Notes on Quoted and Reported Speech, The Great Gatsby, and Evaluating Evidence

Quoted Speech

  • Definition:
    • Quoted speech is when you report the exact words spoken by someone.
    • Direct speech uses quotation marks to enclose the spoken words.
Parts of Direct Speech
  • Introductory Part: Tells who is speaking or provides context, followed by a comma.
  • Quoted Part (Quotative Frame): The exact words spoken, placed in quotation marks.
Uses of Direct Speech
  • Makes narration vivid and engaging.
  • Clearly shows exactly what someone said.
  • Clarifies the message being communicated.
Examples

  1. Example 1:

    • Mr. Reyes said, “Today's lesson is on addition.”
      • Introductory Part: Mr. Reyes said
      • Quoted Part: “Today's lesson is on addition.”

  2. Example 2:

    • “I’ll finish it over the weekend,” she said.
      • Quoted Part: “I’ll finish it over the weekend”
      • Introductory Part: she said

Reported Speech

  • Definition:
    • Reported speech relays what someone said without quoting their exact words.
    • No quotation marks are used, and the sentence form may change.
Features of Reported Speech
  • No quotation marks.
  • Tense usually changes (especially for past speech).
  • Pronouns and time expressions may alter.
Uses of Indirect Speech
  • Summarizes what someone said.
  • Reports speech naturally in writing or conversation.
  • Focuses more on the message than exact words.

Common Changes in Indirect Speech

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
"am/is/are" → "was/were"
"will" → "would"
"today" → "that day"
Example Changes

  1. Example:

    • Direct: "I am tired," she said.
    • Indirect: She said she was tired.

  2. Example:

    • Direct: "I will help you," he said.
    • Indirect: He said he would help.

Changing Direct to Indirect Speech

Different Sentence Types

  1. Declarative Sentences:

    • State a fact.
    • Remove comma and quotes, use "that".
    • Example: Direct: Ann said, "There is a fly in my soup." → Indirect: Ann said that there was a fly in her soup.

  2. Imperative Sentences:

    • Give a command or request.
    • Use "to" + base form.
    • Example: Direct: The teacher told us, "Speak up." → Indirect: The teacher told us to speak up.

  3. Yes/No Questions:

    • Use "if" as a connector.
    • Adjust verb tense and structure.
    • Example: Direct: The nurse asked, "Did you take the medicine?" → Indirect: The nurse asked if he/she had taken the prescribed medicine.

  4. Choice Questions:

    • Use "whether" instead of "if".
    • Example: Direct: My neighbor asked, "Is that university open on Saturdays or weekdays?" → Indirect: My neighbor asked whether that university was open on Saturdays or weekdays.

  5. Wh- Questions:

    • Keep the question word as a connector.
    • Avoid question order (subject before verb).
    • Example: Direct: "Who wrote Trifles?" Grace asked Tom. → Indirect: Grace asked Tom who had written Trifles.

The Great Gatsby

Author
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald:
    • Renowned American novelist known for exploring themes of the Jazz Age and the American Dream.
Main Characters

  1. Nick Carraway:

    • Narrator; from Minnesota; Yale graduate; nonjudgmental.

  2. Jay Gatsby (James Gatz):

    • Mysterious wealthy man; obsessed with Daisy; his dream shapes his identity.

  3. Daisy Buchanan:

    • Nick’s cousin; beautiful but emotionally fragile; chooses wealth over love.

  4. Tom Buchanan:

    • Daisy’s aggressive husband; embodies old money arrogance and racism.

  5. Jordan Baker:

    • Professional golfer; represents the ”new woman“ of the 1920s; cynical and self-centered.

  6. Dan Cody:

    • Gatsby’s mentor; wealth introduces Gatsby to affluent lifestyles.
Setting
  • Locations:
    • West Egg: Home of the newly rich (Gatsby, Nick).
    • East Egg: Home of old money (Tom, Daisy).
Point of View
  • First-person limited; narrated from Nick’s perspective.
Plot Summary

  1. Beginning:

    • Nick moves to New York; becomes Gatsby’s neighbor; helps Gatsby reconnect with Daisy.

  2. Middle:

    • Gatsby and Daisy rediscover their love; Gatsby reveals his past.

  3. Climax:

    • Daisy accidentally kills Myrtle; Gatsby takes the blame.

  4. Ending:

    • Gatsby is killed; Nick is disillusioned with the rich community.
Themes
  • The impossibility of repeating the past.
  • Wealth does not guarantee happiness.
  • The disillusionment of the American Dream.
Famous Quote
  • "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
    • This symbolizes the struggle to move forward against the weight of the past.

Evaluating Evidence

Pointers in Evaluating Evidence

  1. Verifiable:

    • Check if the information can be proven true.
    • Look for reliable sources.

  2. Credible:

    • Source must be trustworthy and authoritative.

  3. Complete:

    • Good evidence answers all important questions, providing the full picture.

  4. Unbiased:

    • Evidence should be fair, lacking propaganda or one-sided viewpoints.

  5. Updated:

    • Ensure information is recent, especially for rapidly changing topics.