Topic Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: In the Scarlet letter & the Great Gatsby both main male protagonists, Gatsby & Dimesdale both lack moral values. Their lack of morality leads them both into a path of infamy.
I. Committing Adultery/ Social Stigma’s
A. The Scarlet Letter
1. Arthur, a minister has sex which is forbidden because of he’s a man of God in the church, leader
2. Sex outside of marriage is forbidden. Arthur & Hester continue throughout the course of the novel to be involved secretly.
B. The Great Gatsby
1. Gatsby spends a good majority of his time portrayed in the novel chasing after Daisy, his love interest. Daisy is wealthy, while Gatsby is blue collar. Their different social classes forbid them from being together.
2. Gatsby & Daisy have a secret affair, Daisy herself is married.
II. Lies & Deceit
A. The Scarlet Letter
1. Arthur is a hypocrite on many levels. Though he and Hester both repent for their sins, In which they both believe they done wrong by doing the sinful things they’ve done together.
2. Hester almost convinced the reverend to go to Europe with her. Arthur truly loved Hester and was willing to lie to be with her, even up until death.
B. The Great Gatsby
1. Though Gatsby is in fact a blue collar worker (bootlegger) he puts up a front as a rich man, dazzling Daisy with money and materialistic things to keep her from leaving him.
2. Gatsby almost convinces Daisy to leave her husband, Gatsby didn’t truly love Daisy he liked her because she had money to her name.