American Dream And Its Portrayal Among The Characters In The Great Gatsby '

Danny Hoang

Mr. Weber

ENG3U1-05

5 May, 2023

The Change of the American Dream and its Portrayal Among the Characters in Great Gatsby From the time America was officially born, the founding fathers had an idea for their people. They declared that everyone shall have the right of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” With that, the American dream came to fruition. Those who persevere, work hard, and take initiative will eventually be able to rise up the ranks and achieve success. However, not everything works out so perfectly in life. Many characters find themselves unable to reach their dreams with the traditional methods and as a result, resorted to twisted and fraudulent ways of obtaining their goals. Jay Gatsby, George Wilson, and

Even in such a state of such poverty, he knows that this is his duty if he wants to be able to provide a better life for him and his wife. His garage receives little to no business at all, yet he can still be seen working on cars as he wipes his hands on a piece of waste. His belief in God watching over everyone keeps him from becoming corrupted for his dream as he fears the punishment of God’s watchful eyes. George is the definite proof that the American dream is not what it used to be. Hard work will no longer bring the same reward as cheating the system would. George Wilson’s pure love for his wife is why he dreamed of moving up the ranks and becoming successful so he could provide for his wife who was desperate to live a lavish lifestyle. However, this pure love is what dooms George. Unable to let go of his wife’s death, George had to avenge her so that; “By half past two he was in West Egg where he asked someone the way to Gatsby's house. So by that time he knew Gatsby's name” (Fitzgerald 168). At this point in time, George has already found out about his wife’s infidelity to him. He was in a broken state and completely worn out. Yet, his strong devotion and love for his wife meant that he was going to exact revenge on whoever killed her. If George decided to let things go and leave his cheating wife’s situation behind him, he could have started over and found someone better that would have

Since she was dissatisfied with the life that her husband could grant her, she decided to stomp on her husband by cheating on him with a wealthy man. She even tells Nick; “I was so excited that when I got into a taxi with him I didn't hardly know I wasn't getting into a Subway train. All I kept thinking about over and over was ‘You can't live forever, you can't live forever’ ” (Fitzgerald 40). Myrtle saw how well dressed Tom was and thought that it was a golden opportunity. Her selfish nature immediately dismisses the fact that she is married, just so that she would feel better about getting into a car with Tom. Myrtle had no intention of helping her husband make it out of the Valley of Ashes but instead uses Tom as a one way ticket to the elite class. In the pursuit of wealth, Myrtle sacrificed her dignity and honesty once she became Tom’s mistress. When Myrtle ran in front of who she thought was Tom’s car, this act can be seen as an act of desperation to escape the life she was currently living. Her dream of living extravagantly led to an affair with Tom, but when she peered out the window to see another woman sitting beside him, it fueled an intense jealousy. Myrtle thought she would be able to confront Tom, which is why; “She rushed out into the dusk, waving her hands and shouting; before he could move from his door the business was over” (Fitzgerald 144). Myrtle was so blinded by jealousy