Universal Themes
What is Universal theme?
The message, lesson, or moral of a story that can apply to anyone or any story.
Define allegory.
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
The following sentence from chapter five is an example of what rhetorical device?
"Your place looks like the World's Fair," I said.
The simile is comparing how busy and grand Gatsby's house is to the World's Fair (a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations).
What is the difference between perspective and point of view?
Point of view is 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person. Perspective is the character's or speaker's thoughts on what is happening. Their interpretation.
Which of the following is a theme that is present in The Great Gatsby
a.) Everything will always work out in the end.
b.) No matter what, be true to yourself.
c.) The past cannot be repeated and everybody has to move forward in life
d.) Following a crowd and not thinking for yourself can put people in danger.
c.) The past cannot be repeated and everybody has to move forward in life
Define juxstaposition.
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
What does the glowing green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolize for Gatsby?
a.) It symbolizes the permission Gatsby has to pursue Daisy after all this time.
b.) It shows Gatsby’s love and hope for rekindling his relationship with Daisy.
c.) It shows Gatsby’s envy of Daisy and her ability to move on.
d.) It symbolizes Daisy’s ignorance of Gatsby’s love for her.
b.) It shows Gatsby’s love and hope for rekindling his relationship with Daisy.
Match the excerpt from The Great Gatsby with the following theme: Love finds a way
a.) "He literally glowed; without a word or gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room."
b.) "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since."
c.) "He smiled understandingly--much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life."
d.) "He looked at me sideways--and I knew why Jordan Baker had believed he was lying."
a.) "He literally glowed; without a word or gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room."
Define Alliteration.
The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables.
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
How does the use of personification in chapter 2 enhance the meaning of the scene?
"I followed him over a low whitewashed railroad fence, and we walked back a hundred yards a long the road under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent stare."
a.) It makes the people who live in the Valley of Ashes seem friendly and open, which symbolizes the character traits of the townspeople throughout the novel.
b.) It adds to the ominous mood in the Valley of Ashes of the eyes as an all-seeing judge.
c.) It makes the people that live in the Valley of Ashes seem wary of newcomers.
d.) It demonstrates the speaker's ability to see the kindness and forgiving nature of the billboard in the Valley of Ashes.
b.) It adds to the ominous mood in the Valley of Ashes of the eyes as an all-seeing judge.
How does the allegory of the________ in The Great Gatsby affect the tone of the novel?
a.) It creates a happy tone.
b.) It creates an accusatory tone.
c.) It creates a sad tone.
d.) It creates a critical tone.
b.) It creates an accusatory tone.
OR
d.) It creates a critical tone.
Which of the following quotes from The Great Gatsby does NOT help develop the theme of: Chase your dreams.
a.) Gatsby: "I've got a man in England who buys me shirts."
b.) Gatsby: "I keep it always full of interesting people."
c.) Nick: "They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gastby didn't know me now at all."
d.) Gatsby: "My house looks well doesn't it?"
c.) Nick: "They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held out her hand; Gastby didn't know me now at all."
Define Tone.
How the author feels about the subject.
How does the use of figurative language throughout the poem, "Dreams" by Langston Hughes develop the contemporary issue of life losing meaning without dreams.
a.) In lines 7-8, the metaphor describes how great life can be when you unburden yourself from the pressure to pursue your dreams.
b.) In lines 3-4, the personification of dreams being a bird shows that
c.) In lines 7-8, the metaphor describes life as being a barren field frozen with snow.
d.) In lines 1-2, the poet presents a warning that following your dreams can lead to death.
c.) In lines 7-8, the metaphor describes life as being a barren field frozen with snow.
Select two lines from the poem that show the juxtaposition between the emotion that the different family members are feeling to the festivities of the season.
a.) "an emblem of exile measuring our days,"
and
"Mother finds herself
opening, closing the Red Cross box ...
like an unwanted door prize"
b.) "marked by the moment of our departure,
our lives no longer arranged."
and
"We assemble the silver tree, its luminous branches, numbered to fit into its body."
c.) "a Polaroid Mother cannot remember was ever taken:
I am sitting under Tia Tere’s Christmas tree,"
and
"wear red and white snowflake sweaters and identical smiles"
b.) "marked by the moment of our departure,
our lives no longer arranged."
and
"We assemble the silver tree, its luminous branches, numbered to fit into its body."
Write your own Universal Theme for Daisy.
Something like:
Love is not always what is most important.
Or
Love is not always the answer.
What does the word facade mean, as it is used in the following lines:
The windowless façade of the skyscraper loomed over the city skyline.
a.) exterior
b.) costume
c.) pretense
d.) superficial
a.) exterior
Aside from the green light in The Great Gastsy, what is another symbol featured in the story?
The Rain in Chapter 5 symbolizes Gatsby's anxiety about meeting Daisy again after 5 years.