Transcript Slam Dunk Lesson Template - Baltimore County Public Schools
Gatsby
as
Grail Quest
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“… he had committed himself to the following of a grail.”
(
The Great Gatsby,
Chapter 8)
The poet
Sylvia Plath
once compared F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby to a fairy tale with a knight in shining armor, a princess, and a dragon. Read/listen to the critical essay
"Dragon goes to bed with princess: F. Scott Fitzgerald's influence on Sylvia Plath“
.
Do you agree with Plath’s interpretations of Fitzgerald’s work? Explain why or why not.
In another critical essay,
“Sangria in the Sangreal: The Great Gatsby as Grail Quest”
, the authors note Fitzgerald’s fascination with
Arthurian legends
and find elements of the quest for the
Holy Grail
in The Great Gatsby. In this research lesson, you will develop your knowledge of the Grail Quest and analyze the text of The Great Gatsby to draw your own conclusions about this interpretation of the novel.
The Question
What parallels can be drawn between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and the Grail Quest of Arthurian legend?
Information Sources
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• What do you already know about King Arthur , the Knights of the Round Table , and the their quest for the Holy Grail? Below is a list of movies based on Arthurian legend to jump-start your thinking. Note: Linked movie trailer videos may not play on school computers, but you could access them from this Slam-dunk lesson at home.
Movies on King Arthur or Arthurian Legend Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Use these sources to gather information about the Grail Quest and complete the Student Activity on Slide 3:
• • • • • • • Informational Websites: The Quest for the Holy Grail Grail The Holy Grail The Holy Grail: Background, Texts, Images King Arthur The Fisher King Arthurian Legend Arthurian Legend Illustrated • • Critical essays: "Dragon goes to bed with princess: F. Scott Fitzgerald's influence on Sylvia Plath” “Sangria in the Sangreal:
The Great Gatsby
as Grail Quest”
"Knight of the Holy Grail"
by Frederick Judd Waugh [Galahad has a vision of the grail.] Public domain image.
The Student Activity
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Use the chart
Research Notes and Text Analysis: The Great Gatsby as Grail Quest
to gather notes from your research and analysis of the novel.
• • • Use the information sources on Slide 2 to complete the first column of the chart with notes about
Elements of the Grail Quest
from Arthurian legend. Then, consider which
Aspects of the Novel
The Great Gatsby
Grail Quest elements to complete column two. relate to the Provide
Text Support
the third column.
with details and examples from the novel to complete
"Knights of the Round Table Departing on the Quest for the Holy Grail" by William Dyce
Public domain image.
The Assessment Activity
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What parallels can be drawn between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and the Grail Quest of Arthurian legend?
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Compose an essay that answers the question by affirming or denying the following parallels based on a critical interpretation of
The Great Gatsby
as Grail Quest: – Gatsby as Hero – Daisy as Object – Tom as Guardian – Nick as Helper Support your interpretation with details from your research notes and text analysis chart. You may also use support from either of the critical essays and find similar parallels in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “O Russet Witch” .
“Celestial Eyes” Dust Jacket Illustration for
The Great Gatsby
by Francis Cugat (1925)
Enrichment Activities
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• • Learn more about the Grail Quest in the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and other authors by reading and listening to these critical essays: F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'Following of a Grail' The Grail Theme in Twentieth-Century Literature • Watch the Francis Ford Coppola film
The Great Gatsby
(1974).
How are the Grail Quest parallels evident in the film version of the novel?
"Sir Galahad" by Arthur Hughes [The long quest of Galahad, Lancelot's son, is encouraged by supernatural beings.] Public domain image.
Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby in the 1974 film
The Great Gatsby.
Source: Esquire Did you read Dan Brown’s novel
The DaVinci Code
, or did you see the movie version? This is a story that explicitly features the Holy Grail and its guardians, the Priory of Scion. Visit this website to check out some theories about Brown’s controversial treatment of the Holy Grail in his story.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DaVinciCode.jpg
Teacher Support Materials
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Lesson Objective:
Students will affirm or deny the interpretation of characters in
The Great Gatsby
as representative of elements of Grail Quest, by researching the Grail Quest of Arthurian legend, analyzing the novel text, and composing an essay.
Time Management:
This may be completed as a two day lesson: 40-50 minutes in the computer lab for research; 40-50 minutes in class for text analysis and composing essay.
MSC Standards for Grade 11 English
MSC- 1.2.1 The student will determine the contributions of literary elements in classical and contemporary texts. MSC-2.1.1 The student will analyze stylistic elements in a text or across texts that communicate an author’s purpose.
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner:
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real- world situations, and further investigations 2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.
Differentiation Strategies :
Websites/articles vary in length/reading levels.
Read-aloud audio feature is available for articles in the Literature Resource Center Database.
Learning Preferences/Styles :
• Field independent, Visual, Auditory, Active, Global.
Notes to the Teacher:
Teacher can also discuss parallels between the Grail quest and the pursuit of the American Dream. Students should read chapter eight in preparation for the next lesson. You may wish to assign questions from
Questions for Great Gatsby”
with the reading.
“Guide
ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Students : 3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
Created by Kelly Ray , Library Media Specialist and Stephanie DiCecco, English Teacher BCPS Slam Dunk Model, Copyright 2010 , Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. The models may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. This lesson is based on Dr. Jamie McKenzie’s Slam Dunk Lesson module available at http://questioning.org/module2/quick.html
.