The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis “They were careless people…” says Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby. In a story depicting the 1920s during a time of prosperity, growth, and the emergence of the America as a major global power, this statement may seem to be contrary. But in reality, Nick Carraway’s description of his friends and the people he knew, was not only true, but is an indication of those who were striving for the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is foolish, the people who pursue it are immoral and reckless, and this pursuit is futile. First, F. Scott Fitzgerald proposes that the American dream is foolish. For example, Daisy is a wealthy socialite married to a man that comes from “old money”, and therefore, has achieved the American dream through marrying “properly” in society. Yet, she is very unhappy and insecure. She’s married to a man who doesn’t love her, nor does she truly love him. She loves him for what he stands for: privilege, wealth, affluence, social acceptability, class, and the finer things of life. She is an example of why the American Dream is foolish because the things that matter to her happiness are temporary; the things she strives for don’t ultimately lead to true happiness. Additionally, the book portrays Gatsby’s parties, characteristic of the 1920’s, as examples of hollow decadence. The parties were filled with alcohol (which at the time was an illegal substance), dancing, rich