What happens when the very dream you are pursuing turns out to be a merciless illusion? Shattering the lives and hope of its pursuers, the American Dream is like a double-edged sword cutting deep into the lives of everyone who tries to pursue it. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the ways in which obtaining the American dream drives the behavior and actions of characters such as Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson, leading them to prioritize their own desires and ambitions above all else, ultimately resulting in tragic consequences. However, if you recognize the American Dream as a facade like Nick, you can in turn live a much more gratifying life. The disastrous outcomes for Gatsby and Myrtle as well as the fulfilled life …show more content…
For example, in chapter one, Nick reflects on one of his unique qualities with the quote, “I'm inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores”. In this quote, the meaning of the phrase “I’m inclined to reserve all judgment” suggests that Nick has very strong morals and that he always gives people the benefit of the doubt. However, because of this, he has been made a “victim of not a few veteran bores” implying that he has been taken advantage of multiple times by people pursuing the American Dream; furthermore indicating that people pursuing the American Dream are often dishonest. Although Nick often gets taken advantage of by other people, he lives a much more gratifying life than the people who take advantage of him because he recognizes that pursuing the American Dream leads to moral corruption. Nick’s best friend in the novel is Gatsby who unlike Nick relentlessly pursues the American Dream. Gatsby’s belief in the American Dream is so sound that he tries to pull Nick into pursuing it by offering him an opportunity to make money by illegal means. When presented with the opportunity, Nick reflected on this offer: “I realize now that under different circumstances that conversation might have been one of the crises of my life. But, because the offer was obviously and tactlessly for a service to be rendered, I had no choice except to cut him off there”. This quote shows a lot about Nick’s personality and values. While he is definitely tempted by the offer of making easy money, Nick’s morals overpower his desires. Nick’s complete honesty and strong morals are what make him live a happier and more fulfilling life than Gatsby or Myrtle's; so, when presented with the