Research Paper Outline For The Great Gatsby

1. What words would you use to describe Fitzgerald's depiction of the American Dream?

He thinks that everyone wants the American Dream.

.

2. What types of people pursue the American Dream in this novel?

I think there are a lot of people in this novel who are trying to experience the American Dream.

3. In this novel, how does Fitzgerald depict the ultimate impact of pursuing the American Dream?

In the end I think that this novel admits that the American Dream is what everyone wants, but that it isn't possible.

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Now write the thesis for your essay in the space below, using your answers to the questions above. For example, your thesis statement might look like this:

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests

that the American Dream is (your answer to Question 1 above), the people who pursue it are (your answer to Question 2 above), and this pursuit is ultimately (your answer to Question 3 above).

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is what everyone wants, the people who pursue the American Dream will never be satisfied, and in this pursuit it is ultimately impossible to achieve the American Dream because you will always want more.

Part 2—Building the Essay

You have read The Great Gatsby, and you have taken notes on its characters, settings, events, symbols, and themes. See also the recordings of the CC sessions where we talked about these things. Now that you have developed a thesis statement, use your knowledge of the novel to support that thesis statement. Start by thinking about and answering the following questions.

1. Establish what was traditionally or historically meant by the phrase "American Dream." Describe the American Dream as F. Scott Fitzgerald and other writers of his generation would have understood the phrase while
growing up.

What is the American Dream? I didn’t know, so I asked google, here's what it said; "the idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative." In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates The American Dream positively, it gives hope to people who believe The American Dream is possible.

2.

Think about how F. Scott Fitzgerald's version of the American Dream in this novel differs from the traditional or historical understanding of the American Dream. Describe the differences between Fitzgerald's American Dream and the traditional American Dream. How is the American Dream in The Great Gatsby shown to be negative or flawed?

The traditional American Dream says we all have an equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work and determination. In the Great Gatsby the American Dream isn't something you can just gain. Jay Gatsby had to work and keep determined to get Daisy to love him, and in the end Daisy feels as if she doesn't belong. The American Dream is impossible to achieve. You will always want more.

3. Focus on Gatsby's character. What traits does Gatsby exhibit? What positive qualities does Gatsby possess? What flaws are there in Gatsby's character? Also consider and describe the other characters that pursue or achieve the American Dream in this novel and their character traits and flaws.

Gatsby – who throws parties so people will love him, and Daisy will notice and they will fall in love.

Daisy – She just wanted to belong. She was IN the American Dream, but she didn't need it. She had the money and the fame, but she didn't feel like she

belongs.
Tom - He has everything. Money, power, wife, mistress, fame. He had it all but it was never good enough for him. He needed more, more, more. He got away with everything even cheating on his wife. But it was never enough for him. People wanted to be just like Tom he was the 'perfect' guy.
Nick – Nick has no idea what he wants.

He was a good guy who had an idea of what he wanted It, but to him it was just a dream. He didn't chase after it. He never drank or went to clubs.He was stuck in the middle of drama that he didn't have anything to do with. What Nick had in the American Dream was what little he made after everyone had moved on or passed away. Then he wrote the novel on The Great Gatsby and explained that it is not worth it. That no matter how much you have, you will always want more.

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4. Describe Gatsby's behavior in the novel. Explain how his behavior can be understood as stemming from his pursuit of the American Dream. Use examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Nick thinks back to the time when he saw Jay Gatsby looking out towards the sea, where he sees a green light. Later in the novel, it is learned that the light is a reminder of his dream to get Daisy to fall in love with him. The green light symbolizes Gatsby's hope to win Daisy's love back. Nick can clearly see that this light has a positive meaning for Gatsby, but he also notices how the light will slowly fade away after awhile and Nick makes the connection that Jay Gatsby's dream – Daisy – is also fading

away.
I will use the quote 'Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us...' (chapter 9 pg 180) in this paragraph to show the significance and symbolism for the previous paragraph.

5. Consider the impact of Gatsby's actions in pursuit of the American Dream (both on himself and others) and the impressions he makes on other characters and readers. Describe how Gatsby's behavior in pursuit of the American Dream affects himself and others.
Gatsby wanted Daisy to fall in love with that, and then Daisy does. Although in the end through a series of events, Daisy drives Gatsby's car and kills Myrtle, Tom's Mistress, and Tom murders Gatsby then himself. This is all because they all wanted more. Gatsby wasn't satisfied just having Daisy's love, he wanted her to leave Tom. Tom wasn't satisfied he wanted more. Daisy is now happy with Gatsby but then she doesn't want Myrtle in the picture and it gets her killed.