Explain The Destruction Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald is an example of failure of the American dream. The American dream is the belief that anyone regardless of race, class, gender, or nationality, can be successful in America (Blog Prep Scholar). Jay Gatsby is a character in the novel who does not come from old money; he comes from humble backgrounds and strives for a dream he never gets. In despite Daisy Buchanan does come from old money, therefore she is like the barrier Fitzgerald adds to the novel to portray an example of how wealth and unrealistic dreams will always end up in failure.

“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms farther...” describes the belief known as the American Dream stating that anyone can achieve success through hard work regardless of their past. The story The Great Gatsby, originally portrayed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and later Luhrmann’s film adaptation, explores the theme of the perversion of the American Dream. This is evident through analysis of the meaning of the American Dream; Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the characters of Gatsby, the Buchanan’s, and the Wilson’s; the symbolism behind locations such as The Valley of Ashes and West and East Egg; and the social norms of the successful, such as partying and drinking. “Gatsby believed in the green

The American Dream. The dream of equal opportunity to all. The dream of riches and success. The dream of happiness in a new land. At least, that’s what it is supposed to be.

The American dream today is nothing but an insignificant belief that has been forgotten. But in The Great Gatsby, it is definitely something worth fighting for. Fitzgerald portrays Jay Gatsby as one of the only characters who truly attempts to grasp his dream of success. In this peculiar novel, Gatsby’s intention to fulfill his dream is distinct to no other. His motivation to win back Daisy, the continuous progress of his social status, and his obsession for excessive luxury will all guarantee him attaining his American dream, but most importantly, attaining Daisy.

The Great Gatsby, written in 1924 by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in my opinion, focused on the American Dream and the problems with that vision. In contrast to all the other themes of the book, it seemed to be rather uplifting on the surface but when you look into the details it can paint a pretty disgusting picture of the American Dream in the 1920’s chiefly and the American Dream for all Americans throughout time in general. In the following, I will be discussing the American Dream in a whole over the course of the entire novel, using a specific quotation, and focusing on Gatsby. As we focus on the American Dream in the Great Gatsby, we must look in general across the entire book. We really first start to see foreshadowing to this theme in the second Chapter with George Wilson and Myrtle Wilson, one making a living as a mechanic/gas station operator, the other making money by being in an affair with Tom respectively.

The Great Gatsby has been described as being “known for its themes relating to love, loss, and social mobility… which transports the readers back to the Roaring Twenties” (Themes and Construction GG 1). The Great Gatsby takes place in the midst of the roaring twenties which was a time period known for its lavish parties and economic prosperity for most people. The novel is told from the perspective of Nick Carraway and his encounters with the ‘Great’ Gatsby. In Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the themes of appearance versus reality and the American dream to tell a riveting story of love, loss, and social mobility. One of the major themes in The Great Gatsby is the difference between appearances and reality.

The Character of Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby There is always something hindering Jay Gatsby from obtaining the "American dream". Jay Gatsby loved Daisy Buchanan, but he couldn't have her because he was once a part of the lower class. Daisy is a part of old money upper class, but Gatsby had to work for his wealth. Gatsby is never entirely accepted into the upper class, but he tries so hard to get something that he can never have that he loses his life in the process. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby the Character of Jay Gatsby conveys the theme that the American dream is unattainable.

The Great Gatsby is not simply a story of Jay Gatsby’s undying and misguided love for a Daisy Buchanan. The novel, The Great Gatsby, encompasses a number of themes, the most significant one is the disillusionment and corruption of the American dream. The ability to obtain prosperity such as happiness, or a car is what comprises of the American dream. It is a belief that anyone who is self-sufficient, or who is a hard worker can obtain this dream regardless of their social standing. In the book, the facade of a dream appears to be at the tips of Gatsby and Myrtle’s fingers but this “pursuit of happiness” sentiment is in actuality impossible.

Chapter-1: Introduction to American Dream The historical backdrop of American human progress is the tale of the ascent and fall of the considerable American Dream. ‘The Progressive Era’ and ‘The Great Depression’ were the two noticeable phases of American Civilization. The progress era saw the goals of the concordant human group generally agent to convey the Dream of success to center reality.

The American philosophy is people can build their own lives and achieve happiness. America is known as the epitome of a person’s opportunity to recreate one’s self and deny their past. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores how the American dream is a gage of America’s failings. People dream is too grand for what America can offer them.

Set in the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby is a comprehensive reflection of what had developed into a lifestyle that is universally known as the American Dream. The American Dream is a set of ideals that argues each American is entitled to rights, freedom, and an equal opportunity to become successful and sow the seeds of prosperity through hard work and ambition. Although the American Dream played a large role in the culture of the 1920s, moral values began to decay when individuals became distracted by the idea of opulence instead of striving for something more idealistic. This ultimately results in failure because inequality destroys the illusion of the American Dream. Set in this excessively lavish era of glitz and glamour, The Great Gatsby manages to define and condemn this set of ideals as well as examine how the 1920s culture affected the collapse of the American Dream.

The American Dream is an unrealistic vision. It defines success as the measure of laborious work in a lifetime. The American Dream can deceiving, it isn't realistic in the end. Everybody wants to live the American Dream, because of how astonishing society makes it sound. People want to live this elegant lifestyle; of working hard to get a great amount of money.