The Great Gatsby
The Passing
MLA Format
Harlem Renaissance
Authors and various stories
100

What decade does The Great Gatsby takes places during? Where is the setting of the novel take place in? 

1. The 1920s

2. It takes places between West Egg and East Egg

100

Who are the main characters in Passing?

1. Clare Kendry 

2. Irene Redfield 

3. Jack Bellew

4. Brian Redfield 

100

Where is a thesis statement located in  an MLA paper? What is its purpose?

A thesis is located at the end of the introduction. Its purpose is to state the main purpose of the paper. 

100

What is a renaissance? What was the Harlem renaissance?

A renaissance is a time of rebirth and great creativity in art and culture. The Harlem Renaissance happened in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. It started because many Black people moved North in the Great Migration. 

100

Who is Amy Tan? 

Amy Tan is a well known American author who known for her novels that have themes of family, identity, cultural conflict, and the Chinese-American experience. Her most famous story is The Joy Luck Club

200

What does Gatsby reaching towards the green light symbolize? 

The green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. He is always reaching towards them, but they are always slightly out of his reach. 

200

What is does it mean to “pass”?

This term describes Racial passing where a black person who is light-skinned hides their true racial identity and identifies themselves as a white person. 

200

What are the required parts of an MLA formatted heading?

On the top left of first page. 

1.Your Name

2. Instructor’s name

3. Course Name

4. Date (Day, Month, Year Format) 

200

What are some common themes throughout the works created during the Harlem Renaissance?

1. Racial Pride

2. Resistance to racism 

3. African American Identity 

4. Hopes for the future

5. Struggles that Black people endure in America

200

Who is Alice Walker? 

Alice Walker is an important American author best known for her stories about race, gender, and social justice, specifically focusing on the lives of African-American Women. 

300

What is Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy a symbol or metaphor for? 

It is a metaphor/symbol of the unattainable American Dream

300

Who is narrating the novel?

Irene Redfield is narrating the entire novel. This is considered a limited third-person perspective because the readers only get her perceptions and this leads to uncertainty about Clare’s true intentions.

300

How do you tell the reader that some Wording has been changed from direct quote?

Use brackets [] to show changes or additions. 

“She [Mama] understood the value of quilts.” 

300

Who is Langston Hughes? What is he known for?

Langston Hughes is an African American poet who wrote about black life and the Harlem Renaissance. He used jazz rhythms and everyday language in his poems. 

300

Why did Amy Tan write Mother Tongue?

Amy Tan wrote Mother Tongue to reflect on how language shapes her experience as both a daughter and a writer. It displayed the difficulties she and her mother went through while living in America as Chines—Americans and her mom as an immigrant. 

400

In the novel, Daisy tells Nick she hopes her daughter will be “a beautiful little fool.” What does this represent? 

Daisy believes that ignorance is the only way a woman can survive in a world dominated by men and superficial values. This represents the oppression of women during this era, gender expectations, and Daisy’s own regrets about her life choices

400

What is conflict between Clare and Irene?

Clare re-enters Irene’s life causing problems and bringing jealousy, suspicion, and fear into her life.

400

When is it required for a writer to use a block-quote format rather than regular quote formatting?

A writer must use block-quote formatting when a quote is longer than 4 lines of prose or more than 3 lines of poetry. 

400

Who was Claude McKay? What is he known for? 

Claude McKay is an American poet who wrote about racial pride and resistance. Used strong language to speak out against racism and injustice. 

400

What are the central themes in the stories “Two Themes” written by Amy Tan? 

This story explores the struggle between two generations (immigrant parents and American-born children) and talks about identity because it suggests there are not just “twho kinds” of daughters, but many. The piano symbolizes pressure that Jing-mei felt growing up and self expression. 

500

What are the major themes of the Great Gatsby? 

Critiquing the American Dream, material success and social class, the failure to live in the present, the consequences of unattainable dreams, and love and obsession. (Answers can vary)

500

How is the dangers of crossing racial boundaries portrayed as a major theme in this novel?

Clare’s decision to live and “pass” as a white woman while secretly maintaining connections to the Black community displays this theme of the strict social divisions during this era. Clares actions/choices not only put herself in danger but also Irene and many others in the Black community

500

Is a novel formatted in italics or in quotations? 

Academic journals? 

Journal Articles? 

Websites?

Novel: Italics

Academic Journal: Italics

Journals Articles: In quotations 

Websites: Italics 

500

Who is Zora Neale Hurston?

She is an African American author who wrote about the Black culture in the South, specifically Eatonville, Florida. Shared black stories from women’s views to share struggles. 
500

What are the major parts of “Everyday Use“ by Alice Walker? Themes?

The story centers around the conflict between the two ways of connecting to heritage. Maggie values the importance of living heritage while Dee wants to hang the quilts and does see that they have a purpose. This story talks about cultural appreciation how it should be authentic and focus on personal and family history.