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Prosperity In The Great Gatsby

640 Words3 Pages

Prosperity. The thing that all people strive for, but so little reach. Being prosperous in America is a top priority for almost all residents, although it is different for each and every individual. America is a place of opportunity, and here one can obtain the American Dream. This American Dream is generally defined as the longing for success: wealth, good health, and more importantly, enjoying life. Although no matter how hard people strive for the American Dream, it is typically only partially achieved. Tom Buchanan is a prime example of someone who seems like they have achieved the American Dream, but has not. He has undeniable wealth, physical attributes, and is at the top of the social spectrum. While Tom may seem put together, he is …show more content…

While taking Nick into the city, Tom says, “We’re getting off, I want you to meet my girl” (24). Tom had a mistress. She was only one of the many that he had strung along since the beginning of his and Daisy's marriage. Towards the end of the book he tries to justify himself by saying, “...Once in awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I loved her all the time (131).” Tom is a very hedonistic character that is not satisfied no matter the situation. The only reason he says he loves Daisy all of the time is for security. He wants to seem like his relationship is perfect, while it’s actually unstable. He may seem like he has everything one could want, but it is all just a facade. While he has a great insight on the American Dream, he is clearly missing the satisfactory element of it all. Tom is not the only character flirting with the American Dream. Jay Gatsby worked his hardest to achieve this dream, but did not make it in the end. Gatsby is a determined man that worked very diligently, and illegally, to obtain all the wealth he had. While he had wealth, and was a rather healthy man, he did not have happiness. The reader sees Gatsby work his way to getting the girl of his dreams, only to see him suffer in the

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Wealth is defined by a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches (dictionary.com). Many characters, in the novel, The Great Gatsby, displayed different forms of wealth. They each viewed and valued their wealth in distinct ways. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald intended to display a constant theme that wealth does not lead to true happiness.

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She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me… in her heart she never loved anyone except me” (130). Tom, refusing to believe such nonsense defends his pride by straight up calling it a “Goddamn lie” and saying “Daisy loved me when she married me and she loves me now… And what’s more I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time” (131). This claim to loving Daisy and treating her better comes off as a fake statement and was all for a show.

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In his novel The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald shows the rich elite's obsession with wealth and their inability to overcome the past. Gatsby's lavish parties and pursuit of Daisy represent his delusion about recapturing what he once had with Daisy. Daisy's marriage to Tom exemplifies her rush of status and wealth over actual love. Although Gatsby has all this money, he feels alone. The author depicts the consequences of dwelling on the past and not enjoying the present through the lens of wealth and status.

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1250 Words | 5 Pages

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