Final Post

Hello Guys,

Well, I'm sad to say that now that our class has come to an end, this will be my last post. I will be returning your last essays to you this week, as well as a progress report to your parents.

It has been a huge honor being your teacher, and I have enjoyed reading and discussing books with you over the year. I look forward to our summer class, we have some great reads ahead of us! Enjoy your break until that class begins. During the break try to read A Thousand Splendid Suns, its supposed to be amazing!

Take care,

Mrs. Severson

Final Essay

Well, you made it through the year! You all worked so hard and progressed tremendously. I am very proud of you! I hope you realize all that you have learned over the year, and how many new books you not only read, but analyzed, discussed, and wrote about. The level of your work always impressed me, and I am excited about working with some of you over the summer!

Please post your final essay in the comments section here. Daniel read Kevin's essay, Kevin read Tyler's essay, Tyler read Daniel's essay.

I know you are all excited about this being your last essay, but I have to admit I'm sad about it. I am going to miss seeing them pop into my inbox every two weeks. I always thoroughly enjoy reading them. If you happen to write anything else, send it my way:)

Good luck with this final essay! Enjoy the process. Please let me know if you have any questions.

This is a picture of the Willamette River which runs through the Willamette Valley where I now live in Oregon. If you come and visit Jimmy and I will take you out on the boat!

Essay Question

For our last essay of the year, you will be able to choose from the different SAT Essay prompts below. Read through them all carefully and then make your choice. You will need to use examples from TWO of the books we have read this year as well as an example from your life.

Kevin and Daniel, you will need to write the essay in 25 minutes.

Please let me know if you have questions or if I can help in any way. I hope you enjoy this challenge! Your essay is due by midnight on Friday. Have fun!

Here are the four different prompts you may choose from.

Prompt 1

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

Many people believe that our government should do more to solve our problems. After all, how can one individual create more jobs or make roads safer or improve the schools or help to provide any of the other benefits that we have come to enjoy? And yet expecting that the government—rather than individuals—should always come up with the solutions to society's ills may have made us less self-reliant, undermining our independence and self-sufficiency.

Assignment:

Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Prompt 2

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Most human beings spend their lives doing work they hate and work that the world does not need. It is of prime importance that you learn early what you want to do and whether or not the world needs this service. The return from your work must be the satisfaction that work brings you and the world's need of that work. Income is not money, it is satisfaction; it is creation; it is beauty.
Adapted from W.E.B. Du Bois, The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois: A Soliloquy on Viewing My Life from the Last Decade of Its First Century

Assignment:

Is it more important to do work that one finds fulfilling or work that pays well? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Prompt 3

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

The education people receive does not occur primarily in school. Young people are formed by their experiences with parents, teachers, peers, and even strangers on the street, and by the sports teams they play for, the shopping malls they frequent, the songs they hear, and the shows they watch. Schools, while certainly important, constitute only a relatively small part of education.
Adapted from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, "Education for the Twenty-First Century"

Assignment:

Is education primarily the result of influences other than school? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Prompt 4

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

If we are dissatisfied with our circumstances, we think about changing them. But the most important and effective changes—in our attitude—hardly occur to us. In other words, we should worry not about how to alter the world around us for the better but about how to change ourselves in order to fit into that world.
Adapted from Michael Hymers, "Wittgenstein, Pessimism and Politics"

Assignment:

Is it better to change one's attitude than to change one's circumstances? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Essay

I really enjoyed seeing you all this week! Great job discussing Kite Runner and reviewing all the books we have read so far.

Please post your Kite Runner essay here in the comments section. Tyler, please read Kevin's essay, and Kevin read Daniel's essay, and Daniel read Tyler's essay. Of course keep in mind that Kevin and Daniel had only 25 minutes to write their essays!

See you there?

Well, today is my last day in Chicago! Tomorrow I head to Pennsylvania and then will be in San Luis Obispo! Your moms are working out a time for us to all meet and discuss Kite Runner and your overall experience this year. I am really excited about having a "live" discussion with you and getting caught up.

In preparation for this Tuesday I want you to come up with your question for me about Kite Runner as well as the essay question you want to answer for your essay. Remember, for this essay, you are writing your own question. Come to the meeting with your essay question written down, and I will give you my feedback regarding it. We will finalize each of your essay questions during our meeting, and then you will e-mail me your essay like always.

Bring Kite Runner to the discussion, just in case you need to reference it during our chat. I am looking forward to seeing you all again, and know that we will have a great discussion about this wonderful book!

See you Tuesday!

Comprehension Questions

The picture is of children in Afghanistan flying a kite.

The Kite Runner

I am really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this book! It is very different from the books we have read so far for many reasons, not the least of which is that is was written just a few years ago. This is the first book we have read by an author that is still alive! The story includes events that have happened during your lifetimes, including the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Not only does the book tell an amazing story, but includes the history of Afghanistan over the past 40 years. I think the history will fascinate you as much as the plot touches you.

Enjoy reading this book, you have two entire weeks to go through its 370 pages, so take your time and savor it. I’m looking forward to discussing it with you. Don’t forget to fill out your reading journal!

Chapters 1, 2, 3
1. What does Amir’s teacher say about Shi’a Muslims? Do Hassan or his father, Ali, fulfill this stereotype?
2. What type of a man is Baba? How does he view the world?
3. What is Baba’s definition of sin? Do you agree with him?
4. Baba worries that Amir is a coward. He says, “A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” Is this true about Amir? Do you agree or disagree with Baba’s statement?

Chapters 4, 5, 6
5. Compare and contrast Ali and Hassan to Baba and Amir.
6. What character qualities do we see in Hassan? Which do we see in Amir?

Chapters 7, 8, 9
7. What motivates Amir to do well in the kite tournament?
8. What does Amir do when he sees Hassan in the alley?
9. How does Amir’s inaction affect the way he feels about Hassan? Why do you think it has this affect?
10. Amir decides that something must be done to get rid of Hassan. What does he do? What is Baba’s response?
11. What are your thoughts about Amir and Hassan?

Chapters 10, 11, 12
12. How has Kabul changed?
13. How does Baba respond to the idea of a woman being raped? How does this contrast to Amir?
14. What happens to Baba’s memories in America? What happens to Amir’s memories?
15. Baba makes an observation about Soraya, saying, “It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime, Amir.” How does Amir know that is true?
16. Soraya reveals her past to Amir, why do you think he still withholds his from her?

Chapters 13, 14, 15
17. Compare and contrast the General and Baba. Who do you respect more?
18. Rahim Khan says to Amir, “Come. There is a way to be good again.” How is going to Pakistan the first step in Amir’s redemption?

Chapters 16, 17, 18
19. We encounter Hassan again as an adult. What kind of man has he become?
20. Why does it so surprise Amir when he looks in the photo and sees “a man who thought the world had been good to him”?
21. What does Amir learn about Hassan?

Chapters 19, 20, 21
22. How will Amir be redeemed?
23. Why is planting the money under the mattress symbolic of how Amir has changed?
24. What horrible situation is the orphanage director living under?
25. What have the Taliban done to the country?

Chapters 22, 23, 24, 25
26. What do they witness at the soccer match?
27. Who is the evil sociopath?
28. Why is getting beaten cathartic for Amir?
29. How do the events in the room mirror Amir’s childhood?
30. Rahim Kahn says that, “A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not suffer.” Is that true?
31. Do you think Baba and Amir are similar now?
32. “True redemption is when guilt leads to good.” Is that true?
33. How is Hassan’s character summed up in the lesson he taught Sohrab, “Father used to say it’s wrong to hurt even bad people. Because they don’t know any better, and because bad people sometimes become good”?
34. Hassan used to run kites for Amir, and now Amir is running kites for Sohrab. In what other ways have we seen the plot come full circle?

I want you to choose 12 questions to answer. Any twelve, your choice. This is our last book for the year, and I want to give you the opportunity to answer the questions you want. You will also be writing your own essay question, so keep that in mind as you read! More about the essay later:)

The Kite Runner

I am really excited about our next book, The Kite Runner. We have two weeks to read this book, with your essay due on May 16th. So take your time and enjoy it! I will post the questions on Monday. Have a good weekend.

Essay Assignment

Essay Question

For this essay you will write a five paragraph essay proving the following quote to be true or false based on what you have read in Lord of the Flies and/or a personal experience you have had. It is important that you include the quote in the first paragraph of the essay. Then decide on three reasons that the quote is true or false.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke

This essay prompt is similar to what you will see on the SAT. They will give you a quote and you have to prove through personal experience and books you have read whether it is true or not. They want to hear your personal opinion, and so do I. There is no wrong answer. Remember you really want your first sentences to grab my attention. Make them exciting, interesting, surprising. Have fun with it. The essay is due on Friday, April 25 by midnight.

Please let me know if you need any help along the way!

Lord of the Flies

Over the next two weeks you will be reading and writing about Lord of the Flies by William Golding. This classic book will be difficult to forget once you have read it. Golding's purpose in this novel is to explore human nature in a raw and unhindered environment. He chooses his subjects to be children so that they are unbound by the codes and boundaries of society.

Golding's purpose in writing the book, in his own words, was, "an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature." This is exactly what you will be looking for while reading the book. This time around we will focus on larger themes rather than the usual comprehension questions I ask. I have hinted to the themes below and you will all be responsible for answering the following questions. Please let me know if you have any questions along the way!

Enjoy this thought provoking book!

What time in history is the book set? How does this contrast to what is happening on the island?

What do Ralph and Piggy represent?

What does the conch represent? What is it replaced with?

What do the boys think the beast is? What does Simon know the beast is?

Is Simon a Christ figure in the story? What does his hiding place represent?

What do Jack and Roger represent?

What changes in the boys when they paint their faces? Why does this change take place?

What is the irony of their rescue?

Did you like or dislike the book? How did it compare to other books we have read so far, especially Heart of Darkness?

Clarification - Samneric are the twins, Sam and Eric:)

Movie

Back in 1995 James Earl Jones played Kumalo in the film adaptation of Cry, The Beloved Country. This movie is really well done, and follows the plot of the book pretty well. It has been a while since I have seen in, and unfortunately can't rent it right now to preview it. But talk to you parents about renting it, and watching it as a family. It is rated PG-13 for some brief language. I think it is a film you would enjoy having read the book! Let me know what you think after you watch it!

Your Turn

Now is your chance to ask me a question about Cry, the Beloved Country. I love the questions that you come up with, they always impress me. I look forward to discussing this book with you!

Kevin you can answer Daniel's question
Daniel you can answer Tyler's question
Tyler you can answer Kevin's question

For the essays, please don't forget to post your essay under the Essay Question post.
Tyler read Daniel's essay
Kevin read Tyler's essay
Daniel read Kevin's essay
Please post your response to their essays in the comments section. Enjoy!

The above picture is of a shanty town in Johannesburg.

Essay Question

One of the things I like so much about this book are the very real human characters. Paton develops very real and human characters that are always choosing between doing what is right, and doing what is easy. We can identify with their struggles, and sympathize with their hurt/disappointment. Kumalo is an incredible character, but so are Mr. Jarvis, Arthur Jarvis, John Kumalo, Msimangu and others. We cannot discuss this book without looking deeply into one of the characters, so we will do that in this essay.

For this essay we will do things a little differently. You are going to write about a character of your choice. Your three paragraphs should explain why you chose the character (you can discuss their humanity in this part), their role in the plot, and their struggle and victory. Of course in the intro you set up the above, and in the conclusion you wrap it all up. So in the end it is a five paragraph essay. Have fun with this and please ask for help along the way!

Above is a picture of a church in Kenya. I think it is probably similar to the one described in the book.

Comprehension Questions

Here are your questions for this amazing book. Enjoy reading it, it is a treasure!

Introduction - It is vitally important that you read the introduction. It explains the purpose of the book, how it was written, the author’s life, etc. and it is necessary to understand this, in order to appreciate the book.

Q1 What book did he read before he started writing Cry, the Beloved Country? How did it influence him? Kevin
Q2 Book 2 was inspired by who? Tyler
Q3 Who was Dr. Verwoerd and how does he personify the way many White South Africans felt about the natives? Daniel

Book One
Chapter 2
Q4 What had they hoped for their son?
Chapter 5
Q5 What has been the result of the destruction of the tribe? How are Kumalo’s brother and sister victims of Johannesburg?
Chapter 7
Q6 Msimangu says his, “one great few in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating.” What does this mean? Do we see it become true? Kevin, Tyler, Daniel
Chapter 8
Q7 Who does the government fear? Why do they find the “heart” more of a threat than the “voice”? Kevin
Chapter 9
Q8 Describe Shanty Town.
Chapter 11
Q9 Who is the murdered victim? What is the connection between Jarvis and Kumalo?
Chapter 12
Q10 Summarize the debate about education, law, and crime. Tyler
Q11 What purpose does it serve to keep the natives ignorant? What is the benefit? What is the harm? Daniel
Chapter 14
Q12 Summarize what we know about Absalom. The name Absalom means “father is peace.” Do you think there is a reason Paton decided to name his character Absalom?
Chapter 17
Q13 Why is Kumalo so moved by the lawyer who “takes the case for God”?

Book Two
First read the Gettysburg Address that so influenced Jarvis, by clicking here.
Chapter 21
Q14 Summarize what we know about Arthur Jarvis.
Q15 How does Arthur Jarvis feel about the racial division in South Africa? Describe his writings. Kevin
Chapter 22
Q16 What is “behind” the judge? Who is responsible for the laws? How doe the natives feel about the judge and laws? Daniel
Chapter 28
Q17 What do you think of the verdict?
Chapter 29
Q18 What story does John Kumalo refer to?
Q19 Contrast what he did tell his brother, and what he didn’t tell his brother. Kevin
Q20 What does Msimangu give to Kumalo? How does K respond? Tyler

Book Three
Chapter 30
Q21 Describe Kumalo’s homecoming.
Q22 Kumalo’s friend says that, “kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering.” How do we see this come true? Daniel
Q23 What does this same friend say about suffering? Is this true? Tyler
Chapter 33
Q24 What does Jarvis do for the native community? Why do you think he does these things? Kevin, Daniel, Tyler
Chapter 34
Q25 Why did Jarvis add to his letter the line, “You should know that my wife was suffering before we went to Johannesburg.” Why does this move Kumalo? Kevin
Chapter 35
Q26 Why is Kumalo so quick to remind the demonstrator all that the White man has done for them? (Think about what Msimangu said about love and hate.) Daniel
Chapter 36
Q27 Why does Kumalo go up the mountain? What Biblical imagery does this conjure up? Tyler
Q28 What is Kumalo thankful for?

I wrote your names after the questions I want you to answer. In addition to answering those questions, choose three more to answer as well. Don’t forget to fill our your reading journal!

Cry, The Beloved Country

This is a powerful and moving story of sin and redemption, hate and love, fear and strength, bitterness and forgiveness. It is written in a beautiful and gentle voice that draws you into the dramatic plot and human characters. One of my favorite things about this book are the incredibly human and flawed characters. Some are striving to do the right thing, while at the same time resisting the temptation to hurt and hate those around them. At different moments they succeed and fail, and as a reader you feel their successes and failures. Your essay assignment is going to be exploring in depth a character from this book. So pay close attention to the characters.

The plot is an ageless one - that of a prodigal son. It might be a good idea to review the story of the prodigal son which can be found in Luke 15:11-32. The two stories are not identical, but the author’s familiarity with the Bible story certainly influenced this story. I know you are going to find this story compelling. It is a heartbreaking story that still shines with hope.

In order to get the most out of this book, it is helpful to know a little about apartheid South Africa. Apartheid was a system of segregation established and enforced by the government of South Africa. Both Blacks and Whites resisted, as you will see in the book. Some, like Bishop Tutu and Nelson Mandela, wanted peaceful resistance, but others preferred violent methods. In this story, you will see each type of person and their fight against apartheid.

If you watch on YouTube the four videos titled “Witness to Apartheid Part 1, 2, 3 and 4” that are linked here, you will learn quite a bit about South Africa. These four videos are an accurate portrayal of the system. I cannot recommend any other video’s because I have not previewed them. But be careful about what you watch. There are many people who deny the seriousness of apartheid, just like there are people who deny the Holocaust. Also, don’t bother reading the comments, they are just full of ignorant people saying ignorant things.

If you do not have time to watch all four of the videos, watch the second and third one. I think it is tragic how ignorant the White people are about the living conditions of the Blacks. You can also see in this video how after a while, some Black people are tired of resisting peacefully and are beginning to think that violence is the only way to bring down the system of apartheid. In the third video we see how a White man suffers because he has supported the Black community. At the end of part 3, and beginning of part 4 you see an Afrikaner explain very eloquently how growing up in South Africa among the racial division causes one to become blind to it. You can also see the torture endured by those arrested. This part can be disturbing, so view at your own risk.

After you watch the video’s, please leave a comment here so we can discuss your reactions. I will post the comprehension questions next.

(The painting above is titled The Return of the Prodigal Son, and was painted by Pompeo Batoni in 1773. I think it is a beautiful interpretation of the story.)

Welcome Back!

Welcome back!! I hope your break was fun and relaxing. I would love to hear about what you did. How was Mexico, Daniel and Kevin?

My brother came out to Chicago to visit over break. He will be graduating this year with his degree in Architecture, so we had a really fun time touring the city, and looking up at all the famous skyscrapers. Chicago is home to the first skyscraper, and is known around the world for its famous skyline and buildings. Many famous architects worked here, and when you view the skyline it is full of their impressive work.

Post a comment and tell me what you did!

Easter Break

This week, March 24 - 30 is Easter Break. We will resume class on Monday the 31st, when we will begin reading Cry, The Beloved Country. I know Kevin is going to Mexico on a missions trip, but what do the rest of you have planned? I would love to hear about it!

I hope you enjoy your break during this very important time. He has risen! He has risen indeed!

(P.S. I have responded to the questions and comments regarding Great Gatsby)

Animal Farm

NOTE: We only have one week to read this book, but it is short - 100 pages, so I don’t think it will be a problem.

It is a wonderful book! My husband picked it up a few weeks ago, and started reading it. He could not put it down. Orwell does an amazing job in this satire of showing the lunacy of Communism. He was cutting edge. He wrote this book during a time that Europe, as well as America, admired not only Communism, but Stalin, therefore this book was not popular when it first came out.

It is VERY important that you read the introduction, before you dive into the book. The introduction discusses Orwell’s beliefs, the climate in which he was writing, and some hints on which characters represent Communist leaders. Your level of enjoyment of the book will be in direct correlation between how much or how little you know about Communism. Since we spent quite a bit of time learning about Communism early in the school year, I know Kevin and Daniel will find this book very entertaining. Tyler, I of course don’t know about your level of understanding when it comes to Communism, but this book will be a good introduction.

There are six major themes in the book to watch out for. Since we only have one week to read this book and write an essay, we are going to do things a little differently. As you read, you will look out for the different themes, than you will write an essay comparing Animal Farm to Communist Russia. You will consider Orwell’s accuracy, how the people/animals respond to Communism, and the final result. No matter what theme you choose, the above three need to be considered. I’m sure now you are wondering what the themes are, well here you go!

1. Napoleon’s Cult of Personality as compared to Stalin’s.

2. The rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon compared to that of Stalin and Trotsky. You would also want to discuss the changing of historical facts.

3. Management of the means of production and the distribution of the wealth. Things to consider - the windmill, apples, milk, barley, use of the house, etc.)

4. Equality. Is true equality achieved or maintained?

5. Use of ceremony and symbols. Consider the songs, poems, chants, medals, meetings, flag, whip, two legs vs. four legs.

6. An ever evolving set of rules/commandments and the government’s manipulation of them.

Every Communist country in the world has had elements the above six themes. Orwell makes great use of the above to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the system. So as you read, jot down page numbers when the themes appear. This will assist you in writing your essay. Also, you may want to spend a little time brushing up on Communist Russia! Enjoy the book, I know you will like it!

I will post a place for you to post your essay, but since there are no discussion questions, there will be no post for that. You will still get an opportunity to ask me a question. Your essay is due on Friday the 21st by midnight. Please let me know if you have any questions along the way!

HINTS:
Snowball = Trotsky
Napoleon = Stalin
Major = Lenin
A stone is a unit of measure in England 1 stone = 14 pounds

Websites you might find helpful

Click here for information about Stalin and Trotsky and their rivalry.

Click here for information about Stalin rewriting history. There is a little here about his cult of personality.


I thought this site about Soviet posters was interesting.

Please let me know if you would like more websites or information!

Your Turn

Hi Guys,

Great job with the discussion questions! I'll be posting my responses soon. But for now, we have come to the part where you ask me a question. So I hope you have been thinking about this, and I look forward to what you have to say.

This time Daniel will be answering Tyler's question
Tyler will answer Kevin's.
Kevin will answer Daniel's.

Have fun!

Essay Question

Green with Envy

Fitzgerald is known for using a lot of symbolism in his novels, and The Great Gatsby has some particularly strong symbols. One of them is the green light that flashes at the end of Tom and Daisy's dock. Gatsby is obsessed with desire for Daisy, and spends his life trying to reach her social level in order to win her. In then end this quest destroys him.

Write a five paragraph essay answering the following question. Your essay is due on Friday the 14th by midnight.

The Great Gatsby, among other things, is the story of the American dream. Gatsby spends his life in quest of the dream of being with Daisy. How does his complete obsession lead to his death and what symbols and character flaws do we encounter along the way?

Have fun pondering this, and let me know how I can help!

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous pieces of American Literature. It has become the social commentary of an entire decade - the 1920’s. The ‘20s was a time contradictions. Prohibition made the production and consumption of alcohol illegal in an attempt to legislate morality. This was a reaction to the immorality that some saw pervading society. As you will see in the book extra-marital affairs became more common, women enjoyed a lot more freedom, and society was becoming less religious.

We encounter the wealthy, careless, and immoral in this book. The characters will surprise and confuse you. Fitzgerald’s style of writing takes a while to get used to, so persevere through the slow beginning. You will be rewarded in the end. The book forces you to challenge people’s perceptions of themselves. We see the consequences of envy, greed, immaturity, and deceit woven into a magical story. The book has a dream like quality. The images are unbelievable, bathed in hot humid air. The conversations are stilted, rhythmic and inconclusive. In doing this Fitzgerald is making a point about the setting and the characters. Their actions and thoughts are unbelievable, thus the writing style mirrors that, as well as the chaos of the decade.

I hope you enjoy this book! The plot is fascinating and tragic, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it. Below I have assigned you questions to answer. In addition to answering those questions, choose any 3 questions as well.

Kevin - Ch 1, Q 1 and 3. Ch 3, Q 2. Ch 4, Q 3. Ch 8 and 9, Q 1 and 4.
Tyler - Ch 1, Q 1. Ch 2, Q 1. Ch 4, Q 2. Ch 5, Q 1 and 2. Ch 8 and 9, Q 4.
Daniel - Ch 1, Q 2 and 3. Ch 2, Q 1. Ch 4, Q3. Ch 5, Q 2. Ch 7, Q 1.

Ch 1
1. What advice does Nick, the narrator’s father give him?
2. What are Tom and Daisy like? What character qualities do they exhibit?
3. What is Gatsby looking at across the bay at the end of the chapter? What does green symbolize?

Ch 2
1. Describe the sign they pass on their way to New York.
2. What do we know about Gatsby by the end of this chapter?

Ch 3
1. How does Nick finally meet his neighbor Gatsby?
2. What does Nick think about himself? Hint: It’s the last line of the chapter.

Ch 4
1. What is the story of Gatsby and Daisy?
2. Why did Gatsby buy his mansion?
3. Is Gatsby vain?

Ch 5
1. How do Gatsby and Daisy finally meet?
2. Gatsby know exactly how long it has been since he has seen Daisy. What does this show about his level of obsession?

Ch 7 (in this chapter everything becomes transparent, especially the intentions of Gatsby and Daisy)
1. When does Tom realize what is going on?
2. What does it mean that “Her voice is full of money”?
3. Gatsby claims that Daisy “never loved you”, how do we, as the reader, and Tom know this is not true?
4. Why is it so devastating to Gatsby that Daisy does/did love Tom?
5. How does Daisy respond to the position that Gatsby has put her in?
6. How does Myrtle die and who kills her?

Ch 8 and 9
1. Daisy is described as a “grail.” What is the significance of this?
2. How does Gatsby die?
3. Why does Nick have such a hard time finding people to attend Gatsby’s funeral?
4. Nick realizes what type of people Tom and Daisy are, how does he describe them?