How Does Fitzgerald Present The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

With the end of World War I, America was in a time of an economic boom, and capitalism was on the rise. Immigrants spilled into the country for the opportunity of work and the rich controlled the economy. The Roaring 20s was a time of luxury and extravagant lifestyle for some and the ability to start a new life in search of freedom and dreams for others. The prosperity of America during this time gave people a new hope of success to achieve the riches and dreams that they had always hoped for. F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the theme of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. Nick experiences Gatsby’s American Dream to its fullest when learning of his rural upbringing and his path to success. Gatsby had his dream, which, was to become

He had finally won her over, but many complications stood in his way. His dream was over, he had finally achieved it, but it was not as good as he had hoped. While Nick and Daisy are being shown around Gatsby’s mansion, Nick captures a dramatic moment in Gatsby’s expression, which he discloses to the reader “Daisy put her arm through his abruptly, but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (Fitzgerald 93). Gatsby realizes that this is his dream’s reality. It was not as real as he had wished and now she was here. Nick observes that Gatsby may have liked dreaming and thinking about Daisy more than actually being with her. Nearly all people’s version of the American Dream is often an exaggerated form of reality. When they meet that reality, they are often dissatisfied with the content. These people realize that after seeing the reality of their American Dream, they can’t dream anymore and it has become insignificant. The reality of Gatsby’s dream had turned out much differently than he had imagined, and part of him was dissatisfied with it. At Gatbsy’s house with Daisy, Nick describes to the reader a tender moment in Gatsby’s revelation: “I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby’s face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness. Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams- not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her,