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Why Is The American Dream Important In The Great Gatsby

Decent Essays

Money is not the only thing that determines how successful someone may be in their lifetime. During the roaring twenties becoming rich was a new fascination. Being wealthy showed that the “American Dream” was attained. The American Dream is the ideal that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Money and power is used to acquire respect, and without it many social connections would be affected. Jay Gatsby was a self made wealthy man who lived on the west egg. The west egg was a symbolization of new money. Gatsby used his money to throw huge, lavish parties for people he necessarily didn’t know. Even though he always threw parties often he never took out time to try , and get to know his guests and vice versa. “Those who accepted Gatsby hospitality and paid him the subtle tribute of knowing nothing whatever about him”( Fitzgerald 31). The extensive affairs were thrown to get Daisy’s attention. Jay Gatsby figured if he couldn’t get her heart one way or another, he would let his money grasp her attention. …show more content…

Although her husband, Tom, was manipulating her she still stayed with him in the end. The money was the only successful thing keeping Daisy attached to him. Money played an important the whole time in this novel. Once Gatsby was dead she didn’t look back, she didn’t even go to his funeral. In many modernism works, lives weren’t meaningful. “Last week he tried to commit suicide,” one waiter said (Hemingway 2). This comment was made casually about an eighty year old who was well off. For him to have still been functioning at such an old age wasn’t an awe moment, it was more like a want you just die already type of vibe to

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