The American Dream is a concept that is embedded into the fabric of American society. The American Dream promises prosperity, social mobility and encourages the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, calls the idea of the American Dream into question through Gatsby Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson. The Great Gatsby demonstrates that the American Dream is unachievable, as both Gatsby Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson attempt to achieve it, but due to being impoverished, failing to find true love, and their sudden untimely deaths, it is unreachable, despite their social status.
In one example of imagery, Fitzgerald explains that Dexter uses the winter to dream about playing golf with upper class people and eventually beating them. This example is a pivotal to the storyline because it basically explains why the story is entitled “Winter dreams” and it explores this fantasy of Dexter becoming a part of a high social class by playing golf with high profile people such as Mr. T.A. Hedrick. “It was a curious day, slashed abruptly with fleeting,
The historic American dream (the one in The Great Gatsby) was more achievable back then but now we can not achieve it due to countless problems that have developed over the years. Overall Fitzgerald's' version of the American dream in The Great Gatsby is very different from today’s version because of the attainability, happiness, economically, and
F. Scott Fitzgerald's works, The Great Gatsby and “Winter Dreams” illustrates the American Dream to find success and prosperity. The theme clearly is revealed through the characters of Dexter and Gatsby as they both acquired wealth and they both lost the girl that they loved so much. Gatsby and Dexter were men that found their fortune and wanted to marry women that they loved. The gales at the party “He’s a bootlegger,” said the young ladies, moving somewhat between his cocktails and his flowers (Great 61). People thought that he got his money illegally from alcohol sales.
Some say the American Dream is exceptionally attainable if one tries hard enough. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald questions this statement by presenting a novel that portrays how the result of the American Dream--wealth--causes destruction. Fitzgerald also argues that trying to fit in where one desires to is not always the best idea. Fitzgerald uses a multitude of examples from his novel to present his argument. Fitzgerald used geography--East and West Egg--to depict the American Dream.
Judy was from a rich family who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her beauty caught the attention of every man in town and she strung along every man into believing they were in love with her. But one day, after reuniting with Dexter, she wonders “Why can’t [she] be happy” even though she is “more beautiful than anybody else”(Fitzgerald 8). Judy has money and looks, but she is never satisfied with her life. Judy and Dexter’s failure with love and happiness represents Fitzgerald’s criticism of the American Dream.
In response to the simple idea of the American Dream, by the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is a symbol of hope for success and that any goal can be achieved. Gatsby's lifestyle is portrayed as a corrupted dream: achieving his wealth illegally and attempting to resume an unattainable past love with Daisy. In the book The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald describes life during the 1920s and the craving for people to reach the American Dream. The author examines the corruption of Gatsby's life when trying to attain the American Dream.
Scott Fitzgerald would say that the American dream is a concept that you can achieve greatness or better circumstances by any means that you can. Also, the real dream is not riches because then people would become reckless, but the real goal is to reach ultimate happiness. He would say this because when people desire for something they are not, they go to measures the affect others and the outcomes are not often positive. The novel and Gatsby’s story show that the failure of achieving his dreams proves the the foolishness of short-cutting the dream by corruption without hard work, integrity, or real love. Fitzgerald’s version of the American dream would say that all have the ability to gain more success with hard work and being true to yourself.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald 's story "Winter Dreams,” Dexter Green, the protagonist, falls in love with Judy Jones at first sight and decides to pursue her throughout the story. Dexter constantly strives to make Judy his wife but finally realizes it is impossible to possess her. After several years, Dexter hears news about Judy’s faded beauty and feels disillusioned. In the story, Judy is a perfect representation of his “winter dreams.” His “winter dreams” are his desire to pursue a rich life fulfilled by the “glittering things” such as wealth and status.
Through the early to mid 1900s, the concept of striving to attain more than one is originally born with became predominant in most American societies. During this era, many authors, through literature, began expressing their concern with the rise in materialistic ideals and its effect on society and the individuals living within it, one being F. Scott Fitzgerald. Two of Fitzgerald’s widely-known works of literature, The Great Gatsby and “Winter Dreams”, both heavily elaborate on the effects of the increase in materialism and the ultimate effects of attempting to achieve the American Dream; this is conveyed through the unhappiness of the Dexter and Gatsby despite their perseverance to acquire women of higher social statuses. These texts both reach the conclusion that the American Dream is not within reach of anyone. Fitzgerald’s representation of the unattainable American Dream is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby and “Winter Dreams” through his portrayal of the materialistic nature of society as well as the characters’ failure to possess the women they love.
"The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream." In this quote, by Azar Nafisi, it explains how dreaming can be tainted by reality, and it that if you don 't compromise you may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes in this book. The American Dream that most people in this book obtains to have is wealth, statist, a fun social life, and someone to lust. It is the life we all strive to have until we obtain it and see it 's meaningless composure.
By the end of the story he cannot have the girl, and his dreams are ruined. The author illustrates Dexter Green as a wishful boy longing for what the future holds. Fitzgerald incorporates many symbols as one being solely Judy Jones. The author uses style in the story by separating the story into 6 sections. Fitzgerald in “Winter Dreams” depicts the fantasy of the American dream and how no matter how hard one works he may never achieve his dream.
However, in “Winter Dreams”, F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes diction, juxtaposition, defeated language, and symbolism to inform his readers that though many yearn for the benefits that the American dreams supposedly brings, the idealization of it is unrealistic. He also works to inform the readers that greed and obsession of material things will only lead to personal destruction, and most importantly, he best emphasizes the fact that wealth and success are not the epitome of personal
Fitzgerald focused on the shift in the American Dream - from being the idea of self-fulfillment, dignity and comfort that is achieved through hard work, to being equated with the pursuit of wealth and power, and identifying happiness with having money. The novel depicts the rise and fall of the concept and describes the causes of its decay. The downfall of the American Dream is most accurately shown through the main protagonist of the story – Jay Gatsby. To reiterate, the American Dream is the concept that anyone can achieve a better life and become self-fulfilled, if they put enough effort to it and make the most of their abilities.
There are many themes exist in the novel of The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald. The most significant theme in this novel is the American dream. The meaning of the American Dream is someone who starting low on the social level or economic, which then working hard and try their best towards wealth and fame. In other word, it stand for one’s independence to strive in order to achieve desired wealth and fame with hard work, but it ends up being more about selfish and materialism pursuit of pleasure. American dream is achieve when a person having a car, money, big house, happy family and nice clothes.
