The Great Gatsby
Web Quest
Task:
Your mission is to develop a thorough background on American society in the 1920’s to better your understanding of
our upcoming novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. You will use the internet to find the answers to the
following questions. Each question must be thoroughly answered in your own words. Be sure to use a citation to
credit where you found your answer. For example: Your answer (“www.1920-30.com”).
Resources:
Use the following resources to answer your questions.
 The Roaring Twenties
o http://www.1920-30.com (there are many links here)
 The rise of the automobile
o http://www.huffenglish.com/gatsby/automobiles.html
 Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald
http://www.biography.com/people/f-scott-fitzgerald-9296261
 Geographical Issues of The Great Gatsby
o http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/05/09/mapping_the_1920s_new_york_city_of_the_great_gatsb
y.php
 The Stock Market crash of 1929
o http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/a/stockcrash1929.htm
Questions:
1. What are “Flappers?” Find three (3) important details.
My research found…
My teacher says…
2. Describe the changing role of women during the 1920’s. Find four (4) important details.
My research found…
My teacher says…
3. What was the “Washingtonian pledge?”
My research found…
My teacher says…
4. Explain what the “Jazz Age” is and how it impacted society. Give (4) important details.
My research found…
My teacher says…
5. Explain the rise of the automobile. Give (3) important details.
My research found…
My teacher says…
6. Read about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and describe the highs (3) and the lows (3).
My research found…
My teacher says…
Highs:
Lows:
7. Explain what an expatriate is and how it pertains to The Great Gatsby.
My research found…
My teacher says…
8. Describe the issues with the geographical accuracy in The Great Gatsby. Identify four (4) issues.
My research found…
My teacher says…
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9. What lead to the stock market crash of 1929? Give three (3) important events.
My research found…
My teacher says…
10. Listen to the following radio interview (only the first 10 minutes) with Leonardo DiCaprio regarding his role in
the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby. Answer the questions below.
a. http://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/the-treatment/leonardo-dicaprio-the-wolf-of-wall-street
11.
My research found…
My answer is…
Why does Jay Gatsby go “into the underworld” to
create his fortune?
How does DiCaprio describe Gatsby?
How has Leonardo DiCaprio, in essence, achieved
the American Dream?
12. Watch Prohibition by Ken Burns, and write down at least 10 facts.
What I saw…
My teacher says…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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7
8.
9.
10.
13. Based on your research, answer the following questions:
 How is the American dream interpreted and refined throughout history?

What values/philosophies have shaped the American dream?

Do all Americans share the same American dream?

What is the American dream (Today)?

What is the measure of success?

What is happiness?

Does environment impact upward mobility?

What does it mean to be a self-made American?

How has American pop culture influenced our idea of the American Dream?
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How does the American dream corrupt people?
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What is the correlation between hard work and success?

What obstacles interfere with or prevent you from achieving the American Dream?
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