Why Is The American Dream Important In The Great Gatsby

The definition of the American Dream is something that is defined by a person, and in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s case the American Dream is defined as unreal. Fitzgerald’s lived in the roaring twenties and the time of the party and fun, and the time that caused the stock market crash and depression. The pessimistic thought process of Fitzgerald rubs off on his novel, The Great Gatsby, a story entangled with love triangles, drama, and death. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald’s poor life leads to his belief that the American Dream is not achievable, as seen through the literary devices of Characterization of Jay Gatsby, Nick carraway, and Myrtle Wilson.

During the 1920s, also referred to as the Roaring Twenties, a cultural movement inspired many drastic changes socially and politically and in the traditional values in the United States. In the 1920s the 19th amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote. Before the 1920s change occurred slowly but during the 1920s changes occurred rapidly. The American Dream is defined as the promise of prosperity for Americans who work hard, regardless of race, class, gender and on April 10, 1925 The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was published showing that this wasn't always true. Fitzgerald shows in the book that some people cheat their way into the American Dream and succeed in doing so, but they never become a part of the true higher

     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.

Fitzgerald uses literary devices and symbols to portray the misleading essence of the American Dream. He manages to define and denounce the American Dream throughout the novel. The Great Gatsby is a clear criticism of the excessive materialism, which was a result of chasing the American

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives a deep view of how the economy is different in all the neighborhoods that are in the story. Fitzgerald goes through the story with different settings and shows the differences of all the neighborhoods in the story in the 1920’s. He shows the reader throughout the book that the everyone in the book comes from different wealth. For example “A lot of the newly rich people around here are bootleggers” (Fitzgerald 107), Tom is saying that the people in west egg are people who just acquired their wealth compared to him who inherited his money. Nevertheless, New York is the place where the rich, the poor, and the middle class interacts together. However the valley of ashes is a rundown valley that is between the wealthy neighborhoods and New York City where the most of

For centuries in this country people have believed that through hard work, talent and ambition anyone can acquire great wealth and success regardless of their social class and background, a concept later named “The American Dream” in 1931. However, people have been questioning whether this idea of rags to riches really is attainable to all who work for it, or if it is merely a fantasy and a myth. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbolism to illustrate the death of the American Dream.

Love, fame, and success; these three things make up the American dream. What more could someone want? During the 1920s, specifically 1922, the author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a novel called The Great Gatsby; it is about a man named Gatsby who spends five years working his way up the social ladder by partaking in illegal businesses just to get to a girl that ends up leaving him when she finds out that she would not benefit her social status. Another important character that plays a significant is Nick; Nick stands on the sidelines most of the story observing all of the corrupt parts of society from cheaters, to thieves, and even murderers and not doing much to stop the effect they have on other people around him. Throughout The Great Gatsby,

What we all think about the American Dream is it is solely based on what we value most. However, what you hardly realize is that our values is actually being manipulated by the economy. Why do we call it ‘the American’ Dream? Why is our dreams obligated to meet the ideals of the American way? America has long established a social consuming empire.

The American Dream, which is “the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative” is a “promise” given to all citizens no matter of social class. However, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald critically acclaimed novel, presents the American dream as an illusion which can never be fully achieved for Gatsby. Gatsby’s lifestyle may have represented the idea of what the American dream was at the that time, but Gatsby the man was never satisfied with his life. Gatsby’s idea of a perfect life was to be with Daisy. with Daisy Due to that, he was consumed with the that single idea, dream causing him to lose sight of what he already had, which

Rumors, money and the roaring 20’s, nothing could possibly go wrong. The Jazz Age was a time of excitement, change and the pursuit of the American Dream for many. The 20th century's best American Novel, “The Great Gatsby” was composed by short-story writer and novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. The book during its debut year showcased as a flop selling only 20,0000 copies, but during the second world war the book became famous for its American Dream theme. One of the main characters from this literary classic is Tom Buchanan, a resident of the fictional “East Egg” in Long Island, New York. Tom, having wealth beyond belief, is a brute of a man with a headstrong attitude accompanying his superior record of success. As I surfed the pages of The Great Gatsby Tom caught my

In the novel The Great Gatsby, and also American history itself, the American dream plays a very important role. All of the characters are based around the American dream and this story is about what they try to do to achieve it. All of the actions and choices that these characters make are their attempt at achieving their dream. The American dream also takes place in the roaring twenties, which is infamously known for being loud and proud. Where does the American dream even come from?

The American dream is an ideology, a vision that’s form varies from individual to individual, based upon one’s own experiences. Although the one thing that remains constant in every single definition is that this ideology, just as the name states, is only a dream. It is meant to merely drive people to unlock their hidden potential and become their best self, for the sole purpose of living one’s out one’s own definition of success. In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is Jay Gatsby’s inspiration and his opportunity, however, as the book progresses it becomes more evident that not all people share the same opportunity.

People were also affected by the pursuit for the American Dream as it brought people’s desire for love. An example of this is Gatsby’s American Dream as it included acquiring Daisy and her love which has taken over his entire life. The American Dream is reaching whatever your dream is through hard work and Daisy is Gatsby’s one dream. His intense desire for love with Daisy affects Gatsby by blinding him from the fact that Daisy does not deserve his admiration as she is selfish, shallow and hurtful person. Even though other characters such as Nick clearly see this, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness” (Fitzgerald 262). Gatsby also dedicated everything in his life to acquiring Daisy’s such as hosting large, extravagant parties in hopes she would come and buying the mansion directly across the bay from her house. "It was a strange coincidence," I said. "But it wasn 't a coincidence at all.” "Why not?” "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.” (Fitzgerald 114). Secondly, another example of how the desire for love in the novel affects the characters is how George Wilson is

The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald effectively portrays 1920’s America and its twisted, unsavory values. The novel has been called “the American masterwork,” by Jonathan Yardley of The Washington Post, because of the novel’s characterization of the Jazz Age and all of it’s unsatisfactory glory. One critic has written, “The theme of Gatsby is the withering of the American dream.” Fitzgerald’s work validates this statement. The Great Gatsby wonderfully depicts the death of the American Dream through the loss of humility and rectitude. The American Dream is the ideal that anyone, regardless of race, class, or gender should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The death of this dream is demonstrated in the novel through rich symbolism as Fitzgerald uses extended metaphors and personification to portray the corruption of the Jazz Age. The American Dream is demonstrated through the color yellow, which symbolizes not only wealth but death. The American Dream is also demonstrated through characters Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson, and Jay Gatsby, as well as their tragic endings while trying to achieve the dream. Tom and Daisy Buchanan achieve money without having to work and the carelessness that results from it.

In the world of 2017 it just seems that more and more people fall deeper into poverty. From the south side of Chicago to the streets of Cleveland, to the dumps of Detroit, to the gangs in LA it just seems more and more people keep falling down the never ending hole of poverty and depression. Even their offspring fall into this terrible fate as they fall into the weight of student debt. The United States has been claimed to be the “land of opportunity” ever since its first European settlers stepped foot onto its fertile soil; Many of whom chased the “American Dream”. But is the American Dream achievable to the average American? Even in the 1900s this was a prominent question as people questioned if the American dream is achievable including