Journal 21

Journal 21 - Some Like It Hot and The Great Gatsby Comparison/Contrast

Although Some Like It Hot is a comedy and The Great Gatsby is a tragedy, both works use popular culture to portray life in 1920s America.  Focusing on the following elements (characterization, conflict, and theme), discuss how the two works are similar and different and what each is saying about American life.

While Some Like it Hot and The Great Gatsby who different genres, they can be related by the way that they portray life in the 1920’s. Characters in both novels drink alcohol illegally, and parties are a bid aspect of each novel. Both of the novels have to do with people being in love. In Gatsby, he is in love with Daisy and in Some Like It Hot, Joe and Jerry both are interested in Sugar. Both novels have women who are flappers and are only interested in money. The women in the novels seem to portray women as shallow in the 1920’s. Daisy loved Tom because of his wealthy and Sugar fell in love with the personality created of a rich person. It showed that people during that time were more interested in having fun then good solid morals. 

Journal 20

Journal 20 – The Great Gatsby Conclusion

Read the novel’s last passage (beginning with, “Gatsby’s house was still empty when I left”) and discuss the use of imagery and symbolism that is being employed by Fitzgerald.  In your response, specifically address what Nick is saying about the green light and the connection that he is making between Gatsby and the Dutch sailors who “discovered” Long Island. 

Nick uses the imagery of the parties thrown by Gatsby and discusses how they will never take place again. He is making a connection between the green light and the sailors who discovered long island. He is saying that the green light represented hope for Gatsby as did the green land for the sailors. Both showed the person that was looking at it that there was more out there. He uses the green light as a symbol for our goals in life. It can be seen as the grass that is greener on the other side, but as Gatsby finds out, that is not always the fact of the matter. 

Journal 19

                                                                       

Journal 19 - Characterization in Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby

Write a description for each of the following characters based on his/her first appearance in Chapter 1.  Your description should include:

-the character’s physical appearance;

-the character’s actions/words;

-an adjective that best describes the character based on his/her initial    

 appearance

Nick Carraway        Adjective: reserved

He is not very intimidating, he is small and thin. He listened to other people more than he spoke. He was the person that everyone trusted with their secrets.

Tom Buchanan        Adjective: cocky

He is big and much more intimidating then Nick. He was not very nice to others and thought he was better than people because he has money and was a star in college.

Daisy Buchanan     Adjective: fair-weather

She is small and blonde and petite. She just keeps changing her mind between Tom and Gatsby and cannot make up her mind in anything. She is very outgoing and talkative.

Jordan Baker           Adjective: observative

She is a brunette and is much less talkative then Daisy. She observes those around her so she always knows what is going on. She is attractive and mysterious.

Jay Gatsby               Adjective: intelligent

He just thinks about happiness and will do anything to get it. He is a dreamer and a schemer. He is kind hearted and attractive but cannot be as happy without lying about his life.