The Great Gatsby: MLA Citations Explained Clearly

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The Great Gatsby: MLA Citations Explained Clearly

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby remains a cornerstone of American literature, frequently assigned in high school and college courses. Understanding how to properly cite sources, particularly using the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and demonstrating academic integrity in your essays and papers. This guide breaks down MLA citations for The Great Gatsby, covering various source types you might encounter.

Citing the Novel Itself

The most common citation needed will be for the novel itself. Here's the basic format:

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. Title of Work. Publisher, Publication Year.

For The Great Gatsby, a typical citation would look like this:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925.

Important Considerations:

• Different Editions: If you're using a specific edition (e.g., a critical edition with annotations), include that information after the publisher and publication year. For example: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925. The Cambridge Edition.

• Multiple Authors: If your source has multiple authors, list them in the order they appear on the title page, separated by commas. Use "and" before the final author's name.

• Online Editions: For online editions, include the URL and the date you accessed the resource. The format might look something like this (depending on the specific online source):

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Project Gutenberg, www.gutenberg.org/files/6431/6431-h/6431-h.htm. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.

Citing Specific Passages: In-Text Citations

When directly quoting or paraphrasing from The Great Gatsby, you need in-text citations. MLA uses a parenthetical system.

Example:

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us" (Fitzgerald 180).

Explanation:

• The quotation is followed by parentheses containing the author's last name and the page number.
• If you've already mentioned the author's name in the sentence, you only need to include the page number in parentheses. For example: Fitzgerald describes Gatsby's belief in the green light as an "orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us" (180).

Note: Always use quotation marks around direct quotes. Paraphrases do not require quotation marks but still need in-text citations.

Citing Critical Essays and Secondary Sources

Your research on The Great Gatsby will likely involve critical essays and other secondary sources. Citing these requires a slightly different approach. The basic format is:

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Essay." Title of Collection, edited by Editor's Name(s), Publisher, Publication Year, Pages.

Example:

Bloom, Harold. "The Enduring Power of The Great Gatsby." Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by John Doe, Pearson, 2020, pp. 120-145.

For online sources: You’ll need to include the URL and date of access, similar to the online edition of the novel.

Works Cited Page: Putting it All Together

Your research paper must include a "Works Cited" page at the end, listing all the sources you used in alphabetical order by author's last name. This page provides complete bibliographic information for each source.

Example of a "Works Cited" page (partial):

Bloom, Harold. "The Enduring Power of The Great Gatsby." Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by John Doe, Pearson, 2020, pp. 120-145. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925.

Mastering MLA for The Great Gatsby and Beyond

Understanding MLA citation is crucial for academic success. By mastering these techniques, you can confidently cite The Great Gatsby and other sources in your papers, avoiding plagiarism and showcasing your research effectively. Always double-check your citations against the latest MLA Handbook for the most accurate and up-to-date guidelines. Remember to consult your instructor or professor for specific requirements.