American Dream In The Great Gatsby - 1366 Words

The American Dream has various implications for diverse individuals. For some people, the concept implies that one can accomplish his or her objectives and goals through living this dream. To others, it provides a beacon of hope, as an open door that individuals desperately desire to enter in pursuit of opportunities. The Americans after World War I, boosted by the emotions of the war, had an uncontrollable vigor about accomplishing and displaying an extravagant way of life and achieving a high social position. The people of America considered bliss to be embedded inside the American Dream and without that, life would be without pleasure and thus without meaning. The novel The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald, provides a sight of the†¦show more content†¦She is not only attracted to Tom’s appearance but also and more importantly to his wealth. For Myrtle, Tom is the ideal personification and advertisement of the American Dream. Myrtle is considered to be a denizen of the lower class because she cannot dress in the trappings of wealth. Therefore, she participates in a marital affair with Tom to claw herself to an upper-class status. Ernest Lockridge says, â€Å"Myrtle’s desire to escape her social class is made possible by her connection with Tom, Myrtle will not stay in her place, the valley of ashes rises against the East Egg† [Lockridge, 170]. She acknowledges that she is not part of the upper class, yet hopes through association with Tom she can be labeled as such. Moreover, her pursuit of the American Dream places all her hope in material items and she fails to emphasize the importance of the values behind the concept. It is her demand for a luxurious life and pursuing the American Dream that led to Myrtle’s demise, exemplifying how the pursuit of the American Dream as depicted by Fitzgerald causes destruction. Daisy is The Great Gatsby’s most mysterious and the most disappointing character. Although Fitzgerald does attempt to make her character worthy of Gatsby’s devotion, at the end of the novel, she reveals her mercenary interior. Despite her beauty and charm, as Nick Carraway describes her â€Å"Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth – but thereShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream : The Great Gatsby Essay1568 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream: The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story on the surface, but its most commonly understood as a suspicious critic of the American Dream. In the novel Jay Gatsby overcomes his poor past to gain an incredible amount of money and a limited amount of social cache of in the 1920s NYC, only to be rejected by the â€Å"old money† crowd. The focus of my paper would be the pathway towards the American Dream and how it affects the person and others around. The American dreamRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1401 Words   |  6 PagesThe Real American Dream Since its institution, the United States has been revered as the ultimate land of ceaseless opportunity. People all around the world immigrated to America to seek quick wealth, which was predominately seen in the new Modern era. Beginning in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the period introduced progressive ideas into society and the arts. Accompanying these ideas was a loss of faith in the American Dream and the promise America once guaranteed, especially after WorldRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1442 Words   |  6 PagesPursuit of Happiness. This sentiment can be considered the foundation of the American Dream, the dream that everyone has the ability to become what he or she desires to be. While many people work to attain their American dream, others believe that the dream is seemingly impossible to reach, like F. Scott Fitzgerald. 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In The Great Gatsby the american dream is a green lightRead MoreThe Great Gatsby : The American Dream927 Words   |  4 Pages2017 The Poor Man’s Dream Many believe that America is the land of riches, where anyone can become rich and wealthy. This idea is known as the American Dream, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for a successful living. However, this ethos is completely false, and is nothing more than exactly that - a dream. Throughout the award-winning work of F. Scott Fitzgerald, â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, he gathers criticism about the American Dream. He denounces the dream by shedding the lightRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And The American Dream1771 Words   |  8 Pages 5/30/17 Of Gatsby and His Unattainable Dream The American dream is a concept that has been wielded into American literature throughout history. Projecting the contrast between the American dream and reality, F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporates his opinions, primarily based off of his experiences and tribulations in World War I, throughout his literary works.Many people believe that deplorable moral and social values have evolved from the materialistic pursuit of the American dream especially throughoutRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream592 Words   |  2 PagesRed, white , and blue are iconic to the American culture we know of. They can show our passion, desire, and pride for our country, but you will always have you might have to give in, against what your morals tell you.In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald uses the colors red, blue, and white to symbolize the American dream. To accomplish the American dream you need passion and desire but you will face situations where your morals will compromised. Passion is a necessityRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And The American Dream1514 Words   |  7 Pagesevents, like the great migration movements to Angel and Ellis Island, proved America’s status as the homeland for success. Yet, as literature pieces from the time demonstrate, like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the great â€Å"American Dream† ideology had been watered down by social hierarchy and sculpted by those at the head for those at the tail. These pieces have also played a large role in the stereotype of the philosophy. Contrary to popularized belief, the American Dream no longer falls