Here we go again with yet another discussion board. Hey, in my “real life” classes, my peeps spend a lot of time in the proverbial small groups setting, discussing stuff out of the texts, so this is the online equivalent! This week I’m going to place you into smaller groups online, rather than have a class-wide discussion, and see how that flies. These smaller groups will also become important in regards to something else concerning your essays, but one thing at a time. Everything else will be the same, though…make an initial comment of your own, then comment at least twice on others’ comments from your group, making sure everyone in your group gets at bare minimum one comment on his or her initial post. Try to really say something with your responses; just saying “I agree with you” or “I liked your comment” doesn’t really encourage DISCUSSION, does it? It’s more like “Well, I have to type something, so that’s pretty easy to put down…now let me get back to Team Deathmatch on Destiny.” THEN…to simulate actual DISCUSSION, I’d like to also see you respond to at least one of your responses! That’s a lot of responding, huh? Sorry, but I’m trying to get real conversations going here online! Make sure to check out the Road Map for the week to see this more clearly. Ready to try it out? All righty then…here are the things I’d like you to comment on and discuss from the third chapter of the novel:

1. Comment on the behavior of the party-goers at Gatsby’s house. How do they behave in general? How does their behavior change over the course of the evening? Do any particular scenes of people at the party stand out to you in some way, and how and why do these scenes do that? What do you think Fitzgerald is commenting about with these people’s behavior?

2. About halfway through the chapter, find a paragraph that begins with “He smiled understandingly.” Read over that paragraph again and interpret it in your own way. What impression do get of Gatsby here, and what do you think Nick’s impression is?

3. At the the end of the chapter, Nick takes a few pages to describe the way he began to settle into life in New York, He also discusses Jordan Baker quite a bit. Looking through those pages, comment on issues of ethics and honesty. From what you have seen in the book so far, do you believe the final sentence of the chapter that Nick makes as a comment on himself? What’s your impression of Jordan from this section?

4. Be honest with this…NEVER feel like you have to tell me what I want to hear as if I was the author of this book and you’ll hurt my feelings, or like I am one of those instructors who has an unhealthy attachment to a piece of literature and can’t stand it if anyone doesn’t adore it as much as they do: What is your overall opinion/reaction to the book so far? Is it easier or harder to get through than you expected? Engaging? Confusing? Boring? Slow as snot? What do you think of various characters so far? A word of warning with this item: if you know the story of the book from reading it previously or from a film, DO NOT BRING IN MENTION OF ANY OTHER FUTURE EVENTS OR MATERIAL FROM THE BOOK. ONLY CONSIDER CHAPTERS 1-3!!!

5. Theorize on my reason behind posting the various graphics previously, and the video this time around, in the roadmaps. This should be easy! What is the common thread?