It can be hard to find things to be thankful for during a global pandemic, but the books I was able to read this year along with staying connected with some of my favorite people through virtual book clubs tops my list. I had a few people ask me for my book recommendations, so here’sContinue reading “Book Recommendations from 2020”
Category Archives: Must-Read Books
A book for everyone
I’ve been rereading Uncommon Core in preparation for planning out my next book, and I have to tell you, it’s giving me the feels. I’ve cried through every chapter, remembering the connection I had with my students and the lessons we learned from each other. In some ways, it’s a hard book to market becauseContinue reading “A book for everyone”
The Great Gatsby Movie Review
First, before I get into the movie review, I want to make a small statement about my expectations of film adaptations: I don’t ever imagine that a movie can encompass the depth and breadth of any novel; it’s virtually impossible to include all elements an author puts into a novel. What I look for inContinue reading “The Great Gatsby Movie Review”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 9
Well after the denouement of the story, after we discover the fates of Gatsby and Nick, we get a final glimpse of Nick on the beach in front of Gatsby’s house. There seems to be nothing more to say, except perhaps a final reflection on the events of that summer of 1922. It is inContinue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 9”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 8
In Chapter 8, the reader gets a glimpse into Gatsby and Daisy’s past relationship. After Daisy marries Tom, Gatsby returns to Daisy’s hometown, hoping somehow to feel Daisy’s presence, to breath in the air that surrounded her, to touch the inanimate objects where her hand might have lain: The track curved and now it wasContinue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 8”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 7
Of all the characters, I’m anxious to see Carey Mulligan’s portrayal of Daisy Buchanan. Her part will be the most difficult to play. She is the woman Gatsby has been dreaming about for five years. Even Nick, her cousin, seems to be infatuated with her as well. He pays particular attention to describing her voiceContinue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 7”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 6
Chapter 6 gives the reader a glimpse of Gatsby the Dreamer, of how the poor James Gatz became the rich Jay Gatsby. What I love about this chapter is how Fitzgerald states something seemingly trivial and mysterious about Gatsby in the beginning of the chapter and then uses that information to solidify Gatsby’s fate. Also,Continue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 6”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 5
One of the interesting elements of the novel as a whole is that the plot structure mirrors that of a Shakespearean Tragedy: Chapter 1 is the Exposition; Chapters 2-4 is the Rising Action; Chapter 5 is the Turning Point; Chapters 6-8 is the Falling Action; and Chapter 9 is the Resolution. Like all great tragedies,Continue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 5”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 4
Chapter 4 opens with Nick juxtaposing the church going people with the people who enjoy Gatsby’s hospitality. Contrasting these images emphasizes the contradictory nature of the people Nick encounters throughout the novel; whether they are new money or old money, these people are morally challenged and judgmental, and definitely unworthy of the hospitality Gatsby showersContinue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 4”
The Great Gatsby: Chapter 3
The reader finally meets Gatsby in Chapter 3. What’s intriguing about this chapter is that Nick plays with the myth that surrounds Gatsby by presenting him as a magician or an actor of sorts, putting on a big show for all his guests. The elaborateness of the ruse culminates when Nick describes Gatsby’s confidence-filled smile,Continue reading “The Great Gatsby: Chapter 3”
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