Throughout the course of American history, the 1920s were seen as a significant era of substantial social, economic and political change. After years of depression, the nation’s total wealth doubled and for the first time, more people lived in cities than on farms. Women broke their old boundaries and speakeasies swept the country and America soon became the land of opportunities and prosperity. And in the novel written by Scott Fitzgerald, the plot is set in this distinctive time frame which shows the Dream drove millions of Americans to improve their lifestyle and refine their social status. Nevertheless, this dream that once only involved around success and hope for a better future didn’t last long, as Money and materialistic greedy needs came to corrupt society. This …show more content…
In fact, The Great Gatsby describes the decay of the American Dream and the hopeless desire for money and fame.
The new ideology of Americans during the Roaring Twenties that consist of seeing the possibility of becoming rich and a part of the upper class without any restraints, slowly shifted into an abyss of sin and decaying morals. For example, one of the characters of the Great Gatsby that portrayed the American dream is Myrtle, George Wilson’s wife. Her hopeless urge for a better, more extravagant lifestyle is what drove her into meeting Tom Buchanan and having an affair him despite knowing that he’s a married man. In fact, in chapter 2 when Nick and Tom are in George Wilson’s garage talking about some business, Myrtle walks into the room as Fitzgerald writes: "She smiled slowly and, walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him