M 07-Sep No classes— Labor Day
“The city seen from the Queensboro bridge…“
W 09-Sep Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby (through Chapter 4) (Caroline Geist)
Review Abbott Chp. 6 for Gatsby discussion.
Due: Second blog entry (Wed. night; resume normal blog schedule)
W 16-Sep Cambridge / Narrative Chapters 10 & 12 (plus Gatsby overview) F 18-Sep Cambridge / Narrative Chapters 11 & 14 Due: Response 1 — Prompt
F 11-Sep Gatsby (Chp. 5-6) (Hillary Silvestri)
M 14-Sep Gatsby (Chp. 7-9) plus Cambridge / Narrative Chp 7-8
(Audrey Bannon) & (Jeff Rudderman)
“The city seen from the Queensboro bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.” — Nick Carraway
Response 1: Gatsby and Narration
500 words (min.); 10 points.
Due: F 18-Sept. Post to your blog, by class time.
Describe a significant technique of Fitzgerald’s “narrative discourse,” using one aspect (or two related ones) from Abbott.
Give at least one specific example/instance from the novel, to illustrate the narrative topic. Additionally, discuss how this device/feature functions overall or affects your interpretation of the text.Suggested topics:
- Sequence (sjuzet), Time (non-linear), Frame(s)
Narrator; Reliability, Focalization (Chp 6)
Closure & Uncertainty/unknown (Chp 5); Gaps (Chp 7)
“Masterplots” (Chp 4+13) & Characters / “Types” (Chp 10)
Notes / Tips:
- Review assignment criteria here.
Very important to minimize summary: only discuss the novel as explicit support for your points.
Review Abbott’s discussion of interpretation(s) (in chapters 7-8) and “narrative discourse” (Chp 2)
Reminders / Options
- Submit on e-Learning (or by email), if you would prefer not to post this first response to your blog.
Respond to a classmate’s entry for extra credit — by Sunday 20-Sept.
