State the name of the text, the author, and the focus of your paper in your introductory paragraph. The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. The novel focuses on the relationships between several very wealthy people who live in the New York area. Jay Gatsby, who is the main character, has everything he could ever want except the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. The last sentence of your introduction should be your thesis statement. Your thesis will explain what you plan to analyze, criticize, or prove about the text. Gatsby’s failure to attain true happiness symbolizes his inability to accept himself as he truly is—despite his all his attempts to reinvent himself, he is never able to escape his past. Your reaction paragraphs will form the body of your paper. Start with a topic sentence to introduce each paragraph. This can be a scene or quote from the text. The remainder of your paragraph should analyze or critique the topic sentence. Make sure to include plenty of quotations! Topic sentence: Nick describes his friend as a fervent believer in the future, telling us: “Gatsby believed in the green light...that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther” (Fitzgerald 220). Analysis: Gatsby is so certain that he will eventually reach the green light that he doesn’t perceive it slipping away from him. His own confidence blinds him to the reality of his situation, leading to an ultimate tragic outcome in which his present circumstances catch up to him. End your paper by exploring how the text might relate or connect to other ideas you’ve discussed in class. The Roaring Twenties were an American era characterized by wealth, glamor, and high hopes for the future. Unfortunately, 1929 brought with it the sober reality of the Great Depression which brought a quick end to all the fun. The characters of The Great Gatsby are likewise unaware that their carefree way of life must eventually come to an end.