The American Dream In The Great Gatsby Essay

The term “The American Dream” was coined in 1931 by American writer James Truslow Adams and described America as a place of opportunity based on one’s ability and hard work. Although the term originated in 1931, the fundamental ideas of the American Dream debuted in 1920’s society and contrasted greatly with previous notions of a stagnant class structure. This was due to the booming post-WWI economy, which provided an increase in accessibility to leisure items and activities, allowing luxuries typically reserved for the upper class to be enjoyed by the masses. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, reflects these social and economic changes. The novel follows the rise and fall of Jay Gatsby, who achieved prosperity in spite of being born the son of a poor, North Dakota farmer. Though many believed in an emergence of class mobility in the 1920’s, the novel The Great Gatsby demonstrates the ultimate inaccessibility of the American Dream - a holistic realization of social and economic equality.

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Next, Gatsby appears to be living the American Dream because he is rich and supposedly well liked. However, his American Dream is never achieved, as Gatsby is actually quite unhappy and lives without fulfillment. His expectations for his American Dream are extremely high and virtually unachievable. After all, the core of his dream rests on reliving the past, and ultimately, Daisy. Daisy is far from perfect. Therefore, “Gatsby must make her what she is not and must give her every perfection; his love for Daisy has to be lifted above time and reality”

Fitzgerald points out that the American dream is damaged. In the novel Gatsby’s father reveals to Nick that his son was intent on improving himself and his station in life. In the years after Gatsby loses Daisy to Tom, Gatsby dedicates his every effort to trying to woo Daisy. This dream is corrupted between the relationship of Gatsby and Daisy. Daisy is the symbol of all that Gatsby strives for; her voice is full of money, as Gatsby describes it. Her voice was "full of money-that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song in it" That Gatsby was able to rise from poverty to an affluence rivaling Tom’s was the personification of the American Dream. What Gatsby discovers is that his wealth, his attempts to master some measure of sophistication and taste-even his exemplary service in the army- are not enough, Fitzgerald satirizes the upper class’ distinction not only between the rich and the poor but also between new money and old money. In the words of Tom, Gatsby is “… Mr. nobody from nowhere.” There is no compassion in Daisy, just as there is none in cold, hard cash. Daisy's dream is corrupted by wealth because she is caught up with Tom's wealth and Gatsby's

     F. Scott Fitzgerald is seen as one of the greatest American writers, admired by his contemparies and by modern audiences of today. Fitzgerald was very much in tune with the early twentieth century American culture. He is credited with capturing the ‘Jazz Age’, which he described as “a generation grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken”. Fitzgerald observed the culture around him with a critical eye. Despite being able to depict America like few others could, many see Fitzgerald’s writing as an indictment on its values.

In chapter four of The Great Gatsby, the character Gatsby takes the narrator Nick into Manhattan for some lunch. As they enter the city from the Queensboro Bridge, Nick remarks that, “Anything can happen now that we’ve slid over this bridge…. Even Gatsby can happen, without any particular wonder.” (69) By this point in the story we know that Gatsby is rich and that he throws elaborate parties at his home which is a “factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy.” (5) Later, in chapter six, we discover that Gatsby comes from humble beginnings in North Dakota and was actually named James Gatz; Jay Gatsby was a reinvention. This leads me to wonder why Nick would think that someone as complicated as Gatsby doesn’t carry any wonder in a

Sofia went for what she wanted. She had no doubts in her mind how things would turn out. She somehow got to Germany and married her husband. Not looking back on the past that made her unhappy, her life turns out okay. The guy she likes agreed to marriage and they have two kids together. Gatsby ends up getting tangled in a love triangle. He went about attacking this situation in the wrong fashion. He would have done anything to show Daisy that he was the one for her, and not Tom. The American Dream is not about the money that they have its is about how happy they are. Otherwise Gatsby would have been fine living his extravagant life. Sofia is very happy in the end of the story because she got the boy of her dreams and a family of her own. She looked for a family rather than wealth. In the end she does not have as much money as Gatsby and Tom but is happier than them. Gatsby is not as happy because everything he did for Daisy did not produce the result he wanted. She never called him. He held out hope that she will even when it was obvious it was not going to happen. He sold illegal bonds to be happy even though he could have been caught. His feelings control his actions. His actions showed that he does not care about the money and having extravagant items. He just wanted Daisy.

Bright Sided is a novel written from the viewpoint of an immigrant, Barbara Ehrenreich, who evaluates the American culture and background with a neutral mind. She suggests that the positive temperament that Americans portray is not a genuine sign of hope and happiness. This also paves way for systematic exploitation of the vulnerable and poor or working class. So positive thinking based on Barbara’s view is a way of showing off cheerfulness and this concept inspired her to deal with the problem of breast cancer. Jay Gatsby is a character that reflects positive thinking within the definition of Barbara Ehrenreich in her book Bright-sided.

Nonetheless, the characters are internally struggling with the quality and happiness found in their life. Gatsby does not achieve his grail, showing that money cannot buy love and friendship. The upper class in The Great Gatsby buy many materialistic objects but they are partially satisfied and only given temporary happiness. This theme of hallow decadence is reinforced in the novel; “Daisy’s face was smeared with tears, and when I came in she jumped up and began wiping at it with her handkerchief before a mirror” (Fitzgerald 89). The disillusionment of the American dream is shown by how Daisy had everything in the world including endless wealth that Tom supplies her with. Despite having the privilege of these things, Daisy is noticeably unhappy with her life. Another character that embodies the artificial achievement of the American dream is Gatsby because he ends up with no joy or peace, which he thought he would gain from Daisy. Gatsby convinces Nick to arrange to have Daisy over for Tea so they can reconnect and tour his house. Nick goes to say goodbye to Gatsby and finds him with a bewithered face; “A faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness…There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams- not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion”(Fitzgerald 95). Gatsby finally achieves his dream of impressing Daisy with his wealth after many years of waiting. However, after accomplishing it Gatsby has no motive or purpose in life and he is starting to realize his emptiness. This foreshadows the ending of the novel and the cease of Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship because the dream does not fulfil him like he pictured it would. Author Barbara Lupack writes in an article about the American Dream,

The American Dream is the idea of someone believing you have to have money, power, and respect to be successful. For example parents that have been through a lot to get money, power, and respect. In the novel, “The Great Gatsby” by, “F. Scott Fitzgerald”, the ultimate message about the American Dream is that you need money, power, and respect to be successful. Fitzgerald shows in many ways why he doesn’t believe in the American Dream by the way he uses literary devices like imagery and metaphors and by the way his characters act. The American Dream has not served Americans well because somewhere along the road something wrong happens to the person’s life or career.

Daisy’s American dream is a simple carefree relationship with Gatsby however her marriage with Tom complicates and oppresses her dreams. Daisy feels overpowered by Tom when she tells Nick, “The best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (17). Daisy is aware of Tom’s affair with Myrtle yet she accepts it and seems to be in denial. Daisy feels a girl in the 1920’s can only live a sincere and prosperous life if she is a fool. Daisy feels if a women is clever and looks too deeply into her quality of life then she cannot be content and at peace with herself. On Daisy’s wedding day she gets drunk and spills out her emotions about her future marriage with Tom, slurring, “ Tell’em all Daisy’s change’ her mine” (76). The imagery from this scene illustrates a nineteen year old women who has doubts about her marriage. Daisy’s dreams about her future are oppressed by Tom since she is pressured into marrying him. Throughout the novel F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays Daisy as a girl who is weak and is easily manipulated. Daisy’s voice in the novel is overpowered because men are always speaking for her. Nick remarks she, ”Hardly knew what she was saying” (152) while Tom and Gatsby are fighting over Daisy. Daisy at a critical point

The American Dream is Dead Many Americans believe that the American Dream is to have a good paying job, get married, be happy, and have kids. The American Dream is determined by success, power, and hard work. The main factor in achieving the dream is to be successful in the job that the individual wishes to pursue. Most Americans are not content with the amount of success they have acquired. The American Dream is a fantasized illusion that humankind will never attain.

The American Dream that labor will lead one from poor to an everlasting supply of money has been the center of attention for the almost unrealistic American dream since its beginning. People from other places came west to America even all the way from Europe only looking for what I predict as wealth and freedom. However the pioneers wanted to head west for the same if not identical reasons. The great Gatsby shows us that “the tide turning east” as some would say, as people run to where dreams come true the city of New York looking for stuff they could sell like stocks etc. for fortunes. The great Gatsby shows this point in time as a symbol of the American Dream's slow corruption. It's now not a vision of building a new life or a better

In addition, Daisy was also affected by a corrupted dream. She chased the ideal of wealth before happiness. Throughout the novel Tom and Daisy’s relationship is not the most ideal or happy relationship. Daisy became aware that Tom was abusive towards her, and does not seem to care much about her. Daisy thinks she has everything, wealth, love, and happiness which all tie into the American dream, but she then discovers that she can have something that is better, Gatsby. When Daisy was reunited with Gatsby she broke down and began to cry. “They’re such beautiful shirts, it makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before” (Fitzgerald 91). At this time Daisy realizes that she married for money and not for love. She figures out that she could have married for wealth and love if she had married Gatsby instead of Tom. Daisy, by definition was a golddigger. Because Daisy had a corrupt American Dream that valued wealth before happiness, Daisy missed out on a relationship that offered wealth and love with Gatsby.

The Roaring 20's was an era of decadence and endless possibility. The American Dream was something that everyone coveted. Essentially, The American Dream meant that anyone who had the talent and worked hard enough, could achieve it. Money, a loving spouse, and status all showed that a person had been successful in their life and were vital points to the American Dreams of the Characters in the Great Gatsby. Many of them strived in their own way to achieve “the dream”, however, twisted ideals of love, wealth, and class led to the eventual fall of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby.