How Does The American Dream Exist In The Great Gatsby
What is the American dream? Why does it even exist? All because no one in reality is actually happy with the way they are living or are setting themselves up to live. Jay Gatsby is one who one would think is living the American Dream, but in his mind it is not quite living up to the dream. In common with the characters in Gatsby we all have our perception of how we want to end up living as adults, but in the end every version of the American dream all seem to be the same in some way. Everybody’s dream is to have money, love, be happy, have a decent paying job they enjoy, and so much more. At the top of everyone’s ‘dream list’ can be guaranteed as money. Everyone always wants the colossal mansion, the sporty car, anything that could …show more content…
Another guarantee to someone’s dream is love, yes money is important, but almost everyone sees their lives with a husband/wife and some kids. The characters in The Great Gatsby also agree with this point to the list, married with a daughter, Tom and Daisy have the money situation figured out and even a bit of the love despite their old lovers or affairs. Even with Tom’s affair he still seems to love Daisy and their baby girl, he might not show it while out and about or with Myrtle, but who would not love their own child? George and Myrtle are another couple to seem to have the love, again, despite affairs. In the beginning of the novel, it shows how George does not have any suspicions about Myrtle’s affair because she hides it with ‘love’ and George does not find out about the affair until later. George does quite a bit for Myrtle and wants her to be happy, but has to be happy with him. He does not want her cheating, nor does he enjoy the thought of …show more content…
Another issue destroying the American Dream is money problems. Let us face it, being a problem in today’s society, money is the leading cause of divorce and they show up in The Great Gatsby. George and Myrtle together live in the upstairs to George’s car garage he built. There he owns his own business and his number one customer being Tom, receives some decent income, but still struggles to make ends meet. One cannot have a car garage and only fix a couple cars a month, it is unrealistic. This causes a strain in the marriage of George and Myrtle because in those days, women wanted money and though George made money in the past, he is not now and pushes Myrtle to have an affair and want to leave
The Great Gatsby American Dream
660 Words | 3 PagesThe novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitz Gerald embodies many themes. A major in the story is the pursuit of can be labelled the American Dream. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolizes the American dream. The Great Gatsby shows what happened to the American Dream in the 1920’s, which is a time period when the dreams became corrupted for many reasons.
Examples Of Fear In The Great Gatsby
1293 Words | 6 PagesLater associating Myrtle and George’s relationship, Fitzgerald falls in love with a woman named Zelda and is informally engaged to her, but she declines to marry him due to his financial instability. As the realization finally kicks in about their upcoming marriage, Myrtle later says, “I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married in, and never told me about it” (Fitzgerald 27). Myrtle becomes disappointed with George’s lack of social status and wealth, and realizes that she has made the mistake of marrying for love, not money. She eventually turns to Tom, who is much wealthier than George, and has an affair to feel better about her stifled marriage.
How Does Fitzgerald Present Myrtle In The Great Gatsby
487 Words | 2 PagesIn New York they can appear together in public even with his acquaintances without worrying to cause a scandal. Myrtle feels that because she is having an affair with Tom she has the right to call him anytime as she wants to continue believing she is a part of the higher social class. She lets Tom bash her around as she feels better to be treated badly by a rich man than to be just cared for by a poor one. Myrtle believes that she is a part of the upper class crowd and continually tries to control the people that she is mingling with. Myrtle has no appreciation for George and often disrespects him in a way that shows she comes from a higher social status than him.
The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis
1706 Words | 7 PagesThe American Dream has always been extremely sought after, which is a topic F. Scott Fitzgerald covers in his novel, The Great Gatsby. The characters wish they had the Dream; wealth, security, fame, and love. The most significant characters who desire the American Dream, Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson, and George Wilson, all die at the end. Despite background and amount of affluence, all characters live harrowing and unsuccessful lives. Fitzgerald uses symbol and character to build his theme of money does not guarantee people 's perceptions or dreams.
Explain The Destruction Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
1143 Words | 5 PagesHe bought her a dog, and even expensive accessories for the dog. The author believes George’s escape to a better life, is through his business and work (Wulick). He wants to have people come to his shop so that he makes money, but he never really succeeded. In the article is goes on to note, “Both are disempowered due to the lack of money at their own disposal” (Wulick). This meaning that neither George or Myrtle have any status because they don’t have the most brilliant ideas of achieving the American Dream and escaping their own personal problems with
Effects Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
783 Words | 4 PagesAs a result of an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its overall cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. The character Jay Gatsby is the best character to show the American Dream and its awful outcome. Gatsby’s American Dream is the life he strived to have and obtained for himself. When growing up he wasn’t born rich like most of the upper class.
Myrtle Wilson In The Great Gatsby
951 Words | 4 PagesFrancis Scott Fitzgerald once stated, “The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart and all they can do is stare blankly.” Throughout his famous work, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrayed the American Dream. Contrary to the ideology of the “Roaring Twenties” society, he described the American Dream as a delusion. People of the era focused on materialism in order to boost their wealth and status and forgot the importance of their relationships. Several characters within the novel sought to gain a higher status in society.
Money And Power In The Great Gatsby Analysis
1149 Words | 5 PagesJust like Daisy, Myrtle chooses money over love. She cheats on her husband George with Tom. Myrtle was a woman from the lower class who desired to be a part of the higher class. Tom spoiled Myrtle and gave her the lifestyle she always wanted. She belittles her husband and talk bad about him because he is not at the top of the social ladder where Tom is.
American Dream In The Great Gatsby And The Epic Journey
601 Words | 3 PagesThe view of the American Dream is different for everyone. The Epic Journey, by James Truslow Adams, views the American Dream as a dream of attaining one’s fullest stature regardless of one’s social status. Similarly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, Gatsby’s American Dream relates to Adam’s dream but limited to materialistic wealth- a dream that seeks for motor cars, higher wages, and to impress the people of high status. Both Adams and Gatsby believe that everyone has an equal chance of achieving their dream. Adams says “The dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement”.
The Facade Of The American Dream In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
1034 Words | 5 PagesThe Facade of the American Dream The American Dream is the opportunity for all Americans to live a life of personal happiness and material comfort, but is it actually achievable? F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is a story of characters working hard to achieve the American Dream, but ultimately they are unable to ever realize their perfect life. The novel makes a strong naturalism argument about the rigid class system in society and the disillusionment of the American Dream.
The Great Gatsby Disillusionment Analysis
637 Words | 3 PagesThe Disillusionment of the American Dream is evident in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The main characters that exhibit this through their lives are; Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson and Mr. Jay Gatsby. All of these characters hold on to their dream, but all of these characters are somehow let down. The first character, Daisy Buchanan, has the dream of love. She grew up in a very wealthy home.
Corruption Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis
1756 Words | 8 PagesThe Corruption of The American Dream in The Great Gatsby In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald illustrates society in the 1920’s and the desire for the people with in it to achieve the American Dream, which embodies the hope that one can achieve power, love and a higher economic/social status through one’s commitment and effort. The novel develops the story of a man named Jay Gatsby and his dream of marrying what he describes as his “golden girl”, also known as, Daisy Buchanan, his former lover. Fitzgerald explores the corruption of the American dream through the Characters; Myrtle, Gatsby and Daisy.
Myrtle's Loss In The Great Gatsby
637 Words | 3 PagesShe wasn’t happy with him and he was trying to do whatever he could to keep her. He needed her more than she needed him. In chapter 7 it talks about how Myrtle wanted to leave. George was trying to do everything in his power to get the money so they could leave together. George locked his wife upstairs just so she wouldn't leave without him.
Personification Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
1140 Words | 5 PagesThe American dream stands as a symbol for hope, prosperity, and happiness. But F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby, examines the American dream from a different perspective, one that sheds light on those who contort these principles to their own selfish fantasies. Fitzgerald renders Jay Gatsby as a man who takes the Dream too far, and becomes unable to distinguish his false life of riches from reality. This 'unique ' American novel describes how humanity 's insatiable desires for wealth and power subvert the idyllic principles of the American vision. Jay Gatsby is the personification of limitless wealth and prestige, a shining beacon for the aspiring rich.
The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Essay
1133 Words | 5 PagesFitzgerald focused on the shift in the American Dream - from being the idea of self-fulfillment, dignity and comfort that is achieved through hard work, to being equated with the pursuit of wealth and power, and identifying happiness with having money. The novel depicts the rise and fall of the concept and describes the causes of its decay. The downfall of the American Dream is most accurately shown through the main protagonist of the story – Jay Gatsby. To reiterate, the American Dream is the concept that anyone can achieve a better life and become self-fulfilled, if they put enough effort to it and make the most of their abilities.
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