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Is The American Dream More Likely To Inspire Or Destroy Us?

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Is The American Dream More Likely to Inspire or Destroy Us? In our modern-day era, the American Dream symbolizes opportunity, personal growth, success, and prosperity through hard work and determination. Over the years, however, its focus has shifted from its original ideals towards individualism and materialism. This transformation raises an important question: Is the American Dream more likely to inspire or destroy us? After reading and analyzing F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby', T.S. Eliot's “The Waste Land,” and Robert J. Shiller's New York Times article, “The Transformation of the 'American Dream,'” suggest that while the American Dream can inspire, with its current emphasis on the focus of materialism, moral decay, and isolation, it could lead to destructive outcomes. Robert J. Shiller's article points out how the original 1930s concept of the American Dream was about “freedom, mutual respect, and equality of opportunity.” This understanding was more about morality than material success. Today, the American Dream has become interchangeable with owning a beautiful …show more content…

Scott Fitzgerald's “The Great Gatsby” illustrates the transformation. Jay Gatsby, his desire to win Daisy Buchanan's heart as she, his idealized love from the past. Gatsby would then chase the American Dream to achieve great wealth, believing it would bring his status and acceptance into Daisy's social circle. Gatsby's lavishly grand parties and extravagant lifestyle reflect his determination to win Daisy's approval, symbolizing the American Dream's shift towards materialism. Despite Gatsby's wealth and outward success, Gatsby is a lonely man as his life lacks any real genuine connections as Gatsby's life is hollow. Nick “Carraway, the main character and narrator, observes how “people were not invited — they went there” (Fitzgerald, ch. 3. Then, the sand is sanded. This section highlights the emptiness behind Gatsby's grand display of wealth, along with his pursuit of the American

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