Gatsby Loathsome Character Blueprint
F. Scott Fitzgerald's Classic
THE LOATHSOME DEBATE
Who is the absolute worst character in The Great Gatsby?
The Case File & Essay Prompt
LOATHSOME (adj.): Causing hatred or disgust; repulsive. Who is the most loathsome figure? Your mission is to craft a highly convincing, 3-paragraph persuasive argument proving which character is the worst. Use the evidence bank below to build your case.
📝 3 Paragraphs (Intro, Body, Conclusion) 📚 At least 2 Textual Quotes ⌨️ Typed in 12pt Times New Roman
Suspect Dossier & Categorized Quote Bank
SUSPECT #1: TOM BUCHANAN The Bully
1. Racism & Bigotry
"It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things."
— Chapter 1
2. Infidelity & Betrayal
"Tom’s got some woman in New York... She might have the decency not to telephone him at dinner-time."
— Chapter 1
3. Carelessness & Privilege
"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money..."
— Chapter 9
4. Physical Violence
"Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand."
— Chapter 2
SUSPECT #2: DAISY BUCHANAN The Siren
1. Materialism & Greed
"They’re such beautiful shirts... It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before."
— Chapter 5
2. Reckless Driving
"Daisy stepped on it. I tried to make her stop, but she couldn't, so I pulled on the emergency brake."
— Chapter 7
3. Indecisive Affection
"I did love him once—but I loved you too... Even that’s a lie. I can’t say I never loved Tom."
— Chapter 7
SUSPECT #3: JAY GATSBY The Illusionist
1. Criminality & Fraud
"He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores... and sold grain alcohol over the counter."
— Chapter 7
2. Obsession with Past
"‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’"
— Chapter 6
3. Delusional Demands
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’"
— Chapter 6
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Essay Outline Blueprint
3-Paragraph Persuasive Argument
Name:
Date:
Period:
1. Introduction Paragraph (The Setup)
Hook → Context → Thesis Statement
Sentence Starters
The Hook: "Many people believe that money can buy happiness, but..."
Title/Author & Context: "In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we see..."
The Thesis (Claim): "Out of all the characters, [Name] is the worst because they are [Reason 1] and [Reason 2]."
Draft Your Hook, Context, & Thesis Statement
Hook / Notes:
Background & Context:
Thesis Claim:
2. Body Paragraph (The Evidence & Proof)
Topic Sentence → 2 Quotes → Explanations → Wrap-Up
Sentence Starters
Topic Sentence: "First, [Name] shows they are the most loathsome character because..."
Introducing Quotes: "For example, the book says, '[Quote]' (Chapter [X])."
Explaining Quotes: "This quote shows that [Name] is..." or "This proves they only care about..."
Wrap-Up Sentence: "In short, these bad choices show that..."
Outline Topic Sentence, Quotes, & Explanations
Topic Sentence:
Quote 1 Detail:
Quote 2 Detail:
Wrap-Up Statement:
3. Conclusion Paragraph (The Verdict)
Restate Thesis → Closing Moral/Thought
Sentence Starters
Restate Thesis: "In conclusion, [Name] is clearly the worst character in the book because..."
Closing Thought / Lesson: "Ultimately, this character teaches readers that..."
Final Restated Claim & Closing Moral
Restated Thesis:
Closing Thought / Lesson:
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