Author's Craft Analysis

Author's Craft Analysis: Grade 9

Read the provided passage carefully. Then, answer the questions that follow, paying close attention to the author's use of literary devices and structural choices. Provide textual evidence where required.

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

''And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves on the trees, and the blue gardens of Gatsby's house, and the orchestra playing on the casual innuendo and the constant flicker of men and girls going and coming with the moth-like attention to the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. I began to understand that the show was not for them but for Gatsby himself, who had waited five years for an emotion that could never be repeated.''

1. What literary device is primarily used in the phrase "moth-like attention to the whisperings"?

2. The author's use of rich sensory details in this passage primarily aims to:

3. The phrase "casual innuendo" suggests a formal and direct communication style.

4. The author's choice of the word "flicker" to describe the movement of people implies a sense of   and impermanence.

5. Gatsby's waiting "five years for an emotion that could never be repeated" serves to highlight his profound sense of   and longing.

6. How does Fitzgerald's choice of diction contribute to the overall tone of the passage? Provide at least two specific examples from the text to support your answer.

7. Analyze how the author uses setting and imagery to develop the character of Gatsby, even though he is not explicitly performing an action in this particular excerpt. What does the description of his house and the party reveal about him?