While The Great Gatsby provides an in-depth portrayal of American culture during the Roaring Twenties, its storyline mirrors one told many times before, potentially as old as the country itself: a man rises from destitution to wealth, only to find that his fortune does not afford him the privileges enjoyed by those born into their elite status.

The central character is Jay Gatsby, a wealthy New Yorker whose occupation is vague. Gatsby is primarily known for the lavish parties he throws each weekend at his opulent Gothic mansion in West Egg. He is thought to be linked to illegal bootlegging and several criminal activities. The storyteller, Nick Carraway, resides next to Gatsby in West Egg.

This lesson plan for The Great Gatsby is designed to last approximately 90 minutes. The student activities vary and are presented in a separate worksheet. In the end, the answer key for the assignments is given separately at the end of the lesson plan.