Now that we've covered modern poetry and have been introduced to the themes, styles, and ideas of the modern era, it's time to begin reading a modern novel.
Welcome to the world of the "roaring 20s" or the "Jazz Age" as Fitzgerald coined
it when he wrote The Great Gatsby in 1925. This was an exciting and
riotous era of American history. In this unit, you'll see how the elements of
modernist writing that we discussed in poetry will carry through and apply to
the world of novels as well.
Helpful links and resources:
Video documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald that we watched in class.
Part I:
Part II:
To begin our unit, you'll want to acquaint yourself with the culture of the times. It's important to understand the historical context of the novel in order to understand the themes and the events of the time. Gatsby has become an iconic figure of this era of our history, so get to know him well!
Your first Gatsby blog assignment: Due by 1/5.
1920s simulation
Check out this fun game from the McCord Museum:
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/keys/games/18
To play the game, read the instructions, then choose to be a man or woman in the 1920s. Go to different places around town and get a taste for what life was like in the "roaring twenties"
When you've completed the simulation, write a full paragraph explaining what you learned about typical life in this era. Post your response as a comment to this post.
Gatsby Blog Post 2: Due Jan 9th.
By now, you've gotten a taste for life in the 1920s. You've also become acquainted with our author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. To enhance your background knowledge of the book and fill out your historical/cultural awareness of the era in which the novel takes place, you will complete this webquest or "Treasure Hunt" below.
Gatsby Scavenger Hunt
http://www.huffenglish.com/gatsby/gatsbyhunt.html
Instructions:
Click on the link above to go to the "Great Gatsby Treasure Hunt" page. Follow the procedure and click on the links provided step by step to discover background information about The Great Gatsby. Type your answers and turn in for credit by Monday, Jan 6th. You don not have to post these answers to this blog, but you should submit them in hard copy on Monday.
Helpful links and resources:
Video documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald that we watched in class.
Part I:
To begin our unit, you'll want to acquaint yourself with the culture of the times. It's important to understand the historical context of the novel in order to understand the themes and the events of the time. Gatsby has become an iconic figure of this era of our history, so get to know him well!
Your first Gatsby blog assignment: Due by 1/5.
1920s simulation
Check out this fun game from the McCord Museum:
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/keys/games/18
To play the game, read the instructions, then choose to be a man or woman in the 1920s. Go to different places around town and get a taste for what life was like in the "roaring twenties"
When you've completed the simulation, write a full paragraph explaining what you learned about typical life in this era. Post your response as a comment to this post.
Gatsby Blog Post 2: Due Jan 9th.
By now, you've gotten a taste for life in the 1920s. You've also become acquainted with our author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. To enhance your background knowledge of the book and fill out your historical/cultural awareness of the era in which the novel takes place, you will complete this webquest or "Treasure Hunt" below.
Gatsby Scavenger Hunt
http://www.huffenglish.com/gatsby/gatsbyhunt.html
Instructions:
Click on the link above to go to the "Great Gatsby Treasure Hunt" page. Follow the procedure and click on the links provided step by step to discover background information about The Great Gatsby. Type your answers and turn in for credit by Monday, Jan 6th. You don not have to post these answers to this blog, but you should submit them in hard copy on Monday.
Here's and interesting visual map of the themes/conflicts/symbols in the book http://prezi.com/znw2p505zski/the-great-gatsby-themes-and-symbols/
From this simulation, I have learned many things about the 1920s. For one, women's freedom was still restricted and it was hard to get into schools. That is only the beginning. It is quite difficult to get the degree you want. For women, you have to show that you are ready to take certain classes by taking other courses. you must also work for hours on things like physical education. Then there are things like what to buy and when. Although new technology is quite helpful, it doesn't do all the work for them. And they still go by tradition. Acting like a proper lady is quite tough, and you always have to keep your cool.
ReplyDeleteWhat I have learned about the life of a person in the 1920s was dependent on what person I chose. I choose to learn about a women’s life in the 1920s. It is not a safe as you would think. They would be able to go out and go to clubs. Now the dresses for the club would have to be to your knees and it couldn’t be to reveling. I also learned that women, if they wear makeup have a better chance of marrying a man. The reason behind this is of course because it enhances your face and body but it makes you look younger and more seductive. I also learned that affairs were not common and if you wanted kids in the future you would have to marry. It is going with the tradition that was there before them.
ReplyDeletefrom this simulation i have learned that women wernt allowed to dress the way they wanted to. women had to wear what was right for the 1920s. in the section of shopping, the women needed to buy her sister a 5th anniversary gift. usually we buy whatever we want to but the usual gift was something with wood or wooden. today we buy them anything they want not something wooden. i believe that the 1920s was all about organization and everything had to be the same, not like now.
ReplyDeletewhat i learned form this was that the men and woman dress differently than we do today there may be some people who might still dress like that if their going to a 20s party. I also learned that there are things you can were some places and there are things that you cant were some places like if it wasn't invented yet then you cant were it. the last thing i learned was that the things that they do are different than what we do today. also if you lived in the roaring 20s then you might of brought back some of the stuff that you did back then. The last thing that i am going to say is that i don't know if i could wear something like that if i lived in the 20s i like what i wear today.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty crazy to think about how life has changed over the past 85 years. Life today seems to be totally different. Everything is different from the way we dance, the way we dress and the way we act around one another. The way you dress at work or at school during the '20s really showed a lot about who you are. During the simulation, everywhere my person went, he had to be dressed fancy. Now, I only dress nice on special occasions. This simulation was a great way to see how much different our lives have changed.
ReplyDeleteFrom this simulation, i was surprised to see how life differed so much in the 1920's compared to life in the 2010's. First, i learned that everyone was smoking cigarettes women, men, and kids all smoked. Also, i learned that plays and comedies were weird and had no point like dogs jumping through a hula hoop. Another thing i learned about life in the 20's was that the way people danced was crazy, they just moved there feet up and down erratically making them look like fools. All in all this simulation helped me broaden my knowledge on the 20's lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteAs I progressed more and more through out the simulation I learned how different and similar things are between then and now. Take technology for instance, Back in the 20s’ people would go out and buy things to make their every day lives easier like a washing machine just as we do today. Also, after 1921 the Alcoholic Liquor Act was passed stated a permit was needed to serve alcohol, just as in today’s establishments serving alcohol, a permit is needed. Something that has changed from then to now is there were certain things you had to wear to certain places. If you were going to a night club, you couldn’t wear white because only debutants were allowed to wear white at their coming out party. Also, car tires were like today’s bicycle tires, so when getting a flat you would just need to patch the tire instead of paying for a whole new one. After completing the simulation, I have learned much more about the roaring 20s’ and the differences and similarities from then to now.
ReplyDeleteAs I went deeper into the simulation I learned just how much things have changed from the 1920's. Ladies had to be very careful of what they wore and made sure that they were dressed perfectly, otherwise they would be looked down upon or even kicked out of places. Also, looking seductive was more important than a ladies modesty because it lead to romance and marriage. But they always had to keep their cool. It was hard for ladies to go to school and get the degree they wanted. Most of the time, they had to go for something different to prove that they were worthy of going to school for the study of their choice. Another thing that I found interesting was that when you are getting a gift for a couples 5 year anniversary gift, it needed to be made out of wood. Porcelain was given as a 20 year anniversary gift. One more thing I learned was that only fathers and tutors were allowed in the main lobby with the ladies. If a guy were to help out a lady with their studies, they must go to the public library.
ReplyDeleteIn the simulation I learned that life in the 1920's was much different from the lives we live today. All the obvious things like different clothing, music and dancing, but there is more to it then just that. It was much harder for women for example they faced more scrutiny and it was hard for them to go to a good school. There is also a more strict social protocol in the way people have to dress and what you can give as an anniversary gift. The 1920's were more laid-back then previous years but still not even close to how laid-back and excepting people are today.
ReplyDeleteDuring the simulation, I realized how much life has changed since the 1920’s. One thing in particular that I noticed was that only debutants were allowed to wear white at their coming out party, and the dress code in general (for women) was very strict when women wanted to go out in public, or else they would be escorted home. At the same time, however, women were seductive to get places in life. Women had a better chance of getting married if they wore makeup and the “right” clothes, as well as acting seductive and passionate. Since the 1920’s, women’s roles and rights have changed drastically.
ReplyDeleteThe game was very infromational, but hard sometimes. It was hard to choose the correct answer to each question. It made me realise that i really dont know much about the 1920s. it was a very good game thouhg.
ReplyDeleteThis simulation taught me a few things about the 1920s that I didn't know, such as when students went to the university, the accepted attire was a suit and jacket. Also, that old cars had inner tubes like bicycle tires.
ReplyDelete