Examples Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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“Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great land of love […] But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe” (Source C). American citizens believe in the opportunities that America offers. The American dream is the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to prosper and succeed through hard work and determination. In the novel The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American dream through settings, characters, and symbols. Fitzgerald uses the setting and character’s houses to help develop the idea of the American dream. Jay Gatsby lives in a large and elegant house, while Nick Carraway recently moved into a much smaller house next door. “My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore” states Fitzgerald, referring to Nick’s house (Source A page 5). Nick is not as wealthy as Gatsby and is perceived to not be living the American dream as much as Gatsby. Gatsby hosts many large parties, where people of all kinds attend throughout this novel. Nick explains, “People were not invited—they went there” (Source A page 41). People came to Gatsby’s house even if they were not invited. Gatsby is presented as living the American dream because he is wealthy and lives in an extravagant house. The American dream is possible for anyone living in the United States that is hard working and determined. Source H is a political cartoon stating, “In American, you can grow up to be anything you