Gatsby+Fishbowl+2011

Our fishbowl discussions begin!

The following are the dates, chapters, and groups:

Tuesday, April 26th **Ch. 3** Leaders: Alex A., Kyle, Nicholas Discussers: Shannon, Rachel, Emily, Tatiana, Mollie

Thursday, April 28th **Ch. 5** Leaders: Ben S., Nathan, ___ Discussers: Katie S., Courtney, Katie W., Bryan

Monday, May 2nd **Ch. 7** Leaders: Jay, Alex D., Matt Farley Discussers: Anna, Ariel, Chris, Ben E.

Wed, May 5 **Ch. 8** Leaders: Linsey, Liz, Kristen Discussers: Rebekkah, Victoria N., Victoria R., Melissa

To help you create strong questions for your group's fishbowl, visit this site: [|Applying Bloom's Taxonomy] for question starters related to critical thinking. Here's some sites to look over BEFORE you create questions:

Homework Online Study Guide Spark Notes Cliff Notes

Open the to use as planning sheet for your group's fishbowl. Then, copy and paste the information below the chapter, so it is easy to view and easy to access. (You **also can use the space below your chapter to communicate with your group; you might state that you have some questions, or that you've included sample questions in the discussion tab above, etc.)**


 * Chapter 3:**

Opening:

This is a painting titled "The Masses" done by John Sloan in 1913. How does this painting connect to The Great Gatsby, specifically Chapter 3, and also to the ideas modernist art that we have studied in class?

1.) In this chapter, we see colors beginning to emerge in every page of the book, how do these colors (especially blue) relate to archetypal ideas that we've been discussing in class? 2.) Do you believe Gatsby is truly as charming as he appears? Does he have a sub-level that we don't know about yet? Justify your answer by relating it to present day attributes and characteristics of people and our perception of them. 3.) Turn to the last page in this chapter (p. 59). What problems could you see surfacing from Nick's comment, "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known"? 4.) Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as alone, and somewhat distant at his own party. He surrounds himself with guests he barely knows and maintains a level of mystery about him. With this, do you think that Gatsby is a solipsist or just a quiet man? 5.) Being in the army has always had an underlying archetype of camaraderie, how do you think Gatsby and Nick's army connection and camraderie be tainted by the vices and wild lifestyle of the 1920's? 6.) Why does Nick overlook Jordan's naturally dishonest demeanor? Is it because he too has something to hide? 7.) The car crash at the end of this chapter seems a bit overlooked and looks like a small detail compared to the other events of this chapter. What are your thoughts abou this car accident? Could it possibly foreshadow a "crash" between Nick and Gatsby that will lead to Nick's unaffected scorn of him? 8.) In this chapter we see all of the guests put on a playful facade and it seems to cover up much of the moral decay and corruption that occurs within their own lives. We as the reader also see that a shroud has been placed around Gatsby and that he plays to this very secretive nature. Do you think that Gatsby is using his opulence or some other facade to mask the corruption in his life or something even greater than that? 9.) When Nick begins to describe the East and West Eggs it seems that the only difference between these two wealthy regions is how they conduct themselves. Fitzgerald describes the West Eggers as more coarse with little or no manners, respect, or taste. The East Eggers on the other hand are portrayed as refined individuals. Normally these two groups of people would not get along and this is where Gatsby provides us with another enigma. He is able to bring these two groups together and socialize with every type of person while creating an almost sterotypical American mood of fun and vitality. Why and how doyou think this relationship works and does this illustrate to the reader something about this time period in American history?

Closing I think the end of this chapter foreshadows the relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Nick speaks of his honesty at the end of the chapter, and he also tells us of how Gatsby is so charismatic, but this type of relationship is too good to be true, especially in the '20s. During the late '20s, the United States was suffering from the Great Depression, and it is somewhat a far out thought to believe that you can trust anything that comes out of someone's mouth. The party lifestyle of the era also effects the dispensing of "my word." Business men are drunk at a party and every word is slurred and under the influence resulting in false promises to one and other. Although Nick and Gatsby don't seem to have a "drunken-relationship" this shadows the foundation of their relationship. As army buddies, they will be able connect to each other through stories, but its not the war anymore, its the 20's. Memories will only take them so far until they need to begin a friendship built off new values, built off honesty. This ability to be truthful seems like an awfully distant reality for these two men, and in the coming chapters of the novel, the consequences of dishonesty may begin to surface.

Chapter 6: Alex Deseau Jay Klein Matt Farley Opening: Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the lives of Fitzgerald and Gatsby; what do they have in common? What does Fitzgerald reveal about societal classes through Gatsby’s character?


 * || [[image:venn_diagram.gif align="center"]] ||

1) In chapter 6, how does Fitzgerald further explore the topic of social and economic class in his description of Gatsby’s early life? (See pages 98- 101)

2) What does the fact that Gatsby changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby represent? (See page 98)

3) Do Gatsby’s actions in chapter 6 prove or disprove the idea that he is blinded by his conception of Daisy? Subsequently, is solipsism manifested by Gatsby’s actions?

4) Does the anecdote concerning Dan Cody reveal anything about Gatsby’s character? Does Cody’s death (see page 100) foreshadow Gatsby’s own demise?

5) Now that we have read about the upbringing and early life of Jay Gatsby, contrast it with Daisy’s lavish lifestyle; are the two compatible, or has Gatsby merely “Worn the gold hat”, as Thomas Parke D’invilliers writes, in vain?

6) (Matt Farley's ?'s) Chapter 6 is significant when considering what has been discussed as Jay Gatsby's duality. a) Fitzgerald has the narrator, Nick, mention that the story of Gatsby's old friend Cody ends up "exploding those first wild rumors about his actecedents"(101) Does the explosion of this rumors also mean the abolishment of Gatsby's duality? b) Also in the chapter, Gatsby says "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"(110). Can those in a duality be this enthusiastic about repeating the past? Or does this also abolish the idea of Gatsby being a part of a duality? 7.What underlying reasons lead Gatsby to long for the life of Cody? What modern day Cody's are there in our society and how do we idolize them?   8. What predictions can be made from chapter 6 about chapter 7, what characters are involved?  Closing:  Analyze the photo according to its relevance to Gatsby’s life and our understanding of social classes during the era. What part of Gatsby's life could this painting represent?
 * || [[image:LewisGlowoftheCity_web.jpg]] ||

Chapter 8
Questions (Kristen's questions):

1. Does Gatsby and his fall symbolize America and its fall? Was Fitzgerald possibly predicting the fall of the 1920's American dream of enormous wealth?

2. Was Gatsby's life a success or failure? What defines a successful life in terms of the 1920's perspective?

3.How does the treatment of women change over the coarse of this book? How then do you think that Fitzgerald saw women and men? How does this compare to the roles of men and women in this time period?

4. What does the green light across the water from Gatsby's mansion, the light that shows where Daisy's house is, symbolize? What does this reveal about Daisy's character? ("'If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay', said Gatsby. 'You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.'" page 76 and "As I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock." page 143) Linsey's Questions 1)Do you think the end of Gatsby's hope for being with Daisy is his down fall or his rising? Why?

2) "..paid a high price for living to long with a single dream." (pg. 161) Is having only one dream truly a bad thing? Have one of your dreams been the same since you you were little, or have they all changed?

3) How do you think Daisy will react to Gatsby's death? Do you think she could be somewhat relieved?(She no longer has to choose between Tom and Gatsby or deal with what would happen to Gatsby if she chose Tom.) 1. When Gatsby's gardener brings up the situation with the pool, what do you think the significance of that was?

2. Was it just forshadowing of Gatsby's death?

3. Do you think that Gatsby's love for Daisy has shaped her in any way? Without it, would she still be the same person?