How Does Fitzgerald Present The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Everyone has their own idea of what the American Dream is and F. Scott Fitzgerald is no different. In Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, he depicts the American Dream as being materialistic. During this period in time, people's main focus was getting wealthy. The roaring twenties was a period in which everything and everyone changed. All everyone cared about were the giant mansions and the extravagant parties. This idea is depicted in this novel through the characters of Myrtle, Daisy, and Gatsby. All the hopes and dreams of people during the roaring twenties were to become wealthy and have many luxurious items. This is exactly what Myrtle’s American Dream was in the novel. Myrtle was married to a man who was not even close to being wealthy.

Daisy’s biggest ambition is wealth. That is mainly why she married Tom Buchanan. She was in love with Gatsby when she met Tom but due to Gatsby’s lack of money, she decided to marry Tom and not wait for Gatsby to return from war. Years after she had married Tom, Gatsby reappeared into her life and she was finally able to accept his love because he had money. She even began to display her affection towards him in her own house. For example, Daisy “...got up and went over to Gatsby, and pulled his face down kissing him on the mouth.” when Tom “left the room again...”(Fitzgerald 122). She only agreed to see Gatsby again because he had managed to become wealthy over the past couple of years. Further on in the novel, Nick realizes that his cousin is only interested in the money. He tells Gatsby, “I’d never understood before. It was full of money-that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it…”(Fitzgerald 127). Gatsby knew all she cared about was money, but he did not care because he actually loved her. Even though Daisy loves Gatsby, she will never leave Tom because he is much wealthier than Gatsby. Daisy will always choose money over anything, even true