How Does Fitzgerald Present The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Kallie Schell

Hour 3

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a story that portrays the American Dream and it's ups and downs. F. Scott FItzgerald's view on the American Dream is that it is not possible and he's shows this through his characters stories. Fitzgerald's character Jay Gatsby dedicates his entire life to achieving the American Dream and achieves it financially but during the process lost the love of his life. His journey to achieve the American Dream started when he was very young. "His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people his imagination had never as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic Conception. "(Fitzgerald, 95) Because spending his younger years in poverty, this strengthened his motivation to achieve this American dream the correct way and to do every

Wolfsheim found Gatsby at a low point in his life when he was homeless and struggling and introduced Gatsby to the illegal way of achieving the American Dream, selling bootleg liquor and bonds. “No, he's a gambler." Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly "He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919."Fixed the World's Series?" I repeated..."Why isn't he in jail?” “They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man," (Fitzgerald,113) “He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t wrong,” (Fitzgerald,133) Though Gatsby achieved his dream this way, he still couldn't win over Daisy even with his extravagant and lively parties and his large amount of money. What is money worth if your happiness is at stake? Overall Gatsby’s story shows that not every aspect of the American Dream can be achieved such as the perfect wife and perfect