Essay MUST include 3-5 secondary, peer-reviewed sources, PLUS parenthetical citations and a complete Works Cited list that meets the requirements for MLA formatting. Your secondary sources must be scholarly: they must be peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, or whole books. Please consult the instructor if you are unsure about the quality of potential sources. 1 of these sources can be the critical introduction or an appendix item from your edition of The Great Gatsby. In addition to these sources, each student may include 1 non-peer-reviewed source related to the novel. All sources must be cited in the essay and its Works Cited page.
Topic Options:
Working with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, respond to ONE of the following topics:
1. How does the novel explore the complex relationship between reality and illusion?
2. Choose 3-4 minor characters in the novel, and explain why they are important to our understanding of other elements of the novel.
3. The Great Gatsby contains numerous residences (houses and apartments) that are vividly described and make crucial contributions to our understanding of the novel’s theme and character development. Explore and explain the symbolism of homes in the novel.
4. How does the novel represent parts of the historical period in which it is set (i.e. the Roaring Twenties)? Do NOT focus exclusively on the author’s life in your discussion of the historical period.
