Role Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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TThe American Dream. Once and yet still is today, a roaring, iconic and deceptive legend; depicting that hard work, courage and determination will lead to the accomplishment of all personal successes imaginable. This assumes that all people begin on a level playing field – that they are equal: equal in intelligence, equal in health, equal in personality, equal in opportunity and equal in social status.. This is obviously not true. The idea that anyone can achieve anything if they work hard enough, regardless of their social class or background is a ridiculous notion. Whilst it is true that Gatsby did achieve immense wealth, he most certainly did not do this through honest means, and in the end, his shining light and guide, Daisy, rejected him. So it’s clear that some people can achieve some wealth and some success through hard work, this cannot be considered as universally true.
The Great Gatsby has proven to be an …show more content…

After comprehensively evaluating Fitzgerald’s novel I can safely say no. In chapter 7, Myrtle Wilson is brutally killed by Daisy Fay in a hit and run car accident. Gatsby, who is fortunate enough to be in the same vehicle at the time of the event, drives his sweetheart home using his respectable and caring nature to ensure she is okay. Hours later, whilst Daisy is having a quiet supper with her husband, Nick Carraway encounters Jay standing on their front lawn staring into the back windows. It came to Nick’s attention that Gatsby decided to stay outside all night if necessary to ‘protect’ her. “He put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil. So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight--watching over nothing.” This quote from the novel is a clear indicator that Jay Gatsby’s wealth and success will not give him the one thing that he most wants;