This lesson plan helps students analyze the major themes, symbols and motifs in *The Great Gatsby* by F. Scott Fitzgerald using a visual storyboard organizer.
Subject: English Language Arts · Grade: 10–12 · Time: 45–60 minutes
Major themes
| Theme | Description | Key scenes |
|---|---|---|
| The American Dream | Gatsby's pursuit of wealth and Daisy represents the corrupted dream | Gatsby's parties, his death |
| Class and wealth | Old money vs. new money, East Egg vs. West Egg | Tom's contempt for Gatsby |
| Illusion vs. reality | Gatsby creates an illusion of who he is | Gatsby's fabricated past |
| Moral decay | The carelessness of the wealthy | Myrtle's death, the funeral |
Symbols
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green light | Gatsby's hopes and dreams, the American Dream |
| Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg | God watching the moral decay, judgment |
| Valley of Ashes | Moral and social decay, poverty beneath wealth |
| East Egg vs. West Egg | Old money vs. new money, established vs. self-made |
Motifs
- Weather: Heat during the climax, rain during Gatsby's reunion with Daisy
- Colors: Green (hope), yellow (corruption), white (false innocence)
- Parties: Excess, superficiality, the illusion of happiness
Activity: Storyboard the symbols
- Open Storyboard Creator with a 6-panel layout
- Choose 3 symbols from above
- For each symbol, create 2 panels: one showing the symbol in the novel, one explaining its meaning
- Add captions with text evidence
- Export PDF or share a live link