Topics for Further Study
Last Updated July 18, 2024.
- Read three of Fitzgerald's short stories centered on the Jazz Age and compare them to The Great Gatsby. Recommended stories include: "The Rich Boy," "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," and "Absolution." Examine the influence of religion and materialism in Fitzgerald's fiction, considering his personal experiences.
- It's often said that Fitzgerald's life mirrored America's experience during the 1920s and 1930s. Track the fluctuations in America's economy during these decades and draw parallels with Fitzgerald's life during these times.
- Numerous accounts discuss American expatriate writers in Paris. Read a book by or about these authors, such as A Charmed Circle or The Sun Also Rises, and identify the characteristics of these expatriates, their perspectives on events in the U.S. and Europe, and their chosen lifestyles. Include observations on Fitzgerald's visits to Paris and the Riviera.
- Conservative and liberal elements in society often create legislation to protect citizens' interests. Prohibition was one instance of the U.S. government's effort to address concerns about excessive alcohol consumption. What are other examples in the field of education during the 1920s? Show how conservative and liberal forces interacted in other countries at that time.
- Study the Dadaist art movement in Europe, particularly in the works of Marcel Duchamp, and compare its principles and expressions to the New York adaptation of this popular art form. Highlight the philosophy behind this movement and connect it to the Wasteland motif in The Great Gatsby.
- Explore the stories of Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree, Al Capone's underworld activities, and other significant scandals of the era. Analyze why gangsterism and crime were romanticized in the 1920s and why they continue to be romanticized today.
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