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The Dream that Recedes Before Us: The Past and The American Dream in The Great Gatsby
Students will examine how Fitzgerald uses diction, point-of-view, and symbolism to develop themes about class, the past, and the American dream.
ELA
Unit 2
11th Grade
Unit Summary
The core text The Great Gatsby fits within the year-long focus on American Dreams and Realities, as Fitzgerald calls America's promises of social mobility into question through the love story of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby, who embodies the rags-to-riches story, believes that his newfound wealth will be enough to win over the heart of his past love and be accepted by the richest and most elite class. Yet, through Gatsby's story, Fitzgerald conveys his disillusionment with the idea that anyone with enough grit and determination can rise to a higher class. Gatsby's story, therefore, invites students to debate different perspectives about the American dream, as well as make connections to more contemporary writers, like Ta-Nehisi Coates, who reflect on the reality of the American dream for Black Americans.
Prior to reading the novel, students will build background knowledge about the wealth gap in America and the Lost Generation. They will also work in groups to conduct research on a certain aspect of the Roaring Twenties, building their knowledge about the setting of the novel. While reading the text, students will trace how Fitzgerald uses diction to create mood, as well as symbolism to develop important themes about the past, class, and the American dream. Additionally, they will analyze the effects of first-person narration and a non-linear structure on the reader. Students will also have the opportunity to use these same writing choices in different creative tasks; in a writing exercise, they use diction to create an overall mood, and for the unit's graphic map performance task, they will create a visual that uses symbolism to illustrate a theme from the novel.
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Texts and Materials
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Core Materials
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Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Scribner, 2004)
Supporting Materials
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Video: “F. Scott Fitzgerald: Great American Writer” (History Channel)
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Video: “The top 1%: Should wealth have its limits?” (CBS Sunday Morning)
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Article: “The American Dream Is Alive and Well” by Samuel J. Abrams (The New York Times)
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Article: “Is The American Dream Over?” by Jack Kelly (Forbes)
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Excerpt: Excerpt from "Letter to My Son" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Resource: Research Mentor Presentation (G11, U2)
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Resource: Symbolism Tracker (G11, U2)
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Resource: Mood Prewriting Activity (G11, U2, L9)
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Resource: Sentence Stems for Academic Discourse
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Assessment
These assessments accompany Unit 2 and should be given on the days suggested in the Lesson Map. Additionally, there are formative and creative assessments integrated into the unit to prepare students for the Performance Task.
Socratic Seminar
The Socratic Seminar assesses students on their ability to push themselves and their peers to think critically and participate meaningfully in conversation by collecting and evaluating evidence, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully. Socratic Seminar assessments may occur mid-unit as a way to synthesize the ideas of the text/unit to that point or summative, taking place at the end of a unit.
Performance Task
The Performance Task is the culminating assessment of the unit in which students have the opportunity to show the skills and content they have learned.
Unit Prep
Intellectual Prep
Essential Questions
- Is the American Dream achievable for all Americans?
- To what extent can nostalgia be constructive? Destructive?
- How do authors use symbolism to develop themes?
Vocabulary
Text-based
contemptcolossaldeifydisparityfeigninsidiousincredulousobscureportentousspecioustantalizingthwarttranscendenttumultuous
Literary Terms
characterizationconnotationdictionepistolarymoodsettingsubtextsyntaxsymbolthemetone
To see all the vocabulary for Unit 2, view our 11th Grade Vocabulary Glossary.
Supporting All Students
In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the guidance provided under 'Notes for Teachers' below in addition to the Unit Launch to determine which supports students will need at the unit and lesson level. To learn more, visit the Supporting All Students Teacher Tool.
Notes for Teachers
The Great Gatsby contains instances in which characters use dehumanizing language toward people of color and Jewish people. Prior to students reading the novel, teachers should provide them with an overall warning about this sensitive content. To foster a safe learning environment, teachers should create or re-establish their classroom contract and have a dialogue with students about what would make them feel safe when reading and discussing chapters that contain dehumanizing language. A note to teachers is provided for homework readings and lessons that contain sensitive language, so that teachers can mentally and emotionally prepare students for the upsetting content they will come across in that reading.
Below are some resources to prepare yourself and your students for this text:
- Contracting by Facing History and Ourselves
- Strategies for Addressing Racist and Dehumanizing Language in Literature by Facing History & Ourselves.
- An Introduction to Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings by the University of Michigan
- Trigger Warnings by the University of Waterloo
Lesson Map
Common Core Standards
Core Standards
Supporting Standards
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