Great Gatsby Primary Sources

One of the most iconic books in American literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic tale The Great Gatsby remains the quintessential literary depiction of the 1920s. Published in 1925, Gatsby explores Americans’ increasing disillusionment with the idea of the American dream during the glittery, overindulgent “Jazz Age.” The novel offers various American thematic elements: the struggle to escape the past, the intoxicating lure of wealth, the nostalgia of first love, and the impossible lengths humans go to achieve their dreams. These are better understood when accompanied by an exploration of cultural influences in the Roaring Twenties.

The Library of Congress has millions of primary sources available for free online. Teaching with primary sources is powerful way to help students engage with content, build their critical thinking skills, and construct knowledge. This post is by Rebecca Newland, the 2013-2015 Library of Congress Teacher in Residence.

What view of war is expressed by the poster? What details were meant to persuade men to join the Marines? Which of these persuasive elements might have appealed to Nick and Gatsby?         In what ways are the two images similar? In what ways are they different? What is significant about the similarities and differences? Write a caption expressing the message you believe is sent by each image. What do the items illustrate about appearance vs. reality? In what ways does Fitzgerald express the motif of appearance vs. reality?
How does information about the experiences of World War I soldiers foster an understanding of Gatsby and Nick as well as others with whom they associate?Home Edition Edition In what ways might Gatsby and Nick’s military service have influenced their experiences and decisions?
What issues does the song address in addition to the law against alcohol? “Personal Liberty: We Can’t Work if We Don’t Get Beer.” In what ways does Prohibition or the characters’ failure to follow the law affect the course of the novel? Do you think Fitzgerald was for or against Prohibition? Cite evidence from the novel to support your hypothesis.

Literary Impact

American Icons: The Great Gatsby is an audio program (54:25) that explores the power of Fitzgerald’s compact novel with Jonathan Franzen, Patricia Hampl, Andrew Lauren, Azar Nafisi, and Scott Shepherd. This program can be downloaded.

Patricia Hampl’s ‘The Big Time: F. Scott Fitzgerald.’ is an audio literary and musical program (54:06) presenting Fitzgerald’s version of making it big.