Honors American Literature is one of the notable classes West Bloomfield High School offers; with Mrs. McQuillan behind the wheel, the books are brought to life in unprecedented ways. Currently, her students are wrapping up F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby, and are celebrating its completion in a fun and unique way.

Every year while reading The Great Gatsby, Mrs. McQuillan puts on a “Gatsby party” showcasing what one of Jay Gatsby’s infamous parties would have looked like during the Roaring Twenties. Food and games are brought in, music is played, and the students dress up as their favorite characters from the book.

The opportunity to experience one of Gatsby’s lavish parties first-hand left an impression on sophomore Mikayla Feldman: “I love it! It definitely brings everything we’ve done in the classroom alive, where now I can really connect to the book. I can totally imagine the timeframe (of The Great Gatsby).”

Sophomore Zachary Crawford agrees. “It’s really cool to spend the last day before break feeling what it was like to be in the 1920s. Gatsby is known for throwing a lot of parties, so this party is (simulating) what it was supposed to feel like at one of them.”

Through this “Gatsby party,” the Honors American Literature students were able to experience the closest thing to an actual 1920s party, leaving them more connected to the book and with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the era.