Exploring Themes In The Great Gatsby
Daniel Wallace
Mrs. K. Bongaardt
Advanced Placement English IV
19 August 2015
“Exploring Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby” Those born in America or those who seek citizenship in America all aim to achieve the coveted American Dream. The American Dream conveys the idea that with determination and perseverance, he or she can lead a successful life earning prosperity, wealth, or fame. Set during the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby saw the United States in a time of economic prosperity for many, with the thought of the American Dream just on the horizon. The Great Gatsby explores numerous themes though none are more prevalent than those of the of the diminishing American Dream and the socioeconomic differences of the “old-money”
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Tom comes off as vulgar and obscene whereas Gatsby acts with class and dignity. Always having money allowed Tom to hold himself higher than others while working for his money allowed Gatsby to be courteous and well-mannered. Tom uses his large physical presence as a means of intimidation, unlike Gatsby who is shy and reclusive at his parties. An arrogant bigot, Tom shows to be discriminative in nature while Gatsby is shown to be open-minded towards racial and economic equality likely due to his working class background. All in all, Tom has what Gatsby wants and he would die to rekindle the flame he lost five years …show more content…
Gatsby transforms from the child of poor Midwestern farmers to the apprentice of the wealthy Dan Cody. It is not known for sure how Gatsby made his fortune although it can be assumed that it was through some sort of criminal activity, most likely through bootlegging. The American Dream becomes problematic when you can create an illegal business and turn yourself a new life. Sure, Gatsby may have all the money he needs but the money is not he needed. Gatsby saw attaining great wealth as the only way to win back Daisy. The only problem that arose was that Gatsby was just short of achieving his dream, his real American
Examples Of Failure In The Great Gatsby
1624 Words | 7 PagesThe American Dream: An Inherent Failure The 1920’s was a time of prosperity in the United States. The economy was booming, and everyone believed that they could become wealthy. Everyone also believed that they could be anything they wanted. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald many characters strive for wealth and status but fail, and those with wealth lead unfulfilling lives.
Annette Hanshaw's Influence On The Great Gatsby
1051 Words | 5 PagesThe notoriously known American Dream takes dedication and perseverance to accomplish. Gatsby shows determination throughout this novel; however, his circumstances play a toll on his ability to obtain his dream. In Gatsby’s case, he is trying to accomplish the impossible; he has a visionary outlook on the American Dream. Gatsby is unsuccessful in his effort to obtain his American Dream in the sense of love; however, he successfully obtains his American Dream in the sense of wealth. Gatsby’s partial failure does not mean the American Dream is impossible to accomplish.
Examples Of Believing In The Great Gatsby
1311 Words | 6 PagesFitzgerald’s use of each character's desire for the American Dream shows that it is impossible to achieve. Before Nick leaves, he sees Gatsby reaching for “a single green light, minute and far away...” (21). Gatsby is reaching for Daisy--even after 5 years of waiting for her to come back to him. Nick begins to realize that the American Dream is unachievable because he sees that despite Gatsby’s wealth, Gatsby still cannot get what he wants the most, Daisy.
Examples Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby
711 Words | 3 PagesThe Great Gatsby is a classic novel of a man’s infatuation over a past lover and his hopes for their rekindled romance, and future together. However, at its core, F. Scott Fitzgerald is depicting the corruption during a time of wealth and economic prosperity, the 1920s. The idea of the American Dream is that through hard work and determination, anyone can become successful and wealthy. Several characters in the Great Gatsby demonstrate how the desire for wealth and power corrupted the American Dream for many during the roaring 20s. Jay Gatsby is a prime example of how the American Dream can be corrupted by the yearning for money and status.
Theme Of Personification In The Great Gatsby
937 Words | 4 PagesReaching a higher class and wealth are aspects of success that many aspire to achieve. Although that may be true, in reality, as a person begins to expand their goals toward the American dream, they tend to spiral downward and crash in the end. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, pertains to an ambitious character; falling short of the American dream, resulting in a tragedy. Specifically, the book follows a young man named Gatsby and his dream to finally meet the love of his life, Daisy, who he hasn't seen in five years. Gatsby goes to great lengths in order to grab Daisy’s attention, by throwing lavish parties, which he had to achieve by becoming a bootlegger.
Literary Elements In The Great Gatsby
466 Words | 2 PagesLiterary Elements Analytical Essay F. Scott Fitzgerald presents multiple themes in his novel, The Great Gatsby. One theme is how people have to show off to get a good social ranking. This theme is introduced throughout this book by his description of each character, by their actions and the way they are perceived. He uses an assortment of literary terms to describe the differences in the type of houses, amount of money, and abundance of materialistic goods. How the characters are described shows their intelligence on class.
What Are The Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And The American Dream
419 Words | 2 PagesThe American dream is to start your life with little to no money and work your way into making a liveable salary. The American dream is often thought of by immigrants, many immigrants move to the U.S. thinking they follow the American dream. In the book The Great Gatsby, James Gatsby the mysterious wealthy character who dropped out of college and started his life as a young man. Gatsby could be compared to the immigrants in the thought of the American dream.
Examples Of Duality In The Great Gatsby
884 Words | 4 PagesGatsby has the American Dream of being successful and wanting to marry the girl of his dreams. However, Fitzgerald argues that The American Dream is a paradox because dreams aren’t supposed to be achieved, and are better off to remain in one’s imagination. For example, Gatsby wants to marry the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Sadly Gatsby sets such a high standard for her that she will never be able to live up to. Gatsby envisions Daisy as the golden girl, and once he put his plan into action, he realizes
Values, Themes And Symbolism In The Great Gatsby
924 Words | 4 PagesThe Great Gatsby GEOGRAPHY Throughout the novel, places and settings symbolize the various aspects of the 1920s American society that Fitzgerald depicts. East Egg represents the old aristocracy, West Egg the newly rich, the valley of ashes the moral and social decay of America, and New York City the dissolute, amoral quest for money and pleasure. Additionally, the East is connected to the moral decay and social cynicism of New York, while the West is connected to more traditional social values and ideals. Themes: The American Dream "Whereas the American Dream was once equated with certain principles of freedom, it is now equated with things.
The Great Gatsby Quotes On The American Dream
856 Words | 4 PagesGatsby is a perfect example of what Fitzgerald shows as the American dream. He is rich and popular, however he is not happy. He wants to go back to a time when he believed he was truly happy. “His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.”
Literary Analysis Of The Great Gatsby
1218 Words | 5 PagesThe Great Gatsby Literary Analysis “They were careless people…” says Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby. In a story depicting the 1920s during a time of prosperity, growth, and the emergence of the America as a major global power, this statement may seem to be contrary. But in reality, Nick Carraway’s description of his friends and the people he knew, was not only true, but is an indication of those who were striving for the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is foolish, the people who pursue it are immoral and reckless, and this pursuit is futile. First, F. Scott Fitzgerald proposes that the American dream is foolish.
Examples Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
1726 Words | 7 PagesExtended 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.
Corruption Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis
1756 Words | 8 PagesGatsby was a man who came up from essentially nothing by gaining his money through bootlegging and other illegal acts in order to gain a reputation in society. Gatsby’s constant desire to accomplish more in his life demonstrates the corruption of the American Dream. It is evident that Gatsby has had a thirst for the American dream since a young age, this is shown when Gatsby’s father says: “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind?
The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Essay
1133 Words | 5 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is a reflection of the American Dream. Written in 1925, the book tells the story of a man named Jay Gatsby, whose main driving force in life is the pursuit of a woman called Daisy Buchanan. The narrator is Gatsby’s observant next-door neighbor, Nick Carraway, who offers a fresh, outsider’s perspective on the events; the action takes place in New York during the so-called Roaring Twenties. By 1922, when The Great Gatsby takes place, the American Dream had little to do with Providence divine and a great deal to do with feelings organized around style and personal changed – and above all, with the unexamined self .
Analytical Essay On The Great Gatsby
755 Words | 4 PagesGatsby then gets involved with the nightmare of the American Dream. Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s perfectly as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its overarching greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. This novel shows the lack of social skills in newly made millionaires such as Gatsby that cannot even pick up on an invitation to lunch. This book was enjoyable to read because it set in when America was becoming an economic superpower and it was relatable in some ways.
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