The Great Gatsby

This treasure hunt was originally authored by Valerie Arbizum with some alterations and updated links. 

Follow the directions given for each section. Answer thoroughly on a Google Doc. Do not "cut and paste." Rephrase the answers in your own words. 

Categories: 

1. F. Scott Fitzgerald

2. World War I 

3. 19th Amendment 

4. The Roaring Twenties 

5. 18th Amendment 

6. Prohibition 

7. Organized Crime and Arnold Rothstein 

8. Flappers 

9. Automobiles

10. Music

11. 1920s Slang

1. F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Skim the biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald. What intrigues you about Fitzgerald's life and writing? Note: Do not simply copy out the first sentence. Skim the entire biography, and be sure that you are thinking about this question. 

2. World War I

http://faculty.polytechnic.org/gfeldmeth/lec.1920s.html

• After the war ended, the economy skyrocketed, making it possible for people to spend more time and money on leisure activities.  Review the website in the section.  What are three major innovations that came out of the WWI experience?
• After the War:  What are the dominant postwar American attitudes and the major movements of the 1920's?  Pay close attention to the attitudes of the "Lost Generation" and the "Prosperity and Consumerism" movements. 

3.  19th Amendment

• What right did women gain from the passage of the 19th Amendment?

4.  The Roaring Twenties

• List three major events that occurred in 1922 (the year when the novel is set).  Note: You will want to skim this list and look for events that would have been important in America.

5.  18th Amendment

• What exactly does the amendment abolish?   What was the result?
• 18th Amendment
• Wikipedia: Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

6.  Prohibition

• What is a Speakeasy?  Based on information you have already collected from previous questions, why do you think Speakeasies popped up across the country?
• Wikipedia: Speakeasy
• Speakeasy photos

7.  Organized Crime and Arnold Rothstein

• Arnold Rothstein on Biography.com:  What are three elements of Rothstein's biography that interest you?  Explain.  The Mob's Greatest Unsolved Hits:  Arnold Rothstein:  What is the most interesting thing you learned in this article that was not in the previous article? Explain.
• Did your impression of Rothstein change from one web page to the next? Explain.

8.   Flappers

• Read the first five paragraphs of the article about "Flapper Jane."  According to the author, what are the essential elements of being a true flapper?
• After reading the article, look at the selected photos of Louise Brooks.  Does she fit the "flapper" profile as proposed by the author of "Flapper Jane"? Why or why not?
• Read Dorothy Parker's poem "The Flapper."  How does Ms. Parker feel about flappers? Explain.

9.   Automobiles

• Why were cars considered "the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920's"?
• "The Rise of Automobiles"
• Photos of 1920's era automobiles.
• Gatsby Coachworks: Reproductions of 1920's era automobiles.  The white and gold car is similar to what Jay Gatsby would have driven.

10.   Music

• Listen to the following four songs on your gizmo:  "Charleston" and "Hot Lips (He's Got Hot Lips)" by Paul Whiteman &   His Orchestra, "Ain't We Got Fun" by Van & Schenck, and "April Showers" by Al Jolson.
• As you listen, record your thoughts and reactions to the songs.

11.  1920"s Slang

• Read some 1920's slang terms.
• Select your three favorite slang words and copy them down.
• Why did you choose these terms?