The American Dream In The Great Gatsby And I Hear America Singing

The American Dream is the ideology that every United States citizen has the equal opportunity to achieve their own set goals, if they are willing to put in the hard work and determination to do so. Throughout John Mellencamp’s music career, he is known for interpreting the American Dream within the narrative style of his songs. In the song “Little Pink Houses” by John Mellencamp, which was released in 1983, was no exception towards his normality. Mellencamp emphasizes his viewpoints towards what it means to obtain and achieve the American Dream in the modern day society. John Mellencamp suggests that not everyone is able to achieve the American Dream because only some can achieve it, but most others are unable throughout the lyrics.

It is the matter of common knowledge that the American Dream is a conception referring to a desire of having a social regulation in which every male and female individual is capable of reaching the fullest importance that is normally unattainable, and be distinguished by the community for their true substance, despite the fortunate conditions of the status. Moreover, this idea denies any limits or boundaries and provides equal opportunities for people of any age, gender, or race. “The Great Gatsby” and “Bodega Dreams” feature characters that most clearly represent a desire or indifference to join such a society. After all, the American dream is not different for a person of color in “Bodega Dreams” and “The Great Gatsby” because both characters view it as money, love, having a knowing name as well as being successful. There is no reason for the dream to be divergent for a person of another race.

Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald the constant theme of obtaining the American Dream causes major destruction. The American dream is based off a myth told that every United States citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work and determination. However, in the novel, Fitzgerald shows how the American Dream is unattainable, with Gatsby representing this myth through his unfulfilled desire to obtain more and more. Through Gatsby's impossible journey to attain the American Dream, Fitzgerald shows how this dream creates false hope for a better life and replaces religious figures for money.

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.

“The term American Dream was first used by the historian James Truslow Adams in 1931 to explain what had attracted millions of people of all nations to settle in America” (American Dream then and now 1). The idea of the “American Dream” has changed for all ethnic groups throughout time; but my primary focus is African­ Americans. In general, “The early settlers in America hoped for a better life than the one they had left behind in Europe. Their main reasons for leaving Europe were religious persecution, political oppression and poverty” (American Dream then and now 1). Today, “Critics see the American Dream as a clever political and economic strategy” (American Dream then and now 2). The American Dream aspect is based on beliefs and values, especially back when settlers came to the United States. African Americans were treated very poorly during the time of the Great Depression and before the Civil Rights Movement. As a man known as Jackie Robinson, it was very hard for him to fulfill his dream, but for C.C Sabathia; his dream was easier to complete. The

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the novel, “The Great Gatsby”, with the concept of “The American Dream”. For most Americans, “The American Dream”, is the idea of freedom, wealth, equality and opportunity. But F. Scott Fitzgerald manages to define all of the characters in his novel through the use of literary devices and symbols. Also, Fitzgerald explains how each character, even with their wealth; never seem to have their “America Dream”.

"The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream." In this quote, by Azar Nafisi, it explains how dreaming can be tainted by reality, and it that if you don 't compromise you may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes in this book. The American Dream that most people in this book obtains to have is wealth, statist, a fun social life, and someone to lust. It is the life we all strive to have until we obtain it and see it 's meaningless composure. As 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.

F. 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 . Fitzgerald 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.

America is well known as the land of the free and the home opportunity. Although it is said everyone is equal in every way, that has not always been the case. Langston Hughes is a poet who tried to emphasize the idea of equality among all human beings. Hughes underlined the basis of the American Dream with what is and what should be in the societal era he lived in. In hindsight he believed his poems helped others realize the injustices that all minorities had to face during this era.

The 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.

The American Dream is most commonly known for freedom and individual success. The differences between time eras and changes throughout society are constantly making the American dream look different. It’s all about the different culture and events that happen. The way Americans react will shift quite a few viewpoints of life.

F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby portrays many themes, however the most significant theme relates to man 's unsuccessful attempts at the American dream. The Great Gatsby shows how not one by many characters fail at achieving their American dream. The American Dream as defined by James Truslow Adams in 1921, "life should be better, richer, and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each regardless of social class or circumstances of birth”. The desire to strive for what one wants can be achieved if one is willing to work hard enough. The dream is represented by the ideas of a self sufficient man or woman, who is willing to do anything to achieve the goal of becoming successful. The Great Gatsby shows what happened to the American Dream in the 1920’s, a time period when dreams became corrupted for many reasons. The desire for a luxurious life, the hope for happiness, and the ambition for something unachievable and work together to ruin the American Dream. The Great Gatsby shows a time when the American Dream is failing, humanity is corrupting it by their wants of possessions leading to the all out demise of the American Dream.

As we focus on the American Dream in the Great Gatsby, we must look in general across

The American Dream is factor that contributes to America’s outstanding legacy. No matter who we are or where we come from, America has an opportunity for us whether it’s graduating from college, working for an elite company, or owning your very own business. The American Dream guarantees immigrants that no matter their ethnicity or no matter their financial status, their life can also have storybook ending that everyone dreams of. It reassures us that if we are willing to put our blood, sweat, and tears into what we are passionate about, we can provide those we love the luxuries they’ve always dreamt of owning, whether if it’s a large home or an expensive car. In Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, the author acknowledges the American Dream as hope

American dream in the USA of the 1920’s, as depicted by “The Great Gatsby” by F. S. Fitzgerald