Introduction (1):
1. General Opener- What aspects of the 1920s will you discuss in the essay?
How would you characterize the 1920s? Does the novel do a good job of depicting this decade? Provide an attention-getter that introduces the theme.
2. Briefly provide background on The Great Gatsby and the theme of your essay.
3. Thesis statement: What topic will you inform the reader about? What three topics will be used to support your views? Is The Great Gatsby a good indicator of what life was like in the 1920s?
Body Paragraphs (2, 3, and 4):
1. Provide a topic sentence that focuses the paragraph on what aspect of the 1920s will be addressed.
2. Provide background on how this theme is addressed in the novel.
3. Give an example from The Great Gatsby that highlights the topic. Must include one direct quotation from the novel.
4. Provide research on this topic and cite your information. Must include a minimum of two pieces of evidence from the research (direct quotation or paraphrase).
5. Explain how Fitzgerald decides to deal with this topic. Use your evidence from the novel and analyze how this properly represents the 1920s.
Conclusion (5):
1. Briefly summarize the main points made in the essay.
2. End with a personal discussion of the topic. What is your opinion on the 1920s? How does this decade compare/contrast to today’s society?
Works Cited Page (Separate page)
Be sure to include a minimum of four sources (The Great Gatsby included)
Follow the MLA format for the entire page.
Miscellaneous: There should be a minimum of nine citations (direct quotations or paraphrases) in the essay, and you should have a minimum of four sources (including the novel) on the Works Cited page. Be sure to follow MLA formatting guidelines for the heading, title, page numbering, font size/text, margins, indenting, double-spacing, and in-text citations. Be sure to proofread the essay to catch mechanical/grammatical/spelling errors.
