Negative Effects Of The Great Gatsby

The American dream is known as one of the great things about America. Many have the belief that anyone can achieve greatness within the country through hard work and determination. People are actively trying to achieve their version of the dream but sometimes have negative effects on the individual. In The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the destructive effect of the American dream on individuals and society through the character of Gatsby.

The American dream is the idea through hard work and determination that anyone can achieve success in their lives leading to Gatsby being a wealthy and popular man. Gatsby embodies this dream in many ways. Gatsby worked from having nothing turning to an illegal source of income, becoming a

Even though no one understands his wealth and how had obtained this American dream he displays character by making others feel understood by smiling, “It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you come across four or five times in life”. (Fitzgerald 48) displaying that he has found his dream and is living it. To others, a confident man who had obtained everything wouldn’t need anymore and is complete. Though Gatsby displays all these qualities of self-confidence, wealth, and popularity Fitzgeralds shows Gatsby not limiting the American dream to Economics and social life, but has a destructive power on a moral and ethical aspect to it. An example of this is the rumors about how he obtained his wealth, thinking it was from illegal activities. Gatsby has led other people to believe that he was well educated with Jordan baker believing “well, he told me once he was an oxford man”. (Fitzgerald 49) diverting the true source of his wealth. Through Meyer

Daisy left him for Tom Buchanan who was a wealthy and high social class man. Tom Buchanan wasn't a good man though as he would abuse Daisy time and time again, although Daisy would stick with him throughout the book. This led Gatsby to believe that he was the only one for her and she for him. To win her back though he had to become hungry for his wealth and popularity, for if his dream was to win Daisy’s love back he would need everything Tom had. Gatsby became the embodiment of the American dream with wealth and status but Daisy is the source of his drive. Feeling like Daisy could complete him is one way that Fitzgerald shows the destructiveness of the American dream. Gatsby would never win Daisy, admitted to only loving him but stayed with Tom because she wanted wealth and status for herself. Gatsby had a house across from Daisy always with a green light shining from her house symbolizing his dream for her love back. Looking at the green light for so long “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us”. (Fitzgerald 180) displaying it was never attainable but something that we keep reaching for. Not only was it unattainable but destructive. Gatsby would put his whole life into achieving the dream of Daisy and become deceptive about himself. He would end up sacrificing himself for Daisy leading to his death at the gunshot. His desire