Examples Of Reality In The Great Gatsby

The American Dream is a Common Man's Nightmare

The American Dream is less of a tangible desire and more of an abstract concept. At its most materialistic, this delusion stands to justify magnanimous wealth and inhumane means to achieve it. However, at its core, the American Dream is fulfillment; whether it be through love, income, prosperity, or morality, the American Dream represents satiating both your fundamental needs and desires, while maintaining integrity. At the beginning of The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway represents the pinnacle of this dream by living in the wealthy sector of New York, working passionately and constantly, pursuing honest love, and maintaining a rigid moral code. However, by the conclusion of this novel, the dream

By the end, he is driven away from the entire region, his very livelihood soured by the ‘American Dream’. “Could not grasp or would not face the grim realities that called for deviations from principles and practices that he deemed essential to American greatness and freedom.” American Dream Faces Harsh Reality addresses the phenomenon present throughout The Great Gatsby, one of the most overlooked repercussions of a compulsively capitalistic society. In chapter 9 of The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway reflects on the lasting impact America's aristocracy had on his life, “After Gatsby’s death the east was haunted for me like that” (Fitzgerald 187). Horrified at both the tragic death of Myrtle Wilson and the tactless actions of those involved, the place Carraway once viewed as his home morphed into a haunting place devoid of love or sincerity. At the lively heart of high society, Carraway somehow found himself ostracized from the materialistic grandeur that had nestled into the core of modern

At the beginning of The Great Gatsby, Carraway had a distinct understanding of himself. “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known,” (Fitzgerald 63). Before Carraway found himself deeply entangled with New York’s aristocracy, he had no conflict characterizing himself as honest. As the book progresses, it becomes clear how essential this trait is to Nick Carraway's sense of self. However, by the end of The Great Gatsby, his integrity is noticeably different. “I shook hands with him, it seemed silly not to,” (Fitzgerald 189). Despite Carraway's knowledge of Tom Buchanan’s involvement in the murder of Jay Gatsby, one of his closest friends, when forced to face Buchanan in real life, Carraway does not confront him. Furthermore, Nick Carraway goes as far as to shake Tom Buchanan's hand despite his open loathing of the man. While this event may seem insignificant, when examined, it clearly represents the moral decay that stands alongside his nation's ideals. The American Dreams robbery of Carraway’s honesty is arguably one of the most brutal occurrences seen in The Great Gatsby, exemplifying the unexpectedly steep price that opulence