Esther Morrison, Sophia Fimbres, Hailey Kroischke, Meghan Oh

The Great Gatsby​: Chapter 5 Craft Analysis

IB English HL 1

Objective​: Collaborating with peers, we will analyze specific passages of the novel for the
author’s intentional use of craft in either conveying an idea or generating an explicit effect
on the audience.

PART 1:

Directions​: Select ​THREE​ prompts and read the specified passage with your partners,
discussing the analysis focus provided in each question. Then, construct a possible thesis
statement that addresses the prompt and support it with a brief explanation and textual evidence
that you would incorporate into your writing.

1. Examine Fitzgerald’s use of weather from pages 83-89 & 94-96. What intentional effect is the
author creating with this element of setting?

Thesis: In the historical fiction novel, ​The Great Gatsby​, Fitzgerald uses the weather to
symbolize the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy.

Brief Commentary: Gatsby is uneasy and nervous in the beginning of the chapter and it is
raining. Then when Gatsby comes inside to see Daisy it begins to rain harder because the tension
is increasing and everyone is feeling more awkward and nervous. Once Nick returns and Gatsby
is no longer uncomfortable and is actually beaming, it stops raining. Gatsby’s mood relates to the
weather, and the weather is used to add to the tension of the scene. When Gatsby feels uneasy
about the situation the pouring rain furthers the tension and awkwardness of the scene however
when the rain ceases and the tension is released Gatsby is bright and chipper again.

Crucial Textual Evidence:

“The day agreed upon was pouring rain” (83).
“soggy whitewashed alleys” (84).
“Dripping bare lilac-trees” (85).
“ it was pouring, and my irregular lawn, wll-shaved by Gatsby’s garden, abounded in small
muddy swamps and prehistoric marshes” (88).
“It’s stopped raining” (89).
“There were twinkle-bells of sunshine in the room, he smiled like a weatherman, like an ecstatic
patron of recurrent light” (89)
“He had passed visibly through two states and was entering upon a third. After his
embarrassment and his unreasoning joy he was consumed with wonder at her presence”(92).
“Outside the wind was loud and there was a faint flow of thunder along the Sound” (95)
“The gray windows disappeared as the house glowed full of light” (94).
 Esther Morrison, Sophia Fimbres, Hailey Kroischke, Meghan Oh
“The rain was still falling, but the darkness had parted in the west, and there was a pink and
golden billow of foamy clouds above the sea” (94).

2. Examine the numerous references to Nick’s clock on pages 86 & 87. What central idea is
Fitzgerald using this symbol to represent in this scene?

Thesis: In the historical fiction novel, ​The Great Gatsby,​ F. Scott Fitzgerald references Nick’s
clock to symbolize how Gatby wants to change the past.

Brief Commentary: As the clock falls and Gatsby returns it to its normal place, Fitzgerald may
be representing how Gatsby is trying to turn back time with Daisy and mend their relationship.
This could also foreshadow how the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby is going to return to
what it used to be in the past.

Crucial Textual Evidence:

“I think we all believed for a moment that it had smashed in pieces on the floor” (87)
“Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock” (92)
“Luckily the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the presence of his head, whereupon
he turned and caught it with trembling fingers and set it back in place” (86).
“The automatic quality of Gatsby’s answer set us all back at least another minute” (87).

3. Reflect back on the opening epigraph and examine its relevance to pages 90-96. Analyze
Fitzgerald’s intentional selection of the quote and its effect on the reader ​OR​ its support of a
central theme (​do not attempt to address both​).

Thesis:

Brief Commentary:

Crucial Textual Evidence:

4. Examine Gatsby’s fluctuating characterization throughout the chapter and discuss how
Fitzgerald uses this scene to reveal Gatsby’s true identity and/or motivations.

Thesis: In the Historical Fiction novel, ​The Great Gatsby, ​Fitzgerald uses the fluctuation of
Gatsby’s characterization to reveal his true motivations of trying to entrance Daisy with all of his
wealth.

Brief Commentary: In this chapter, Gatsby wants to parade his wealth and his successes to Daisy
in an attempt to win her affection and to impress her. Gatsby always longs for approval so he is
 Esther Morrison, Sophia Fimbres, Hailey Kroischke, Meghan Oh
nervous in the beginning because he is afraid of being rejected. Once he realizes that Daisy feels
the same way and he won’t be rejected then he is happier than ever before.

Crucial Textual Evidence:

“But there was a change in Gatsby that was simply confounding. He literally glowed” (89)
“[he keeps] it always full of interesting people, night and day. People who do interesting things.
Celebrated people” (90).
“He had passed visibly through two states and was entering upon a third. After his
embarrassment and his unreasoning joy he was consumed with wonder at her presence”(92).
“‘This is a terrible mistake,’ he said, shaking his head from side to side, ‘a terrible, terrible
mistake’” (87).
“Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a
puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes” (86).

5. Examine a recurring motif at this point in the novel (which must be present in this chapter)
and discuss a theme that Fitzgerald is conveying through this device.

Thesis:

Brief Commentary:

Crucial Textual Evidence:

6. Choose your own adventure! Create your own prompt with your group and explore any aspect
of craft that you like!

Thesis:

Brief Commentary:

Crucial Textual Evidence:

PART 2:

Directions​: Select ​ONE​ of the above prompts and write a formal analysis paragraph, complete
with a Topic Sentence (aka your thesis), strong textual evidence, ample commentary, and a
cohesive conclusion.
 Esther Morrison, Sophia Fimbres, Hailey Kroischke, Meghan Oh
*The caveat to this assignment: whatever you choose to write on, if I grade it, then you can’t
EVER use the topic/craft/theme for your IB Assessments. So please use discretion when choosing
a topic and possibly select one that you can’t foresee yourself desiring to write on again.
However, if you feel that you may use this topic in the future, then simply write “DO NOT
COMMENT ON” at the top of the assignment and I will only highlight the rubric for your
grade.

Suggested writing timeline for ​REAL​ IB Students:

● Write your crappy rough draft Friday evening while your main ideas are still fresh in
your mind from the group discussion
● Revise your paragraph Saturday morning-ish so that it is a pretty decent draft. THEN,
walk away from it for at least four hours
● Revise it one more time Saturday afternoon/evening and then send it to a classmate for
peer-review. Hopefully you receive feedback by Sunday morning
● Finally, accept your classmate’s feedback, edit your paragraph, and polish the final draft.
READ IT ALOUD slowly to yourself before final submission!
● And if you really really need to, give it to mom to look over…

OR, ignore my advice, start the assignment Sunday around 6 PM and then get a D :)

Scoring Rubric: ​Please copy and paste this rubric at the end of your paragraph!!!

Meets Standard Approaching Standard Below Standard

(5 points) (3 points) (1 point)

Thesis Statement Thesis is clear, concise, Thesis attempts to Thesis is vague,

and argumentative; it answer the prompt, but is underdeveloped, and/or
effectively and accurately not specific or concise inaccurate; it does not
answers all aspects of the enough to provide clarity answer the prompt or
prompt for the argument focus on the author’s craft

Textual Evidence Paragraph includes at Paragraph includes at Paragraph lacks the

least 3-5 pieces of strong least 2-3 pieces of textual necessary amount of
textual evidence, with evidence, though some textual evidence to
context for the reader’s context is missing for the effectively support the
understanding; all quotes reader’s understanding; thesis; context is missing
are woven and cited some quotes are woven and quotes are woven and
correctly and cited incorrectly cited incorrectly
 Esther Morrison, Sophia Fimbres, Hailey Kroischke, Meghan Oh
Analysis Commentary Paragraph provides Paragraph includes Paragraph is limited in
ample commentary after commentary for each the essential amount of
each piece of evidence example, though the commentary needed to
that effectively explains analysis is limited in express a thorough
each example and nature and does not understanding of the play;
provides the necessary thoroughly explain each analysis is simplistic and
analysis to support the piece of textual evidence does not effectively prove
thesis the thesis

Syntax & Grammar Sentences are varied in Sentences are varied in Sentences are simplistic
syntax, proving a syntax, commonly using and repetitive regarding
complexity of writing compound-complex syntax; there are common
with compound-complex sentences, though there errors in grammar and
sentences and purposeful are a few errors in punctuation, such as
simple and compound grammar and punctuation fragments, run-ons,
sentences; there are no missing commas, etc.
noticeable grammar or
punctuation errors

Academic Vocabulary Academic vocabulary is Academic vocabulary is Paragraph’s diction is

used throughout the attempted throughout the common, slang,
paragraph, bringing a paragraph, though there sophomoric, and/or
level of sophistication is some slang or un-academic
and complexity to the sophomoric diction
paragraph

Effective Conclusion Conclusion sentence(s) is Conclusion sentence is Conclusion is missing

enlightening and repetitive of the topic altogether or it simply
inspiring, leaving the sentence, with an attempt repeats the topic sentence
reader with an interesting at summarizing the main
idea to consider issue of the paragraph

Total: /30 Points