The Great Gatsby Essay Plan

Introduction

• ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F Scott Fitzgerald is an example of a novel in which …
• Brief plot summary
• Setting – affluent New York, in contrast to the Midwest where Nick is from

The character of Gatsby is vital to the author’s theme of class / the American dream

• First impressions of Gatsby
• The symbolism of the ‘green light’
• Self-made man – changed his name and made a fortune
• Gave lavish parties to people he didn’t really know, his rich neighbours
• Has links to organised crime through Meyer Wolfsheim
• ‘Old sport’ – his favourite expression, which makes people believe he is Oxford-educated
• Even though he has invented a ‘persona’ for himself, he is still a romantic, idealistic figure

Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy is one of the most important in the book.

• Met when he was a young man working as a diver
• Created his wealthy life in order to win Daisy over
• He is clearly better than Daisy’s cynical, cheating husband Tom

A turning point in the book is at the party when the lovers sneak over into Nick’s yard

• It suggests that the story will end happily
• Gatsby believes the past can be recaptured, as he tells Nick

However, the book ends in tragedy, for Gatsby is wrong in his judgements about people.

• Daisy will not give up her husband Tom
• The climax - Gatsby’s murder: Gatsby was too naïve for the world of cheating and betrayal that he tried to live in
• Gatsby was finally crushed by the class system – he underestimated Daisy’s devotion to Tom, who came from a wealthy background
• After his murder his neighbours do not attend his funeral – he has failed to become one of them
• The symbolism of Gatsby’s body

Conclusion – Therefore I would argue that ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a novel …