The Illusion of the American Dream In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is the most meaningful and important character because he represents the different aspects of the American dream. He shows the illusion and the struggles behind the American dream and how it can change your life. In the novel, Gatsby reveals his true past life to his friend also narrator Nick Carraway. No one knew Gatsby’s true past as he always told people he was from a wealthy past, an Oxford man he said, which was far from the truth. As the truth of Gatsby's past was revealed it was said “ His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people -- in his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents.” (Fitzgerald pg. 98). This represents …show more content…
It shows how he worked for what the had and for the fortune he has. What Gatsby was trying to achieve was Daisy Buchanan, that was his American Dream the “golden girl” as they would say. He tries to show his money and his extravagant lifestyle off as if he has always had his riches although that is not the case. It shows just how people who try to achieve the American dream want it to seem as they have always had their money. Secondly, throughout the book there is a reference to a green light at the end of Daisy Buchanan's dock, as Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan live right across the bay from Gatsby, which is not a coincidence. He bought his house where it was so he would know that Daisy was just across the bay from him. When Nick came home late one night, he lived right next door to Gatsby and upon entering his home he saw something intriguing. It was Gatsby, “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.. I distinguished nothing except a single green light.” (Fitzgerald 21). The green light at the end of the Buchanan's dock embodies Gatsby’s idea of a life with Daisy he once had and the idea of being able