Essay On American Dream In The Great Gatsby

In the America of The Great Gatsby, no dream, “American” or not, can be fully realized. Although Jay Gatsby, with his humble beginnings, seems the only character in the novel to truly achieve the “American Dream,” all the wealth and splendor in the world cannot help him win Daisy’s heart and devotion. Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald demonstrates the elusive nature of the American Dream, and the absolute absurdity of the idea that one can make it in America while still pure of heart and clean of mind. Simply, Fitzgerald completely discredits the pervasive American idea that hard work will lead to satisfaction and ultimate success.

Throughout The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters have differing views on the topic of the American Dream, some including Nick Carraway, James Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan. They range in views of a dream revolved around money and pride, and a life full of love and success. Yet, it is not possible for every single person to achieve what they want in life. The American Dream is achievable if determination and passion is loaded into the efforts, but not everybody can reach it if it lies too far away and the person doesn’t feel like pursuing it. As this novel was set in the 1920s, it was not as normal to run after what you wanted, and to break the social norms. People followed what was written down in the theoretical book of society and ran towards the face of money on a billboard, and didn’t try to be an individual with their own separate goals and aspirations. Fitzgerald really showed in his novel that not every single human was the same, as James Gatsby, for example, strived for his heart to be full with love and not money. Yet, the Buchanans’ focused on their world revolving around a thousand dollar bills and a future with pride and ignorance.

In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses literary devices and symbolism to reflect on the American dream. The ideal American dream is that everyone has equal opportunity to achieve success, and prosperity through hard work, determination, and motivation. The Great Gatsby is based on a society that is during the post-war period after world war I. Fitzgerald presents a society in which wealth, materialistic needs, love, and family have all become the social norm and the corrupt American dream. In the novel ‘The Great Gatsby’, Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson, and Daisy Buchanan to remark on the American dream through his use of symbolism and geographical locations to represent an American society.

The Great Gatsby proves that material success will not guarantee acceptance or happiness and calls into question the worth of the rewards of the American

In 1926, he wrote The Great Gatsby, a novel which criticized American culture and the concept of the American Dream. In 1940, F. Scott Fitzgerald died with little writing success, however, his literature became popularized after his death (Brucolli 2). As a member of the “Lost Generation”, Fitzgerald did not believe in the common American belief that “...every man, whatever his origins, may pursue and attain his chosen goals, whether they be political, monetary, or social” (Pearson 1). He felt that average Americans were disillusioned and misled in their constant strive for wealth and materialism. F. Scott Fitzgerald accurately shows the problems with the concept of the American Dream through the characters and plot of his novel The Great Gatsby, separating the realistic opportunity from the theoretical during the 1920s, and he

The ever-hopeful end result of pursuing the American dream is the aspiration of achieving a substantial amount of money and successfully building the white picket fence. Many talk about the famous accounts of successful dream chasers, however, hidden under their feet are countless Americans anxiously waiting to climb up the ladder. In contrast, several get caught up on earthly desires believing it will lead them to eternal satisfaction, but often, it decides their own fate. In The Great Gatsby, American author F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the tragedy found within numerous characters. This novel reveals all social classes striving to achieve the American dream, showing how even the most wealthy struggle to live an authentic, happy life.

The American dream states that any individual can achieve success regardless of family history, race, and/or religion simply by working hard. The 1920’s were a time of corruption and demise of moral values in society. The first World War had passed, and people were reveling in the materialism that came at the end of it, such as advanced technology and innovative inventions. The novel The Great Gatsby exploits the theme of the American Dream as it takes place in a corrupt period in history. Although the American Dream seemed more attainable than ever in the 1920’s, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby demonstrates how materialism and the demise of moral values in society leads to the corruption and impossibility of the American Dream.

In “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby spends the better part of his life seeking to achieve his version of The American Dream, but was never able to. Within the book’s concluding chapters, the narrator of the novel states: “ It [ the American Dream ] eluded us then, but that’s no matter tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…. and one fine morning so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. ”(9.152-153) This superbly sums up Fitzgerald’s outlook on the American Dream.

The author explains that Gatsby did all in his effort to get better for Daisy, but ended up dying in the midst of it. The author depicts this by stating, “Furthermore, his success obviously doesn’t last – he still pines for Daisy and loses everything in his attempt to get her back” (Wulick). The author also brings in the idea of George and Myrtle Wilson trying to achieve the American Dream. It is mentioned that George wants a better life just as much as Myrtle does. However, Myrtle seeks a better life through Tom and having him buy her materials.

During the 1920s, the American Dream was something that many Americans gave blood, sweat, and tears in order to achieve, but the majority of the time, multiple factors prohibited them from ever reaching it. In The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he exhibits this by showing both sides of the spectrum. On one side, he shows how Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, has achieved the American Dream by having the ability to spend money on all of these expensive parties, buying classy clothes, in addition to many other lavish items. On the other hand, he shows the failure to achieve the American Dream, which Fitzgerald represents by including a detailed description of his love for Daisy Buchanan and the fact that he never wins her back.

F. Scott. Fitzgerald and the American Dream F. Scott. Fitzgerald’s message at the end of chapter nine of The Great Gatsby illustrates the American dream. “Gatsby believed in the green light.” To be able to achieve the American dream.

Extended Essay: American dream in the USA of the 1920’s, as depicted by “The Great Gatsby” by F. S. Fitzgerald Introduction The modern American literature is a topic as broad as it can be; there is, however, one novel which often appears as the one called “the greatest American novel of all times”. The novel in question is “The great Gatsby”, written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald and published in April of 1925. [1] There are a number of reasons for why it is deemed so special, with its’ current position in modern pop culture and status of a classic, compulsory for every reader. One of the major causes is the layered meaning, which leaves whole lot of room for interpretation.

Maggie Gordon Froehlich’s academic article on F.Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, approaches the book from a different level. Froehlich analyses the mentorship between old man and younger man and focuses on how sexuality contradicts between man and woman. The Great Gatsby , experiences that everyone ,-even if their social status is elevated or not- can have the opportunity to reach some level on becoming rich and they can also fulfil their intentions. In the novel it is stated that the key to achieve this situation is to work hard. In the academic article Froehlich tell us about how a person can reach the American dream and the peak point of wealth level like the one in the book and also how a person can reach the breakdown when living the American dream.

Haylie Garrison Mr. Kennedy English 11-7 March 28, 2018 American Dream In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald the American dream in the 1920’s was very alive in the book. The love triangle, the mysteries, houses, parties, and the money all played a big role in the American dream. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg played a role through the book for the people in the valley of ashes, that helped them through the broken dreams that everyone dreamed of.

John Adams describes the american dream as, “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement… Each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, all of the main characters are in pursuit of their own versions of the american dream. Gatsby believes that by achieve wealth and success he will ultimately be able to win the true dream of his life, Daisy. Nick’s version of the american dream is a more stereotypical version of the american