The Great Gatsby Essay
A Persuasive Literary Analysis: Rough and Final Draft Advice
Sample Outline of Your Gatsby Essay - Sample Topic - Symbolism:
This is a literary analysis paper:
- This means this paper is highly rhetorical / persuasive in nature
- This also means that you must write very persuasive thesis statements and main point topic sentences
- This means, as well, that you must also use very specific partial quotes in order to prove your claims (your main point topic sentences and thesis statement) to be true
- Take the time to search through each chapter for the perfect quotes
- USE PARTIAL QUOTES FROM SHMOOP, and cite them as a source in your analysis - I'm o.k. with this - I want you to dig deeper into these texts and unlock the mystery that is subtext!
You should only have one symbol per paragraph. Or, if there is a more involved symbol, discuss that symbol in each of your two paragraphs, but be sure that their meanings are completely different; otherwise, you will lose major points.
Do you have three main point paragraphs? You only need two.
If so, this assignment only requires you all to have two, but they need to be very persuasive. If you do choose to only use two paragraphs, choose your best two, and then make sure you have three solid, different examples from the text using 3 different partial quotes to back-up your Main Point Topic Sentences.
If you use 3 body paragraphs, they all must be excellent, too. This paper is being graded on the quality of your persuasion, and your adherence / focus on your topic. You are also being graded on the quality of your:
- Thesis Statements - Are they highly persuasive? Do they focus on author's (Fitzgerald's) purpose in writing the novel? Or is your argument too general?
- Main Point Topic Sentence #1 & #2: Again, these must be highly persuasive / rhetorical. Do they focus on author's (Fitzgerald's) purpose in writing the novel? Or is your argument too general?
- Partial Quotes / Evidence Chosen: Do your partial quotes clearly support your Main Point Topic Sentences? or are you straying from your topic?
Following is an outline of how you will set-up and write your Gatsby essays:
1st Paragraph - Intro:
- Intro w/ introduction to Fitzgerald's novel, only including the most important context that is relevant to your paper's point.
- Last sentence = Thesis Statement EX: "Although Fitzgerald's readers may at first believe that the color green is unimportant to the story, he actually uses this one color to represent multiple themes within the text."
2nd Paragraph - MP#1:
- Main Point Topic Sentence #1 - highly persuasive - making a debatable point, just as your thesis does
- 1st set of the "1-2-3 Rule" using Context - Evidence / Partial Quotes - and Analysis - feel free to use Shmoop as a source for your analysis - just be sure to use partial quotes and cite Shmoop as your source.
- 2nd set of the "1-2-3 Rule," same guidelines follow
- 3rd set of the "1-2-3 Rule," same guidelines follow
- Transitional sentence to MP#2 / 3rd paragraph
3rd Paragraph - MP#2:
- Main Point Topic Sentence #2 - highly persuasive - making a debatable point, just as your thesis does
- 1st set of the "1-2-3 Rule" using Context - Evidence / Partial Quotes - and Analysis - feel free to use Shmoop as a source for your analysis - just be sure to use partial quotes and cite Shmoop as your source.
- 2nd set of the "1-2-3 Rule," same guidelines follow
- 3rd set of the "1-2-3 Rule," same guidelines follow
- Transitional sentence to Conclusion
4th Paragraph - Conclusion
- Restate the Thesis - use different wording, so you don't sound repetitive
- Briefly restate and sum-up your Main Points / Author's Purpose / Topic
- Leave your reader with something to think about - how is the Gatsby topic you analyzed still relevant in today's society?
Please remember that each of your main point paragraphs might be 1+ pages, each. If you have a highly persuasive argument, and use three solid sets of the "1-2-3 Rule" per each body paragraph, this will be very easy to do.
Have fun with this paper - this is such a great story - bad pun not originally intended - and do your best work.
Following are tips and self-checks to guide you in revising your final papers:
Comments You Will See in Your Grademark Feedback:
The following is a list of Feedback you may have seen in your Gatsby Rough Draft and Final Essay Feedback. This is useful for everyone - please be sure to review the following advice, and revise your papers as necessary:
MLA Format: 1" margins all around ONLY - your left margin is more than 1" - be sure to fix this before submitting your final paper, or you will lose points for your total paper length.
Rough and Final Drafts must be 3+ pages in order to receive full credit.
Header Errors: See Purdue OWL's MLA Format section
Persuasive Title: Need creative, persuasive title for Final Draft.
Theme / Author's Purpose: Not true - some people work hard their entire lives and are never achieve financial success - but Fitzgerald is not defining success by total wealth - think about the point he is making in this novel. What are the old money and new money people really like? Would Fitzgerald agree that they are a success?
Qualifier needed: Most people - not everyone - you need to add a qualifier, here.
Contradiction: You need to reword your intro - you are contradicting yourself. Be sure to add "qualifiers" to limit your argument - will make it more persuasive.
See Assignment Page and Rubric: In order to receive full credit for your Rough and Final Drafts, you will need: 1) 3+ pages, 2) 1 intro paragraph; 3) 2 body paragraphs; 4) Conclusion; 5) 3+ partial quotes per each main point body paragraph; 6) MLA Format - see Purdue OWL; 7) Formal English; 8) "1-2-3 Rule," etc.
Intro paragraph: Use this paragraph to 1) Begin with an engaging hook; 2) Briefly introduce your ideas from your two main point topic sentences; 3) Incorporate any brief necessary context for these main point topics now; 4) Should be approx. 5+ long sentences; 5) Last sentence - Persuasive, debatable Thesis Statement, which incorporates the specific author's purpose in using the symbols you chose for your two Main Points.
Never begin body paragraphs with a quote!
Fluff - omit this entire sentences, as well. Unnecessary to your paper.
Too conversational / slang: Again, too chatty - avoid conversational speaking in your formal writing. Write in 3rd person, literary present tense. See Purdue OWL for more assistance.
3rd Person / Literary Present Tense: Avoid "you," "me," etc. Avoid "Now you see," etc. This is informal writing, and you will lose major points.
Vague / Awkward words: Always avoid - portrays, displays, shows, etc. These are vague words, and are not persuasive / take away from your argument.
Omit fluff in beginning of Thesis Statement: Just get straight to the point - what do these symbols have in common? What specifically is Fitzgerald saying about society by using these symbols? The answers to these questions will make a debatable, persuasive point.
MPTS / Thesis Contradiction: You need to reword your intro - you are contradicting yourself. Be sure to add "qualifiers" to limit your argument - will make it more persuasive.
MP#1 paragraph self-check: 1) Begin with Persuasive Main Point Topic Sentence #1; 2) Make sure you include 3+ partial quotes per body paragraph; 3) Use the "1-2-3 Rule" to incorporate your quotes into MP#2; 4) MP#1 Body Paragraph must be at least 6-8 long sentences; 5) End the paragraph with a sentences that closes-out this paragraph / point, and transitions into the next body paragraph.
MPTS#1/ #2 Not Persuasive - This is not a debatable point. Think about author’s purpose, and revise this statement to best represent Fitzgerald’s point in using this symbol, etc. - Why is there a big difference? Why does it matter? What is Fitzgerald trying to say about this difference?
USE MORE PARTIAL QUOTES: To make each Main Point / Body Paragraph stronger, use 3+ partial quotes per each main point.
MP#2 paragraph self-check: 1) Begin with Persuasive Main Point Topic Sentence #2 - MUST BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM MPTS#1! ; 2) Make sure you include 3+ partial quotes per body paragraph; 3) Use the "1-2-3 Rule" to incorporate your quotes into MP#2; 4) MP#2 Body Paragraph must be at least 8+ long sentences; 5) End the paragraph with a sentences that closes-out this paragraph / point, and transitions into your conclusion, or MP#3 Body Paragraph, if you have one.
MPTS#2 - How will this paragraph be different from MPTS#1? You need to state this in a persuasive, debatable sentence right away / in your first sentence; otherwise, you're just repeating the same point, and your grade will suffer, which we don't want!
MPTS #3 Not Persuasive / Debatable - Need to make this a persuasive MPTS that is more relevant to your paper; if you are unable to, omit this paragraph, or another one, and focus on your two strongest body paragraphs. Better to have two long, very persuasive main point body paragraphs, than three not-so-persuasive ones.
USE PARTIAL QUOTES, ONLY! - By using partial quotes, this will help you to “lift” the most important phrases from the text, instead of having awkward, complete sentences thrown-into your paper. You may never begin a sentence with a quote in MLA Format, and this is what usually happens when using quotes in complete sentences. Use partial quotes, then weave them into your own carefully-crafted sentences using the “1-2-3 Rule. It works every time.
CHECK YOUR QUOTES: Is this truly the best quote you within the text that will persuade your MPTS #1 or #2 to be true, or are you off-topic? Is your partial quote relevant to your MPTS? Does it clearly support the point you are trying to make in this body paragraph, or did you stray from the main point? This happens quite often, which is why we need to revise our papers every day, one paragraph at a time, before we submit our Final Drafts.
Too many short paragraphs: Not sure of the point of all of your small, separate paragraphs.
Conclusion self-check: 1) Should only be approx. 3-4 long sentences; 2) Sums up the persuasive point of your paper - restates ideas using different wording from your Thesis Statement and Main Point Topic Sentences; 3) Leaves your reading with something original to think about - how can you relate the point of your paper / Fitzgerald’s purpose in writing this story to events we are experiencing in our society today?
Works Cited self-check: Be sure you are using MLA Format - see Purdue OWL for assistance!
Works Cited self-check: Missing - See Purdue OWL's MLA Format / Works Cited section for assistance.
Read and Reread the Assignment Page Before, During, and Right before Submitting Your Gatsby Rough and Final Drafts!
Read and Reread the Gatsby Essay Rubric Before, During, and Right before Submitting Your Gatsby Rough and Final Drafts!
Gatsby Persuasive Essay Tips - Posted in News Items 3.16.17
Thesis Statement Workshop:
The Great Gatsby is a novel that does an excellent job of showcasing the materialistic nature of people in the 1920s.
Critique:
Not a bad start! This thesis statement is making a debatable point. But there are a few things we need to revise:
- Fluff / Avoid Vague / Awkward words and Flowery Language: Always avoid - portrays, displays, shows, excellent, phenomenal, amazing, outstanding, etc. These are vague words, and are not persuasive / take away from your argument. It also makes writers look like they are compensating for not knowing what they are talking about, when they do - it takes away from your "ethos," or credibility as the author of your persuasive essay.
- Italicize novel, play, film, and epic poem titles.
- Include the author's name - this helps students to focus on author's purpose in their thesis statements and main point topic sentences.
Revision:
One of Fitzgerald's main goals in writing The Great Gatsby was to highlight the societal decay he witnessed in the 1920s, due, in part, to the aimless materialism of his peers.
Writing Persuasive Main Point Topic Sentences - Where to Begin:
- Focus on author's purpose - what was Fitzgerald trying to say about NY old money v. nouveau riche (new money) society at the time? Why?
- What symbols does Fitzgerald use in the novel to represent his beliefs - and he did have a lot of opinions about this!
- Your Thesis Statement and Main Point Topic Sentences should only be written with author's purpose in mind - this is the key to writing any great literary analysis paper!
MPTS#1 Writer's Workshop - 1st Draft v. Revision v. Another Revision:
Original:
Daisy and Tom Buchanan initially reveal the novel's inconsistency between appearance and reality with the description of their "cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion" (6).
What needs to be revised? Why?
- This is a fine start. I can hear author's purpose trying to creep out with the phrase from the topic "appearance versus reality"
- Omit this quote - never use quotes in main point topic sentences. You are making a persuasive point. Your quotes / evidence belong after this, in a set of the "1-2-3 Rule."
- Use the author's name - this will help you focus on author's purpose. If you are always thinking about what he was thinking when he was writing this novel, you will be in the correct mindset to write this paper.
- Which part of society do Daisy and Tom represent? This should also be addressed in MPTS#1.
Revision - Focus on author's purpose:
Fitzgerald uses Daisy and Tom to symbolize the inconsistency between appearance and reality he has personally witnessed within old money New York society.
This can still be revised, but now you do it - it's late, and I'm tired!
So what has changed?
- Added Fitzgerald's name
- Added the literary device, "symbolism" - always moves you closer to the A range if used correctly! Use the literary devices you've learned up to now in your papers and projects, everyone!
- Added that Fitzgerald is writing this novel in reaction to the highly-flawed members he personally encountered in upper class New York Society
- Old money - this story is about old money v. new money - which is better? or are both of them bad? why? The answers to these questions is Fitzgerald's point / author's purpose.
--Avoid Personal Pronouns
--Avoid "you"
--Avoid contractions
--Avoid slang
--and more!