English 11

The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

Process Essay

Standards met for this assignment:

Literary Response
Standard 3.5 Students analyze recognized works of American literature.

Writing
Standard 1.3 Students structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way and support
them with precise and relevant examples.

Conventions
Standard 1.1 Students demonstrate control of grammar, diction, paragraph and sentence structure and an
understanding and an understanding of English usage.
Standard 1.3 Students use MLA appropriate manuscript requirements in writing.

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Writing Prompts:

1. Death of the American Dream. Explain how the novel does or does not demonstrate the death
of the American Dream. Is the main theme of Gatsby indeed “the withering American Dream”?

2. Character Analysis. Create an in-depth analysis of one of the characters in the story. Trace
the trends through characters, events, and symbolism.

4. The stratification of social classes. Fitzgerald’s story shows the clear delineations between
different social/ economic classes: new money/ old money, “the haves”/ “the have -nots.” How
are readers to interpret his comments on each of these groups? Does he hold any one group above
the other? Are there ways in which people of all groups are alike? How are these ideas shown in
the text and what message do they ultimately convey?

5. Hollowness of the Upper Class. Discuss how the novel exemplifies the
dehumanizing/corrupting nature of wealth (consider examining characters, plot, symbols, etc.).
Consider doing a Marxist interpretation. Or, more generally, explain the theme of the corruption
of people and society through an examination of characters in the novel who are corrupt.

6. Passage Analysis. Do a close reading of a passage of your choosing, explaining the passage in
light of the entire novel. *Note: the passage must be approved by me first!

Example: In reference to Tom and Daisy, Nick remarks, “They were careless people,
Tom and Daisy; they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their
money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other
people clean up the mess they had made” (180-181). Explain this passage in light of the
entire novel.

7. Cultural Relevance. Is The Great Gatsby an outdated novel, or is it still relevant today? How
does our current day society relate to this story, and what, if anything, can we learn from
Fitzgerald’s story?
 English 11

Rubric

4 - Advanced 3 - Proficient 2 - Basic 1 - Below Basic

Conclusion Adresses all 3 aspects of what Addresses all 3 aspects Superficially addresses all aspects Fails to incorporate aspects of a
needs to be in a conclusion of a conclusion. proper conclusion.
paragraph. Answers the “So What?” question
but does not leave the reader with Fails to fully relate why the
Leaves the reader with a lingering a sufficient lingering thought. content of the essay is relevant or
thought that actually makes them leave the reader with any
linger in thought. Relates content lingering thought.
of the essay and tells why they
matter.

Organization
and Structure Thoroughly develops complex Develops complex topic(s) Superficially develops topic(s) Inadequately develops topic(s)
topic(s) with relevant body with relevant body paragraphs, with relevant body paragraphs, with minimal body paragraphs,
paragraphs, building on building on preceding building on preceding building on some preceding
preceding information information information
information
Creates cohesion and clarifies Creates some cohesion and Uses limited or inappropriate
Creates cohesion and clarifies relationships through clarifies relationships through transition/ linking words,
relationships through skillful transition/linking words, transition/ linking words, phrases, and clauses
use of transition/ linking phrases, and clauses within or phrases, and clauses within or
words, phrases, and between paragraphs and between paragraphs and Uses few techniques (e.g.,
clauses within or between sections sections headings, charts) to
paragraphs and sections inadequately organize ideas,
Uses a variety of techniques Uses some techniques (e.g., concepts, and information to
Purposefully and logically uses (e.g., headings, charts) to headings, charts) to adequately aid comprehension
a variety of techniques (e.g., organize organize ideas, concepts and
headings, charts) to organize ideas, concepts, and information to aid
ideas, concepts, information to aid comprehension
and information to aid comprehension
comprehension

Development Skillfully provides substantial Provides sufficient and Provides limited and/or Provides minimal and/or
and Evidence and pertinent evidence to relevant superficial evidence to develop irrelevant evidence to develop
develop the evidence to develop the topic the topic the topic appropriate to
topic appropriate to audience appropriate to audience appropriate to audience audience

Effectively integrates and cites Competently integrates and Ineffectively integrates and Incorrectly integrates or cites
credible sources* cites credible sources* cites sources* sources*

Shows insightful Shows competent Shows superficial Shows limited or flawed

understanding of topic or text understanding of topic or text understanding of topic or text understanding of topic or text

Language Uses purposeful and varied Uses correct and varied Uses correct and varied Uses limited and/or repetitive
sentence structure sentence structure sentence structure sentence structure

Contains minimal to no errors Contains few, minor errors in Contains few, minor errors in Contains numerous errors in
in conventions (grammar, conventions conventions conventions which cause
punctuation, confusion
spelling, capitalization) Effectively uses figurative Effectively uses figurative
language language Inadequately uses figurative
Competently uses figurative language
language