Corruption In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

In ‘The Great Gatsby”, Scott Fitzgerald’s novel embodies the concept of the American dream and the corruption that may pollute it. While corruption may come from outside influences, others occur from within the individual as they face moral confusion. In ‘The Great Gatsby”, Fitzgerald displays both influences as they waver the protagonist. The moral aura of the Roaring Twenties, Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby's own ambition to fulfill his hopes of The American Dream contribute to his demise. First, Gatsby’s very wealthy mentor, Dan Cody, and the uninvited guests to Gatsby's parties contribute to his downfall, as they are exemplifying Gatsby's interpretation of The American Dream which, in the Roaring Twenties, is his mislead belief that

Determined to marry her after returning from war, he’s blindsided to her destructive tendencies and self-aware intentions. With exceedingly hopeful commitment to catch Daisy’s attention through his wild parties, he is very aware of Daisy’s location, as he lives directly across the water from her. Nick Recalling “―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 way, that might have been the end of a dock.” (21-22) Incapable of looking past her seducing beauty and seeing the corruption within her and the obsession within him, he acts furiously for her love. Later, to leave Gatsby mislead with the idea that she’d divorce and carry herself away from her husband, Tom. In time as an argument began between both men, as Nick understands, Gatsby would say anything, shouting, “Your wife doesn’t love you” (130) towards Tom, repeating “She’s never loved you. She loves me.” (130) While Daisy in many ways made it clear she had love for Tom. Gatsby incapable of seeing the clarity within Tom and Daisy’s relationship, reveals that his idea of the intimacy that played between the two, is indeed a faulty fantasy that Gatsby fabricated, transforming

Despite his gullible nature, he has been seduced by the enticement of wealth and social recognition. Incapable to deviate his obsessive fantasy for Daisy, he was with no care, capable of turning to illegal actions such as “Bootlegging” to achieve mesmerizing wealth, unintentionally priding himself as he hopes to in a way, buy Daisy’s marriage. Associating himself with familiar underground lawbreakers such as Myer Wolfsheim, accumulating the circulation such as “He’s a bootlegger” “One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg” (61) say young women. Disregarding even the simplest of comments made by Daisy as she presents her very obvious appreciation for wealth “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such–such beautiful shirts before.” (92) In close time Nick recognizing Gatsby’s incapability to look past these fantasies and realizes he has done all he could to steer Gatsby in a better direction, “They ‘re a rotten crowd” “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (154). Jay so blindsided puts less thought into Nicks statement and gullible enough to accept these illusions he’s intermingled with the difficult reality of this era, constructing his ultimately corrupt