Gatsby and the American Dream
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Objective
I can analyze how characters in The Great Gatsby embody or challenge the American Dream.
Part 1 of 4
Warm-up video
Blythe · 11:56
We don't generate video — this one is by Blythe on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.
Part 2 of 4
Key concepts
3 concepts
- 1
Critics have negatively viewed Daisy, focusing on her power over Gatsby, which diminishes the novel's complexity by polarizing Gatsby as good and Daisy as bad.
- 2
Fitzgerald uses floral and light motifs to highlight the differences between men and women, revealing the condemned conception of women in the 1920s through Daisy's name, femininity, flowers, and light.
- 3
Daisy's longing to be a 'beautiful little fool' shows her complicity in conforming to social standards of American femininity in the 1920s, yet she asserts her opinion by labeling Tom as hulking.
Part 3 of 4
Practice
12 questions
According to the video, how are women typically portrayed in 'The Great Gatsby' in relation to the male characters and the American Dream?
The video mentions critics' views of Daisy Buchanan. What are some of the negative qualities attributed to her by critics like Marius Bewley, Robert Orstein, and Alfred Kahzin?
Part 4 of 4
Exit ticket
Quick comprehension check
“Explain how Daisy Buchanan both embodies and challenges the ideals of American femininity in the 1920s, as presented in 'The Great Gatsby'. Provide specific examples from the text to support your analysis.”
Sample answer included in the free materials
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