The Great Gatsby

Taking a few mintues to read some background information on the author will enhance your understanding of the text.

Here are a few quotes to also think about from the text:
 “ Whenever you feel like criticizing any one…just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (1).

“”a single green light, minute and faraway, that might have been the end of a dock” (22).

”He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself” (48).

“Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known” (60).

Article from class today on the green light:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/education/17gatsby.html?referrer=&_r=1

and one on the American Dream:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-usa-land-of-limitations.html?referrer=&_r=1

Babylon Revisited

Babylon Revisited

Criticism:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00144940.1990.9934031

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-94-007-0773-3_8?LI=true

Themes found in the story:

• Facing the consequences of one’s actions
• The struggle to change

Symbols found in the story:

• Honoria’s doll
• Snow

This link has some background information and criticism of the story (there is a lot of info here that could be used if you choose to write your first essay about this story):

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tdlarson/fsf/babylon/chap_3.htm

In the next two weeks we will discuss The Great Gatsby which “Babylon Revisited” shares many themes and issues with. Here is a short description of how they are similar:

“Babylon Revisited”: Similarity to The Great Gatsby
In both works, the main character is trying to create a new identity. In the case of Jay Gatsby, he has reinvented himself by a name change and by becoming rich through criminal acts to win Daisy. In Charlie’s instance, he has made a serious effort to reform to gain custody of Honoria.

Both The Great Gatsby and “Babylon Revisited” are also statements about the twenties, the pursuit of wealth and careless living of that generation. Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth, hoping it will bring him happiness and fulfillment, is the embodiment of the American Dream gone wrong. “Babylon Revisited” makes a statement not only about Charlie’s his personal dilemma but the irresponsible seeking of pleasure that was characteristic of the post-war Roaring Twenties generation.

From: http://vickie-britton.suite101.com/babylon-revisited-summary-and-analysis-a204727

NYTimes article:

http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/12/24/specials/fitzgerald-taps.html

America and Second Chances:
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/09/19/history/post-perspective/f-scott-fitzgerald.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/07/13/president-obama-announces-46-commutations-video-address-america-nation-second-chance

http://billmoyers.com/2014/10/31/america-really-believe-second-chances/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-second-chances-for-elites-only-perspec-1196-20141105-story.html

Themes found in the story:

 

·         Facing the consequences of one’s actions

·         The struggle to change

Symbols found in the story:

·         Honoria’s doll

·         Snow

 

1)   Explain Charlie's view of his own actions, his return to Paris, and his alcoholism.

 

2)   As readers, are we supposed to be on Marion's side, or on Charlie's side? Pick a side and explain.

 

3)   Explain the following quotes: "I heard that you lost a lot in the crash."

"I did," and he added grimly, "but I lost everything I wanted in the boom” (18).

“He would come back some day; they couldn't make him pay forever. But he wanted his child, and nothing was much good now, beside that fact.  He wasn't young any more, with a lot of nice thoughts and dreams to have by himself.  He was absolutely sure Helen wouldn't have wanted him to be so alone” (19).

4)    Symbolism is important in literature; what is symbolic about Helen’s death? Lorraine and Duncan?

 

“Babylon Revisited”: Similarity to The Great Gatsby

In both works, the main character is trying to create a new identity.

In the case of Jay Gatsby, he has reinvented himself by a name change and by becoming rich through criminal acts to win Daisy.

In Charlie’s instance, he has made a serious effort to reform to gain custody of Honoria.

Both The Great Gatsby and “Babylon Revisited” are also statements about the twenties, the pursuit of wealth and careless living of that generation. Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth, hoping it will bring him happiness and fulfillment, is the embodiment of the American Dream gone wrong. “Babylon Revisited” makes a statement not only about Charlie’s his personal dilemma but the irresponsible seeking of pleasure that was characteristic of the post-war Roaring Twenties generation.

It was in this spirit that Fitzgerald wrote one of his most frequently quoted lines: “There are no second acts in American lives.”

It is a lone sentence, without context, found among the pages for a novel he never finished. Yet journalists often quote it when writing about failure. The phrase has been widely interpreted to mean that America gives no second chances. The value of the statement rests on its being written by Fitzgerald, who is presumably something of an authority on lost opportunities (Nilsson).

Monday January 25 NO CLASS

We will not meet tomorrow January 25. We will discuss Babylon Revisited on Wednesday and catch up on The Great Gatsby next week.

Syllabus 215

ENG 215

Essex County College

 

Prof. Sean O’Connell                                                  Mon/Wed 2:25-3:45

Email:soconnel@essex.edu     

Phone: 973-877-1926                                                   Office: 1141

Office Hours: Mon, Wed1:00-2:25                            Room: 2132               

                       

Texts: 

• The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Death of A Salesman Arthur Miller
• Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
• A Lesson Before Dying Ernest Gaines

 

I will use the class blog weekly to post assignments, links and back up information. Visit it a few times a week!!!

eng215spring2016.blogspot.com

*In class assignments will be handwritten; all homework assignments should be typed and double spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font.

In the classroom we will use group work to discuss the stories you read on your own time. Do not use your phones while in the classroom (unless we are looking something up). As long as you read the stories and contribute to your group—everything should work out fine. Your group will tell on you if you sit there and do not help.

If you are excessively absent or late it will hurt your grade—do it enough and you will fail.

Papers are due when they are due—look at the due dates on the syllabus now and circle them. I will provide a handout with questions for each paper. If you hand a paper in when it is due—you can revise it. If you do not, it is late, cannot be revised and whatever you get on that paper is final.

 

Plagiarism:

Do not do it. Any papers that contain plagiarism will receive an F. The second offense will result in course failure. I will discuss in further detail as the class progresses.

 

January

Eng 215

20 Introduction, discuss syllabus, Handout “Babylon Revisited”

25 “Babylon Revisited” (Handout)

28 The Great Gatsby 1-3

February

1 The Great Gatsby 3-6

3 The Great Gatsby 6-9

8 FILM: The Aviator, ASSIGN PAPER#1

10 FILM: The Aviator

15  NO CLASS

17 Death of A Salesman, PAPER #1 DUE (NO LATE PAPERS)

22 Death of A Salesman

24 Death of A Salesman

29 NO CLASS

March

2 NO CLASS

7 FILM: The Pursuit of Happyness, ASSIGN SHORT PAPER #2

9 FILM: The Pursuit of Happyness

14 Their Eyes Were Watching God (1-7), SHORT PAPER DUE (NO LATE PAPERS)

16 HUMANITIES CONFERENCE—MEET IN SMITH HALL

21 Their Eyes Were Watching God (8-14)

23 Their Eyes Were Watching God (Finish novel)

28 A Lesson Before Dying (1-10)

30 A Lesson Before Dying (11-16)A

April

4 A Lesson Before Dying (16-22), ASSIGN FINAL PAPER

6 NO CLASS---PTK CONVENTION

11 Lesson Before Dying (Finish novel)

13 ASSIGN FINAL PAPER

18 BRING DRAFTS TO MY OFFICE 1141

20 FINAL PAPER DUE

 

Paper #1—must use 2 outside sources, works cited page and be 3-4 pages.

Paper #2—Short Paper. No outside sources. 2 pages.

Paper #3-- must use 2 outside sources, works cited page and be 3-4 pages.