Junior English

The Great Gatsby – essay questions

DUE DATE: Thursday, May 18

Choose one topic below. 750+ words (3 pages+). Informal or formal voice—your choice. Quotations from the novel are essential.

1. What is so “great” about Gatsby? Does Nick think Gatsby is truly great, or is he being ironic? Does Nick expect us, the reader, to think that he is great?

2. Why is The Great Gatsby considered “the great American novel”? Discuss this novel and its “American-ness”: what does it reveal about America? what values does it reveal/expose? can a novel be the “great American novel” if it criticizes America? what aspects of American culture does the novel celebrate? Consider one or more of these questions as you organize your response.

3. Is Gatsby an American icon? Using your study of icons, evaluate Gatsby as an icon. Feel free to compare him to other icons.

4. Who made Jay Gatsby? Consider what characters contributed to the making of his identity and what aspect(s) of his personality and identity they added.

Writing Rules 2004-05 (Correction Guide)

Quarter 4 Vocabulary 2004-05

WEEK 1 apocryphal inarticulate mote respite sate/satiate	WEEK 2 cryptic dolorous opportune stanch tedium	WEEK 3 bauble facetious gauntlet indomitable stolid	WEEK 4 auspicious expatiate gape mutable rostrum
WEEK 5 deranged fawning flippant gusty unwonted	WEEK 6 credulity deducible ingrate interminable obviate	WEEK 7 accrue apex belabor cathartic goad	WEEK 8 corporeal epilogue extraneous morose sallow

Quarter 3 vocabulary 2004-05

WEEK 1 blithe jargon promiscuous scintilla taciturn	WEEK 2 arduous conformity pendant/pendent prefatory traverse	WEEK 3 annals occult purgatory quell recalcitrant	WEEK 4 epigram irreverent partiality sedentary unguent
WEEK 5 dissuade fickle nettle strident translucent/transparent	WEEK 6 affinity haughtiness omnipotent pugnacious renounce	WEEK 7 batten gloat guffaw ideology proxy	WEEK 8 pert expediency extort malefactor vapid

Quarter 2 Vocabulary

WEEK 1 mendacious pied quizzical tribunal venerable	WEEK 2 auxiliary badger brazen egoism/egotism expurgate	WEEK 3 disputations hedonism perfunctory potentate supersede	WEEK 4 bilious collusion imbecility paragon tyro	WEEK 5 barrage bourgeois epitome indigenous maxim
WEEK 6 ardor detriment flagrant monotheism ostentatious	WEEK 7 deleterious disinterested evasive impetus replete	WEEK 8 adroit banter feint obfuscate subterfuge

Quarter 1 Vocabulary

WEEK 1 alienate coy revelry stigmatize verbose	WEEK 2 barb enormity extirpate saunter titanic	WEEK 3 feasible hallowed idiom innate lackadaisical	WEEK 4 autonomous avid iota quip staid	WEEK 5 circumvent engender infringe ragamuffin stoic
WEEK 6 absolve conciliate omniverous placate slovenly	WEEK 7 adage consummate efficacy finesse plaintive	WEEK 8 debutante dexterous indefatigable officious patriarch

READING SCHEDULE: Friday Night Lights