The Great Gatsby American Dream Analysis

Discuss Fitzgerald 's presentation of the American Dream in the novel.

The American Dream is defined by the ideal where the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility, can be achieved through hard work and determination by any American-regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. Despite such positive connotations for this ideal, its darker side is found to be explored throughout the novel. The fact that this Dream is unrealistic, corruptive, attractive but ultimately dangerous, is portrayed through characterisation of various characters.
The attractiveness of this ideal is the emphasis on how anyone will be able to become financially or socially successful, and this can be seen through the characterisation

It can be seen through Gatsby’s parties where people will become ‘wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there’ just to get attention and enjoy the ‘sharp, joyous moment’ as ‘the center of a group’. The brief acquaintance made of people shows the fruitlessness and transience of the relationships formed at the party. The transient relationships formed can also be seen during Gatsby’s funeral. Even though he has had many dealings with different people and had people from all walks of life to his parties, there was no one who actually wanted to remember and grief for him as they all found an excuse or another to not attend his funeral, as if it is just an event of inconvenience that everyone avoided. Wolfsheim, who worked closely with Gatsby, did not attend Gatsby’s funeral stating that we should ‘learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.’ This however, seems to be just an excuse as friendships ought to last even after a friend’s death, since Nick demonstrates his friendship and loyalty by arranging Gatsby’s funeral and trying his best to get people to attend it. This thus proves the superficial and fleeting relationships formed throughout the