This lesson plan helps students analyze the major characters in *The Great Gatsby* by F. Scott Fitzgerald using a visual character map.
Subject: English Language Arts · Grade: 10–12 · Time: 45–60 minutes
Major characters
Jay Gatsby
- Role: Protagonist
- Traits: Idealistic, obsessive, mysterious, generous, naive
- Motivation: Winning Daisy back, achieving the American Dream
- Development: Revealed as a self-made man with a fabricated past
- Key quote: "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"
Daisy Buchanan
- Role: Gatsby's love interest
- Traits: Charming, careless, superficial, beautiful, shallow
- Motivation: Comfort, security, social status
- Development: Reveals her shallowness by choosing Tom over Gatsby
- Key quote: "I hope she'll be a fool — that's the best thing a girl can be in this world."
Tom Buchanan
- Role: Antagonist
- Traits: Arrogant, racist, unfaithful, brutal, entitled
- Motivation: Maintaining his social dominance
- Development: Remains unchanged — represents old money's carelessness
- Key quote: "Civilization's going to pieces."
Nick Carraway
- Role: Narrator
- Traits: Observant, tolerant, honest, judgmental (despite himself)
- Motivation: Understanding the world, writing
- Development: Becomes disillusioned with the East
- Key quote: "I'm inclined to reserve all judgments."
Jordan Baker
- Role: Supporting character
- Traits: Cynical, dishonest, independent, cool
- Motivation: Social advancement
- Development: Represents the moral carelessness of the wealthy
Activity: Character map storyboard
- Open Storyboard Creator
- Choose 3 characters from above
- For each character, create panels showing traits, motivations and key moments
- Export PDF or share a live link