The Great Gatsby
Essay Topics
Due Date: Monday, 8/24
Choose one:
1. Discuss Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism (this is a large topic that must be significantly narrowed – such
as focusing on one symbol and analyzing it in detail - with a specific thesis). How does it function in the
novel (consider discussing how it relates to theme, communicates information about characters,
develops the plot, etc.)? Possible symbols to discuss include: colors, eyes of T.J. Eckleburg, clothing, cars,
the green light, biblical allusions (God, Jesus, grail), characters’ houses, weather, water, music, celestial
bodies (moon, stars, planets), etc.
2. Compare and contrast the major female characters in the novel: Daisy, Jordan, and Myrtle. How does
each act towards men? What are their motivations/goals/interests/values? How are they treated by
men (including the narrator/author)?
3. Tom Buchanan and George Wilson are more similar than different. Write an essay in which you
compare and contrast these two men according to their attitudes toward women, their ways of showing
violence, and their reactions to finding out that their wives had been unfaithful.
4. Throughout the novel, we learn that Gatsby’s goal in life since he was a young man is to win Daisy’s
love. Everything he has worked for was for her to desire him over the many other rich and respected
men of their society, including her husband. After his hard work, why does Fitzgerald suddenly stop
Gatsby from having his dream come true just when it seems it will? Discuss how Gatsby’s final destiny
helps to demonstrate the shallow, empty, materialistic values of the people who comprise the society.
5. Through The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald seems to communicate a message about people’s failure to
accomplish their dreams—Nick, Gatsby, Tom, Daisy all have ideas for the perfect life and none of them
are able to achieve them. Deeply explore one character—his/her dreams, his/her attempts to
accomplish those dreams, his/her reasons for failure, and the message that Fitzgerald might be
communicating through this failure.
AP Topics:
6. Morally ambiguous characters—characters whose behavior discourages readers from identifying
them as purely evil or purely good—are at the heart of many works of literature. Choose a character
from The Great Gatsby who is morally ambiguous and write an essay in which you explain how the
character can be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his/her moral ambiguity is significant to the
work as a whole.
7. Some works of literature use the element of time in a distinct way. The chronological sequence of
events may be altered, or time may be suspended or accelerated. Show how Fitzgerald’s manipulation
of time contributes to the effectiveness of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
8. Some novels seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes. Using The Great Gatsby, note
briefly the particular attitudes that the Fitzgerald apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the
techniques the author uses to influence the reader's views. Avoid plot summary.
9. Many novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or
the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work.
The Great Gatsby is a novel that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places
differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.