The Great Gatsby



Image by Wolf Gang. CC-BY-SA
This post is about The Great Gatsby, the book we'll be reading this term. Remember to get an unabridged copy, and not a graded reader. Penguin is one of the major publishers.
Here you will find some links which will help you understand the novel better. You are very welcome to browse. I hope you find this information useful. 

Before you read the book
Who wrote The Great Gatsby? When was the book published? How many film versions have you watched?

Watch the author's biography and take notes.
The Great Gatsby - Background
1) The Jazz Age 

 The novel was written during the 1920s. There was a movement which influenced cultural changes in America and beyond, particularly in Britain and France. This movement is called The Jazz Age, a term that Fitzgerald coined. Prominent black musicians include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald. The Jazz Age was a reaction to the suffering of World War I.

 2) The Midwest and the East Coast
Look at these two maps. What can you see in this map?



Image by Wapcaplet. en.wikipedia.org











 What can you see in this second map?
Image by Wapcaplet. en.wikipedia.org
Click on this map to see the names of all the states.



You can download a map courtesy of National Geographic from this page.
The first map represents the Midwest, often associated with old-fashioned stability while the East is associated with the new rich. 

East Egg and West Egg
In The Great Gatsby there are two cities in New York separated by The Valley of Ashes, East Egg and West Egg. Scott Fitzgerald uses these two cities to represent two classes of wealth (old wealth and new wealth).

As you read the book, make a note of who lives in East Egg and West Egg, what kind of education they have (you may be interested to learn about the Ivy League colleges), who represents the old wealth and who the new wealth.

The Prohibition era and the 18th Ammendment

Do you know the man in the picture? What is his connection with the Prohibition era?

Click here to find out.
The Prohibition era or Prohibition movement was a ban on the sale, manufacture and distribution of alcohol in America, from 1919 to 1933.

Do you think that the 18th Ammendment was a success? Did this prohibition stop people from drinking? Did prohibition help the national economy? 

Watch this video about this turbulent period in American history.
The American Dream
The American Dream is about discovery, individualism and the pursuit of happiness. However, the American Dream goes wrong in the book. How?
Symbols
There are some symbols you should be on the lookout (be vigilant, alert):
·         Automobiles
·         The green light
·         The Valley of Ashes
·         Dr. T. J. Eckelberg’s eyes

 Well, let me know how you get on with your research!
 A selection of jazz music

 Listen to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong singing "Summertime"





Listen to Dinah Washington singing "Mad about the boy"

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