The Great Gatsby, Written by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby

Written by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Grade: 7-12

The Great Gatsby is set in the Jazz Age of the 1920's. The height of decadence. It is told by a narrator Nick Carraway, who is the cousin of Daisy living in East Egg. He is also the neighbor of Jay Gatsby living in West Egg.  Nick observes everything that goes on. Jay, who goes by Gatsby, fell in love before going off to the Great War but, while he was fighting his love, Daisy, marries another. Gatsby is convinced Daisy is still in love with him as much as he is with her. He has become part of the new money crowd that is disliked by the old money society. Daisy has married Tom, who is part of the old money society. Gatsby throws lavish parties in his mansion and invites everyone in hopes that Daisy will come or someone who knows her will come. Eventually, Nick arranges a meeting between Gatsby and Daisy. They have an affair. Daisy's husband Tom who is also having an affair, is furious that is wife is having an affair. Tom demands Daisy to stop the affair. Tom is very controlling and Daisy is afraid of him. Tom lets Gatsby drive Daisy back home but, it is Daisy who is driving. She is upset and accidentally hits Tom's lover, Myrtle. Myrtle's husband is convinced that because it was Gatsby's car that killed his wife that Gatsby was driving, and He must also be Myrtle's lover. Myrtle's husband kills Gatsby and then himself. Tom and Daisy leave town to distance themselves from the tragedy. Nick notes that even after all the parties Gatsby had, hardly anyone attends his funeral. Nick also says that the time for such grand ambition is over. He believes that greed and dishonesty have corrupted both the American Dream and the dreams of every American.

Middle School classroom can and do use this book to show the decadence of the Roaring Twenties. It shows the greed and obsession with money and power.