IOP Help me? Please?

[boom]

So...I have my IOP in about a week and I can't seem to decide on a topic! I have so many ideas(some of which are insane), but I just can't choose one. Is there any possible way one of you could take a look at my list and let me know what you believe to be the best idea out of the group? Please and thank you:)

King Lear:

• Compare king Lear to the guide of a typical Shakespearean tragedy or to a modern tragedy

• Realism of injuries/ death (What would have occurred in play had the injuries/ deaths occurred realistically)

• Injuries and death (Who killed who/ who injured who/ Effect of deaths on plot)

• Shakespeare's depiction of a women to his typical/ the typical stereotype of a women during the plays time

• Characteristics of king lear and other main characters which lead to their success/ failure

The Great Gatsby:

• The slang utilized, it’s effect on the scene and their modern day equivalents

• Practical Love (Daisy and tom) VS. True Love (Daisy and Gatsby) (May include Fitzgerald life experiences and how it would have influenced how he wrote)

Edited December 28, 2009 by boom

[sweetnsimple786]

I'm probably biased toward Gatsby, but I think the slang one sounds like a winner.

Main reason: It's unique. You don't have to do something out of the ordinary, but if you can pick something people normally overlook and show its importance, that's a simple enough way to have an effective presentation.

Honestly, your first four King Lear ideas sound good too. I haven't read the play, but if you can make a solid, somewhat original argument, then it seems great. =)

[boom]

I'm probably biased toward Gatsby, but I think the slang one sounds like a winner.

Main reason: It's unique. You don't have to do something out of the ordinary, but if you can pick something people normally overlook and show its importance, that's a simple enough way to have an effective presentation.

Honestly, your first four King Lear ideas sound good too. I haven't read the play, but if you can make a solid, somewhat original argument, then it seems great. =)

I had another thought for an idea that sprouted from the slang concept, and I was wondering if you though it would be a better idea. Thank you for your help!

It seems the names of several characters are representative of their personalities. Gatsby for one seems to be derived from the slang term for gun (gat). A gun in the 1920s though a wee bit pricey, could be obtained by the common man. Gatsby, previous known as James Gatz, was once a common man. It seemed as though he could never obtain the riches he longed for, but eventually he found his fortune. This evidently increased his own personal value. Other similarities I found were that guns are both quick firing and dangerous. Similarly, Gatsby is witty (quick firing) and dangerous. Gatsby's dangerous side becomes apparent with his close relations with Wolfsheim.

Also, Daisy's name is indicative of her personality. A Daisy flower has white petals representing purity. The inside of the flower is yellow. The color yellow in the novel seems to represent impurities. Therefore, Daisy appears to be an angelic and innocent being, but truly, her inner being is rather uncaring and selfish. At this point I would detail the he bitchier characteristics.

As for Myrtle, she is also similar to the myrtle flower and its history. The flower is highly fragrant to draw one in. The ancient Greeks believed the flower to be sacred to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. These connect to the character Myrtle, because she with her charm (and quite possibly her fragrance) attracted Tom to her. She, similarly to the Aphrodite, was shockingly irresistible to Tom. I would then further elaborate.

I suppose Tom has typically been a rather masculine name, similarly to the character.

Jordan can also be a male’s name, which could signify why she displays some masculine qualities (athletic, careless, etc.)

So...well....if you actually read all of that, thank you so much! And please do let me know if you think that would work as an oral presentation.

[sweetnsimple786]

That's cool. Go for it! The more things you can tie together, the stronger your argument. Perhaps you can even group the women as all having flowery names and draw a conclusion from that and find the significance for what you've noticed with your names. I'm not sure if this is true because I haven't picked up the book in two years.

What I'm about to say might not help you at all, but it's something my teacher broke down for me. Gatz is the creator of Gatsby, right? In the very beginning of the novel, Nick refers to him as God indirectly. Also, there's a mention of platonic relationship, if I remember correctly. So apparently we use the term wrong when we mean it to be 'steady and constant.' Platonic love or anything else is the perfect ideal form of whatever you're talking about. I think that's linked to Gatsby being the platonic form of Gatz.