Gatsbys Pursuit of the American Dream Essay - 827 Words

Gatsbys Pursuit of the American Dream The American Dream means that by persistently working hard, one can achieve success; this is in contrast to other countries where the immigrants came from, in which one was either born into money and privilege or not, and if you werent, there was no way of achieving this success. The American Dream eliminated the barriers between people that social class had held for centuries in Europe. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, shows the corruption of the American Dream from what it used to be in the past. Not only does Jay Gatsby achieve his success without hard work, but this success is not a matter of being able to achieve just like every other person. His success is just a result of the I†¦show more content†¦Daisy married Tom because of his money, which means that money can buy love in Gatsbys world. So Gatsby sets the goal in his life to amass enough money so that he can buy; Daisy back. He moves across the bay so that he can be close to Daisy, and worship the little green light that is her house; Nick observes Gatsby raising his arms to the light in silent devotion. The color green represents money. Even Daisys voice is described as full of money.; Gatsby believes that money can buy emotions from people, and this is not at the core of the American Dream. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gatsby earns his money, not through hard work, but it is hinted that he is bootlegger and deals in illegal things because of his relationship with Meyer Wolfsheim, a known gangster. During Prohibition, when the consumption of alcohol was illegal, people could make a lot of money providing alcohol illegally, and they were called bootleggers. Jay Gatsby was even going against American laws in order to achieve his American Dream of getting enough money to buy Daisys love. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Through the parties that Gatsby made, Americas consumption is symbolized by the way the oranges and lemons arrive full in cartons, and are shipped away as torn apart pulps. It is almost like a factory, where things go in and are processed, and then go out. It seems that these things really were not enjoyed, just processed likeShow MoreRelated6. The Value/Danger Of Wealth. These Few Words By John1254 Words   |  6 Pagessuccess of a person, but the pursuit of opulence twisted foundation of the American dream by resulting in greediness. Money enticed people into accomplishing a directive due to its great worth, which could potentially result in good consequences or bad consequences. Wealth can bring about high values and through those high values it could pose the threat of false happiness and popularity, the motivations behind the pursuit of wealth, and the brokenness of the American dream. Happiness and popularityRead MoreEssay On The Relationship Between Nick And Gandby In The Great Gatsby1180 Words   |  5 Pagesexpand to show Gatsby as a symbolic representation of the pursuit of the unreachable American Dream in the early 20th century. Throughout the novel, Nick’s behavior and emotions mirror Gatsby’s. The novel starts of with a description of Nick, who admits that he has moved to New York to join the bond business. Nick is chasing the American Dream in the hopes of becoming rich like Gatsby. Unlike Nick, Gatsby has already achieved the American Dream by pulling himself out of poverty. In addition, Nick’sRead MoreLavish Lifestyles in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald1772 Words   |  7 Pagespeople destroy themselves in the process of achieving you goal. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives a scathing critique of the lavish and foolish lifestyle of affluent Americans, and of the inanity of the American Dream, the dream of equal opportunity for upward mobility--basically, the dream of wealth. The irony of this is that Fitzgerald himself lived like many of the wealthy character in the book, despite his contempt for the lifestyle. The story, narrated by a man named NickRea d MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1442 Words   |  6 Pagesamong these are life, Liberty and the Pursuit 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. Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby examines the Jazz-Age generations search for the elusive American Dream of wealth and happiness and scrutinizesRead MoreGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1554 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald deals on one level with Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, but on a deeper level also deals with the Great American Dream. The novel starts and ends with a reference to the green light at the end of the dock, indicating an important symbolism. The first time Nick catches sight of Jay Gatsby, Gatsby â€Å"stretched his arms towards the dark water [†¦] [Nick] distinguished nothing except a single green light [†¦] that might have been at the end of a dock.† (Fitzgerald 2000:25)Read MoreGreat Gatsby - the Green Light1560 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald deals on one level with Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams, but on a deeper level also deals with the Great American Dream. The novel starts and ends with a reference to the green light at the end of the dock, indicating an important symbolism. The first time Nick catches sight of Jay Gatsby, Gatsby â€Å"stretched his arms towards the dark water [†¦] [Nick] distinguished nothing except a single green light [†¦] that might have been at the end of a dock.† (Fitzgerald 2000:25)Read More The Great Gatsby - The American Dream Essay767 Words   |  4 Pagesis the character of the American Dream in which, in their respective ways, his principle heroes are all trapped.†, can be justified through Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and his short story â€Å"Winter Dreams†. In both pieces of literature, Fitzgerald explores and comments upon Americans and their pursuit of the American Dream through Jay Gatsby and Dexter Green’s pursuit of their â€Å"golden girls†. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream is not easily achievedRead MoreHope and the American Dream Portrayed in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby1702 Words   |  7 Pagesas a member of Gatsby’s circle. He has ambivalent feelings towards Gatsby, despising his personality and corrupted dream but feeling drawn to Gatsby’s magnificent capacity to hope. Using Nick as a moral guide, Fitzgerald attempts to guide readers on a journey through the novel to illustrate the corruption and failure of the American Dream. To achieve this, Nick’s credentials as a reliable narrator are carefully established and reinforced throughout the story. The American Dream is a sensitiveRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1692 Words   |  7 Pagespost-war economy. In the Jazz Age, the American Dream seems to be thriving. Jay Gatsby, a lively entrepreneur in Long Island’s West Egg, uses his success to throw lavish parties in pursuit of a long lost love from the previous decade: Daisy Buchanan. Daisy lives across the bay in East Egg and is married to Tom Buchanan – an elitist who lives an extravagant life with his inherited fortune. While The Great Gatsby is a captivating tale of a man in pursuit of love, it reveals much more than the connectionRead MoreThe Theme Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby1297 Words   |  6 PagesIn the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. If you have a dream in A merica, you can achieve it with old fashioned hard work. Whether it’s going from rags to riches or finding love, the American Dream can offer it. But the ever-popular American dream is easily corrupted. This is greatly shown in the