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How Did Gatsby Achieve The American Dream

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The American Dream is deeply valued by American society. Per-contra, it is also deeply questioned. The American Dream is “the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone” (Investopedia.com). Although Americans value it and hold onto it, it may not even be achievable. If the American Dream is, in fact, unachievable, then what prevents it from being accomplished? It is a large theme in the book The Great Gatsby. In the book, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream is unattainable through one of the main character’s, Gatsby’s, difficult life and ultimate demise to reveal the true cause of the American Dreams impracticality; rigid social structure. …show more content…

But, he wasn’t always Jay Gatsby. He started out as young James Gatz, the son of “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (98). So, did James Gatz achieve the American Dream? Or did Jay Gatsby? One could say that James Gatz did, but, technically, James Gatz didn’t exist to achieve it. He had to become Jay Gatsby. He knew that a poor farm boy would never be able to achieve such great heights; however he does believe that the mythical oxford educated James Gatsby can. James Gatz was so withheld by his low social class as a North Dakota farmer that he had to change who he was to even be accepted by the upper class and try to achieve the American

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174 Words | 1 Pages

On the contrary, he was just a kid from North Dakota without connections, no money, no education. We can see the original James Gatz and his alter ego as the other part of a magic mirror; on one side is the Gatz, the ordinary citizen, and the other, Gatsby, fabulously decorated, the impossibly perfect reflection of the dreams and fantasies of a poor child. So who was the real James Gatz (Jimmy) and how he became Jay Gatsby? Apparently, even before they have the means, Jimmy Gatz had a plan; their desire to escape their circumstances and make a name for themselves. This early motivation shows the same determination and passion that we see in its new incarnation, Gatsby.

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669 Words | 3 Pages

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Paradox and Dream” by John Steinbeck are perfect examples to prove that the American dream is unattainable. This is shown in many different ways throughout both. The Great Gatsby shows it in more of a made up way. “Paradox and Dream” shows it in a more realistic way. No matter how the unattainability is portrayed, it is all meant to have the same meaning.

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923 Words | 4 Pages

Rudra Pandit Mrs. Schmidt, p.3 English 11 H 4 April 2017 Corruption The American Dream is characterized as somebody beginning low on the monetary or social level, and buckling down towards thriving and additionally riches and acclaim, envisioned by a huge number of individuals who went to the recently established to fulfill their ethical objectives. The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald speaks to many subjects, be that as it may, the noteworthy one identifies with the debasement of the American dream. Gatsby was conceived poorly in the mid-west. Gatsby moves toward the East, He tries to proceed onward with his life by taking a shot at being fruitful and achieving his lost love. Since his diligent work does

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1014 Words | 5 Pages

“James Gatz — that was really, or at least legally, his name… The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God.... So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.” ( 99) Gatsby was just a ideal, a dream that was conceived from James Gatz , a poor boy. He changed everything, lied about his past and truly believed that he was Jay Gatsby.

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807 Words | 4 Pages

The American Dream that Scott F. Fitzgerald stressed about in his novel The Great Gatsby is the notion of perfection; can never be acquired, but can always be reached for. Gatsby was not a man who came from wealth, as a young boy he always knew he would achieve to be something great in his life, even comparing himself to Christ. “The truth was that Jay Gatsby,

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1143 Words | 5 Pages

This is so inspiring and uplifting because most people want to better themselves, especially back in the 1920’s. This idea is portrayed as an important theme in the book, The Great Gatsby. The author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals many characters in the book that strive for the American Dream. However, it’s controversial if they achieved the American Dream or failed.

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994 Words | 4 Pages

Since Gatsby only focused on getting Daisy back, he did not interact with anybody that did not know Daisy or would not be able to help bring Daisy to him. This caused people to make up stories about him that they thought were true. Also Gatsby never thought about how Daisy would have changed throughout the years, while he has been somewhat frozen in time. He thought that Daisy would be the same girl that he had a relationship with years back. He has a conversation with Nick Carraway that proves it.

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141 Words | 1 Pages

Morally, Jay Gatsby did not wish to pursue the American dream, he found himself looking for an answer that made him the man he was, the self-made wealth and happiness that he created was all a facade for a hazy future that he expected to come true, which never did. The ideal representation of Gatsby is the pursuit of your dream. Inquiring how he felt throughout the story, Gatsby’s dream was unachievable through the crooked ways he tried to win over Daisy. The front Gatsby put forth of achieving the American Dream was legitimate, however, he did not achieve his true happiness in life. The justification of how Jay pursued the American Dream was not behind his perspective as a bootlegger but his perspective as a man who was deeply in love.

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409 Words | 2 Pages

Gatsby did attain the American Dream at the cost of his life. I believe Gatsby did attain the American Dream simply because he put work into gaining his wealth. He turned his life around from someone who was very poor into this grand millionaire. Even Gatsby states “It took

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1589 Words | 7 Pages

James Gatz, the son of poor farmers in North Dakota, who was in love with a girl from an old money, rich family. He was motivated by the American Dream and his love for the rich girl, Daisy. Gatz moved to New York City and achieved the American Dream but was not happy. He created a new name for himself, Jay Gatsby. He desperately wanted to be old money to impress Daisy so she would fall in love with him.

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702 Words | 3 Pages

F.Scott Fitzgerald is an American novelist and a short story writer. He is the author of the famous novel “ The Great Gatsby”, which is written in the 1920’s. The period of the 1920’s is well known as the roaring twenties due to lack of morales and the lowering of standards and expectations, people intended just to have a good time not caring about the outcomes of their and how they will effect their lives. Fitzgerald wants to prove in his novel the death of “The American Dream” it’s just a myth. The author of this novel shows the death of the american dream through the events surrounding Gatsby, and Daisy.

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601 Words | 3 Pages

The view of the American Dream is different for everyone. The Epic Journey, by James Truslow Adams, views the American Dream as a dream of attaining one’s fullest stature regardless of one’s social status. Similarly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, Gatsby’s American Dream relates to Adam’s dream but limited to materialistic wealth- a dream that seeks for motor cars, higher wages, and to impress the people of high status. Both Adams and Gatsby believe that everyone has an equal chance of achieving their dream. Adams says “The dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement”.

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1534 Words | 7 Pages

The American Dream is Achievable The American dream boomed during the 1920s and many people wanted this lavish lifestyle that was being portrayed of riches and success. But it was truly about disadvantaged people dreaming about a better life. Hoping to become respected and treated equally among society. Writers like Langston Hughes, and Lorraine Hansberry, used writing to show the struggles black people had to carry on to achieve the american dream.

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1133 Words | 5 Pages

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is a reflection of the American Dream. Written in 1925, the book tells the story of a man named Jay Gatsby, whose main driving force in life is the pursuit of a woman called Daisy Buchanan. The narrator is Gatsby’s observant next-door neighbor, Nick Carraway, who offers a fresh, outsider’s perspective on the events; the action takes place in New York during the so-called Roaring Twenties. By 1922, when The Great Gatsby takes place, the American Dream had little to do with Providence divine and a great deal to do with feelings organized around style and personal changed – and above all, with the unexamined self .

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723 Words | 3 Pages

Gatsby represents the American Dream throughout the story, he works hard towards rewarding achievements but is let down, because others would rather have money, power, and society’s approval. Jay Gatsby grew up in a poor family from North Dakota. As a farm child he worked hard and followed the American dream. He wanted to escape the poor farm life and make a name for himself. He wanted to be someone that was looked up to by others.

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