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Similarities Between The Color Purple And The Great Gatsby

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What is the American Dream? The American Dream is the idea that in America, every single person has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And that everyone is American can become successful through hard work and determination. There are many who strongly believe in the american dream, but there are also some people who believe the american dream no longer exists. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the authors show that they have very different opinions on the actuality of the american dream. Through Celie’s profound character development and the creation of her successful business, Walker shows her belief in the American Dream. Fitzgerald ends the book on a very sad note, with …show more content…

In The Color Purple, Celie learns how to support herself and be very independent; she is even confident enough to stand up to her old husband, Mr. _____. “He say, I notice everybody in the family just about wearing pants you made. But you mean you turned it into a business? That’s right, I say. But I really started it right here in your house to keep from killing you.” Celie’s growth that stemmed from people she met, like Shug, led to her creating her own business and becoming even stronger and more confident. She ultimately ends up much stronger than she even had been before. Most of the women in The Great Gatsby are not very strong or independent, instead they are dependant on their families or husbands. After Tom finds out about Daisy’s affair with Gatsby and Gatsby’s murder, she still stays with Tom and moves away without even talking to Nick …show more content…

She was incurably dishonest. She wasn’t able to endure being at a disadvantage, and given this unwillingness I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool, insolent smile turned to the world and yet satisfy the demands of her hard jaunty body. (Fitzgerald 57)
Jordan has a very different outlook on the world than Daisy does; she is extremely cynical and hates careless people. She is also willing to do whatever is necessary to get what she wants, even if she has to cheat to get there. But, Fitzgerald still does not make her look like a strong or independent women, just young and careless. The Color Purple shows that women are not only strong and intelligent, but that the american dream applies to both men and women. In conclusion, Alice Walker has a strong belief that the American dream is alive and well. Any person, can rise up in society and become a strong, independent person. While F. Scott Fitzgerald did not believe in the american dream and, in The Great Gatsby, shows that no one is truly happy or

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