Unveiling Motivations: A Character Analysis Worksheet

Unveiling Motivations: A Character Analysis Worksheet

Read the following passage carefully. Then, answer the questions that follow, paying close attention to the characters' motivations.

Passage from 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald:

Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

1. What is Gatsby's primary motivation, as suggested by this passage?

2. Explain how the metaphor of 'boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past' reveals Gatsby's underlying motivation and the futility of his efforts.

3. Gatsby's obsession with the 'green light' symbolizes his desire for  , which is ultimately unattainable.

4. Gatsby's motivations are purely driven by a desire for material possessions.

5. Consider a character from a novel or play you have recently read. Describe their primary motivation and how this motivation drives their actions and shapes the plot. Provide specific textual evidence to support your analysis.