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A Close Reading of 'The Great Gatsby'

The great American Dream or nightmare? Explore this text and the context in which the novel was written and published as well as develop an understanding of some of the key themes: wealth, ambition, love and loss.

Created By

Maxim P

16-18
English Literature

14 HOURS

14 LESSONS

A Close Reading of 'The Great Gatsby'

academic-development

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Course Overview


F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, 'The Great Gatsby' is now widely recognised as one of the 'great American novels'. Today it is studied across the world as an insight into what we might see as the American Dream but also the American nightmare. This course will focus on the context in which the novel was written and published and explore some of the key themes: wealth, ambition, love and loss. Students will work through a close textual analysis of each chapter, unpicking what it is that makes this book 'a great American novel'. Each lesson will also involve key skills when essay writing and assistance in working the lesson content into structured essays. All lessons will also involve discussion and will develop student's speaking, listening and debating skills.

Course Content


14 LESSONS

14 HOURS Total Length

Lesson 1

An Introduction to the Context of the Novel

60 minutes

Lesson 2

Chapter One: Nick - the Omniscient Narrator

60 minutes

Lesson 3

Old and New Money: The Clash

60 minutes

Lesson 4

Chapter Two: The Valley of Ashes and Myrtle's Party

60 minutes

Lesson 5

Chapter Three: Meeting Gatsby and His Lavish Party

60 minutes

Lesson 6

Chapter 4: Wolfsheim

60 minutes

Lesson 7

Chapter 5: The Reunion

60 minutes

Lesson 8

Chapter 6: Gatsby's Past

60 minutes

Lesson 9

Chapter 7: The Plaza Hotel

60 minutes

Lesson 10

Chapter 8: Gatsby's Death

60 minutes

Lesson 11

Chapter 9: The Funeral

60 minutes

Lesson 12

Love and Its Power in the Novel

60 minutes

Lesson 13

Fitzgerald's Use of Symbolism: Perception and Reality

60 minutes

Lesson 14

Final Discussion

60 minutes

Key Skills


English Literature

Textual Analysis

English Language

Educator

Maxim P

Humanities Specialist

Maxim has over 500 hours of experience teaching privately, including 350 hours of A-level experience and 150 university-level one-to-one hours. He has also given mock interviews and tutorials to over 50 Oxbridge applicants over the last three years, and in 2020, three of the students gained offers from Oxbridge.

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