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This lesson aligns with TEKS ELA 11.3(A): Analyze relationships among thematic development, characterization, point of view, significance of setting, and plot in a variety of literary texts.

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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Analyze the symbolism of wealth and the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
- Evaluate the character development of Jay Gatsby and his relationship with Daisy
- Connect the novel's themes to historical context of the 1920s

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How does Fitzgerald use The Great Gatsby to critique the American Dream and society of the 1920s?

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Teacher presents key aspects of the 1920s: Jazz Age, Prohibition, wealth inequality, and changing social values.

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Using Padlet, students work in groups to create character maps showing relationships and motivations. Each group focuses on different characters and shares their findings.

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Students identify and analyze key symbols (green light, Valley of Ashes, Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's eyes) through guided discussion and textual evidence.

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The Green Light

Situated at the end of Daisy's East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby's West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal. Because Gatsby's quest for Daisy is broadly associated with the American dream, the green light also symbolizes that more generalized ideal. In Chapter 9, Nick compares the green light to how America, rising out of the ocean, must have looked to early settlers of the new nation.

The Valley of Ashes

First introduced in Chapter 2, the valley of ashes between West Egg and New York City consists of a long stretch of desolate land created by the dumping of industrial ashes. It represents the moral and social decay that results from the uninhibited pursuit of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with regard for nothing but their own pleasure. The valley of ashes also symbolizes the plight of the poor, like George Wilson, who live among the dirty ashes and lose their vitality as a result.

The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg

The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are a pair of fading, bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes. They may represent God staring down upon and judging American society as a moral wasteland, though the novel never makes this point explicitly. Instead, throughout the novel, Fitzgerald suggests that symbols only have meaning because characters instill them with meaning. The connection between the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg and God exists only in George Wilson's grief-stricken mind. This lack of concrete significance contributes to the unsettling nature of the image. Thus, the eyes also come to represent the essential meaninglessness of the world and the arbitrariness of the mental process by which people invest objects with meaning. Nick explores these ideas in Chapter 8, when he imagines Gatsby's final thoughts as a depressed consideration of the emptiness of symbols and dreams.

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the great gatsby free online study guide

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Situated at the end of Daisy's East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby's West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and in Chapter 1 he reaches toward it in the darkness as a guiding light to lead him to his goal.

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Students rotate through stations focusing on different themes: wealth, love, deception, and the American Dream. Record observations in digital notebooks.

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Advanced students compare Gatsby to other American Dream narratives in literature or film.

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Simplified chapter summaries and character relationships provided through graphic organizers.

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Browse great gatsby graphic organizer resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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Throughout discussion, use thumbs up/down to gauge understanding of key concepts.

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Students post quick responses on Padlet to check understanding of daily objectives.

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Short quiz focusing on character motivations and relationships.

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The Great Gatsby Characters 11th Grade Quiz | Quizizz

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The Great Gatsby Characters quiz for 11th grade students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free!

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Students discuss: 'How is Gatsby's dream both uniquely his and universally American?'

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Students reflect on how the American Dream has evolved from the 1920s to today.

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Write a diary entry from the perspective of any character, reflecting on their version of the American Dream.

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Compare and contrast the symbolism in two key scenes from the novel using a Venn diagram.

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Watch selected scenes from different Gatsby film adaptations and analyze directorial choices.

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The Great Gatsby (1974/2013) side-by-side comparison