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great gatsby setting essay for higher

I really need help on writing a setting essay on the great gatsby. I've basically been taught nothing by the teacher and really do not understand anything about the great gatsby. We have not discussed any quotes, characterisation, symbolism or theme. The question is:
choose a novel in which the writers setting in time and/or place is significant. Give relevant details of setting and discuss fully why it has such significance.
I genuinely do not have a clue what to include in this as we have barely been taught anything about the novel. The teacher said we need to link in other aspects of the novel to the setting eg theme, symbolism and character. Can someone help me with a plan on this essay.
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The setting of the novel is in the 1920's on Long Island New York (East Egg & West Egg). In East Egg resides the wealthy people within the elite society (They were born into riches-old money) while West Egg is home to those that have recently acquired wealth (New money).This division between communities reveals the social dichotomy between the rich and poor. This era was known as "the roaring 20's" or the prohibition era. At this time alcohol was banned. However, Gatsby through moon-shining activities made a living by bootlegging and selling illegal alcohol.


The second setting is the Valley of Ashes. This is the stretch of land between Long Island and New York. This is where Tom's mistress Myrtle and later Gatsby's murderer George lives. This setting signifies the people who struggle to acquire wealth with no success (Myrtle's infidelity as a means of gaining "stardom"). In addition it's dim and somber description of the VOA highlight's the destruction that was caused by those living in that era and their moral decay.


Hope this helps :smile:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by rachelx123
I really need help on writing a setting essay on the great gatsby. I've basically been taught nothing by the teacher and really do not understand anything about the great gatsby. We have not discussed any quotes, characterisation, symbolism or theme. The question is:
choose a novel in which the writers setting in time and/or place is significant. Give relevant details of setting and discuss fully why it has such significance.
I genuinely do not have a clue what to include in this as we have barely been taught anything about the novel. The teacher said we need to link in other aspects of the novel to the setting eg theme, symbolism and character. Can someone help me with a plan on this essay.


Higher English? Theres a dedicated thread to sqa higher english in the Scottish qualifications section!

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In addition to naomiLaw1's good points, there's also the fact that Nick moved from the Midwest (more specifically, Chicago), where there were more conservative moral views but moved to the East (New York), where there is a more slack view on morals. Therefore, the Midwest is representing the traditional American values whereas the East in representing the more modern, morally-weak America. A good quote to use on this idea is at the end, when Nick comments "I see now that this has been a story of the West, after all...[we] were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadaptable to Eastern life". In terms of the comment, the reason Nick cannot adapt to the Eastern life is that he finds the place to superficial, as he witnessed when only one of Gatsby's guests (Owl Eyes)...

Spoiler


...despite thousands enjoying his hospitality at his extravagant parties.
Hi, I really need help too with a setting essay. My essay is to reveal that Gatsby is an outsider through the setting. My teacher has hinted that we should use West Egg vs East Egg, The confrontation scene and Gatsby's funeral but I am very confused with how the setting in the plaza
reveals that Gatsby is an outsider. Any help would be very much appreciated.

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