapters #2-4 of The Great Gatsby

  • Please write all of the assigned chapter work in completesentences. Use directquotations from the novel to add depth to your answers, be thoughtful and analytical, and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the reading.

CHAPTER #2:

  • Symbolism: When an object or action holds a deeper meaning within the context of a piece of literature.
  • Two important symbols in the novel are introduced in chapter #2. For each symbol, provide a description from the novel (direct quotation) and also predict its symbolic meaning in the text.

Symbol #1: The Valley of Ashes

Description of the Symbol: ______

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Explanation of the Symbol: ______

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Symbol #2: The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg

Description of the Symbol: ______

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Explanation of the Symbol: ______

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  • Characterization: The means by which authors reveal a character to readers.
  • In a minimum of 6 sentences, explain how Myrtle Wilson is characterized in chapter #2. Consider her physical description, what she does, what she says, how she behaves, how she interacts with Tom and other characters, and the observations that Nick (the narrator) makes about her.

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CHAPTER #3:

  • SUMMARIZE:Learning to summarize is a skill that requires students to determine what is most important in a piece of writing. For summary writing, you must use text features (i.e. literary devices such as setting and narrative perspective or dialogue that reveals key themes or information about characters) to determine what is the most important.

Please summarize the events of chapter #3 in a maximum of 6 sentences.

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Why does Nick Carraway attend Gatsby’s party? Why is Nick special in comparison to all of Gatsby’s other guests? What might this foreshadow about Gatsby’s intentions for Nick? Explain.

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What are some of the rumours about Jay Gatsby that are whispered among his party guests? Why is it significant that there is such an air of mystery around his character, and that Nick (as well as readers) do not get to meet him until chapter #3?

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Describe Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby’s first meeting in detail. What is Nick’s first impression of him? Provide evidence from the text. What is your first impression of Jay Gatsby as a reader? Explain.

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CHAPTER #4:

  • PREDICTION:Making predictions is a reading strategy in which readers use information from a text to anticipate what they are about to read or what might come next. A reader involved in making predictions is focused on the text at hand, constantly thinking ahead and also refining, revising, and verifying his or her predictions.

Make a prediction as to whether or not Nick will agree to arrange a meeting between Jay and Daisy? Why do you think that he will agree/disagree? Explain.

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Make a prediction as to what might happen if Daisy and Jay do meet again. How do you think that Daisy might react to seeing Jay after such a long time? Explain based on what you know about her character so far.

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  • Questioning:Questioning is a reading strategy that requires readers to ask themselves (and write down) questions as they read in order to engage more with the material and make note of the things that they do not understand or that they want to know more about. Readers can then ask their teacher for clarification based on these questions or keep reading to find the answers!

Write down twoquestions that you have about Jay Gatsby’s character after reading chapter #4 (these questions could be about his actions, the way he speaks, the things that he says, the way people treat him, his motivations for attempting to befriend Nick, how he made him money, etc.)

Question #1: ______

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Question #2: ______

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