Socratic Seminar Questions 1 
Socratic seminar questions
3. What does Fitzgerald mean when he says ““The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself…so he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen –year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end”(98)? Gatsby was from new money where he and his parents had to work hard on plantations in order to make a living. Early in his lifetime, he created a “platonic [concept] of himself” and refused to let go of his dream (98). He successfully manipulates himself--everything from a new name to massive amounts of wealth. His love for Daisy encouraged him more to reach the wealthy state that he is in—allowing him in the future to take care of her. He creates this new person of his in order to start over his life and be the rich man he always wanted to be. A. what identity does Gatsby build for himself? Why does he invent this alternative identity? What is Fitzgerald suggesting about people who do this? Gatsby builds his identity as a greater and alternate man—a man above an average man. He creates this rich yet calm and collected side of him. He's part of new money and so, worked his way to get to where he is at. Everything that lead him to become rich was all for Daisy. Like the many Americans at the time, he was more disillusioned on the idea that he could obtain his American dream—to have a house and own land. Fitzgerald suggests that the American dream is not attainable to everyone. He shows this through the valley of ashes; people like Myrtle and George who worked hard but couldn’t get rich. Even though Gatsby became rich, he ultimately couldn’t get Daisy who was his life ling dream.
B. What kind of identity would a high school student create for himself? Why would a person invent an alternative identity?
High school students would create an alternative look or attitude in order to be popular and fit into what’s the “new normal”. High
3. What does Fitzgerald mean when he says ““The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself…so he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen –year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end”(98)? Gatsby was from new money where he and his parents had to work hard on plantations in order to make a living. Early in his lifetime, he created a “platonic [concept] of himself” and refused to let go of his dream (98). He successfully manipulates himself--everything from a new name to massive amounts of wealth. His love for Daisy encouraged him more to reach the wealthy state that he is in—allowing him in the future to take care of her. He creates this new person of his in order to start over his life and be the rich man he always wanted to be. A. what identity does Gatsby build for himself? Why does he invent this alternative identity? What is Fitzgerald suggesting about people who do this? Gatsby builds his identity as a greater and alternate man—a man above an average man. He creates this rich yet calm and collected side of him. He's part of new money and so, worked his way to get to where he is at. Everything that lead him to become rich was all for Daisy. Like the many Americans at the time, he was more disillusioned on the idea that he could obtain his American dream—to have a house and own land. Fitzgerald suggests that the American dream is not attainable to everyone. He shows this through the valley of ashes; people like Myrtle and George who worked hard but couldn’t get rich. Even though Gatsby became rich, he ultimately couldn’t get Daisy who was his life ling dream.
B. What kind of identity would a high school student create for himself? Why would a person invent an alternative identity?
High school students would create an alternative look or attitude in order to be popular and fit into what’s the “new normal”. High