Great Gatsby Blog: Instructions for the Student
What
As we are reading The Great Gatsby this year, we will all be participating in an on-line discussion group. The comments that you post to this group will take the place of a traditional Reader Response Journal.
Why
My rationale for creating this blog is as follows:
- To allow you to explore elements of the novel that we may not have time to discuss in class.
- To allow you to generate your own ideas about the novel and receive feedback on those ideas BEFORE you come to class, thus making you more confident about those ideas and better prepared for class.
- To encourage more balanced participation and give a voice to those who do not speak as much in class.
- To provide you with a supportive forum in which to try out and receive feedback on ideas that you may develop into topics for your final paper on the novel
Requirements for Blog Entries
You are required to post as least two fully developed reader responses over the course of this unit and a minimum of two substantive comments (minimum 50 words). You are free to post additional comments as well. Details on the requirements for each category follow.
Reader Response: You may earn up to three points on each Reader Response:
A 3-point response meets the following requirements: Demonstrates thought, insight, attention to language, and careful proofreading. Includes at least one quotation. Minimum 200 words.
Comment: You may earn up to 2 points for each comment.
A 2-point comment meets the following requirements: Your comment is intelligent, insightful, and challenges, affirms, or further develops the original reader response. Minimum 50 words.
Tips for Focus Points on Reader Responses:
- Your reader response is just that: a response to the current or previous night’s reading.
- Your response should follow traditional rules of English grammar but you may adopt a less formal tone than you would in an analytical paper.
- You may comment on any aspect of the novel, but here is a list of themes and literary devices we will be analyzing throughout. You are welcome to use these as a starting point.
Money—new and old
The American Dream and Dreamers in general
Symbols: the green light, colors, cars and driving, T.J. Eckleberg & watchers
The effect of and reliability of the first person narrator (Nick!)
Imagery, adjectives, description, important dialogue for each character
