Reading Response Prompts
 

These prompts are meant to get you thinking about what you have read and to help focus your thoughts for your reading responses. You can respond to any of them, or, if you have another idea you would rather explore, you are free to write about that instead. Even if you choose to pursue an idea of your own, however, or are not writing a response that day, you should still spend at least a few minutes thinking about each of the prompts in preparation for class. In any case, I suggest doing the reading first, then checking the prompts. For more information, review the listserv assignment.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapters III-V

Fitzgerald is remembered as the chronicler of the Jazz Age (a term he coined), also known as the Roaring 20s, a time he called “the most expensive orgy in history” (he was using orgy in its original sense, which is not just sexual). What sense do you get of this era in American history from this novel?

Fitzgerald got much of his style and many of his ideas from John Keats. A superb example of that occurs in Chapter 5. Look at this poem by John Keats, “The Eve of St. Agnes.” It would not hurt you to read the whole thing (it is all somewhat relevant, and besides, it’s a great poem), especially if you like Keats, but if you feel pressed for time, look especially at stanza XXX. Which passage in this chapter reminds you of this stanza? Why? What term we have discussed this semester applies to this passage?

One thing we can be sure of about Gatsby is his love for Daisy Buchanan (née Fay). How would you describe this love? Compare Gatsby’s experience of love to Nick’s.

 
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