The Great Gatsby American Dream Essay

John Adams describes the american dream as, “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement… Each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, all of the main characters are in pursuit of their own versions of the american dream. Gatsby believes that by achieve wealth and success he will ultimately be able to win the true dream of his life, Daisy. Nick’s version of the american dream is a more stereotypical version of the american

This results in Gatsby using crime to achieve the american dream, using corruption to achieve his dream. Gatsby begins to yearn for her in such a way that he romanticizes and brings meaning into meaningless object, like the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. Gatsby views this light as a piece of Daisy and his yearning, just for this little empty light shows his longing to fulfill his dream of being with Daisy. “But I didn't call to him for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone--he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward--and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.” (20 Fitzgerald) Eventually, through using Nick’s connections with Daisy he is able to see her again and eventually be with her, even though she is still married to Tom Buchanan. Gatsby ultimately does achieve what is goal was, which was winning over Daisy’s love through his achievements, but when he reached this goal he still is not satisfied. Even when he does get daisy, he is still not content and he tries to get her to admit that she never loved Tom. He asks so much Daisy and will never be satisfied. "Oh, you want too much!" she

Daisy left her true love to be with someone who would provide her with a wealthy life full of materialistic wonders. “She wanted her life shaped now, immediately – and the decision must be made by some force – of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality – that was close at hand.” (158 Fitzgerald) Daisy did not necessarily marry Tom for love, even though she may have loved him once, but she married him for his money and security. The only thing that Tom and Daisy shad in common was money, this is what brought them together and ultimately lead to Daisy chasing after Tom instead of waiting for Gatsby. Daisy loved the idea of Tom, rather that genuinely being in love with him. Daisy got caught up in the worldly things and ended up living a miserable life with a husband who cheated and whom she no longer loved. She strived for the life that was typically the american dream, by marrying up and living a life full of wealth and comfort. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . . .”(162 Fitzgerald) Daisy lived to live up to her upper class and be the ideal american female. A female full of grace and beauty, motherly, and wealthy. Daisy was able to achieve this immediately through