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Significance Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

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The idea of what the American dream is has been extremely convoluted throughout history, as massive turns in events have affected how and why to strive to achieve it. From what the author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald,has stated regarding at-the-time interpretations to the newest generation having very abstract and concrete visions. To what extent are Fitzgerald’s interpretation and those of Americans today different and to what extent are they similar, are what many look into. Fitzgerald’s idea of the American Dream and numerous modern interpretations of it are although not exactly the same, they are very similar. With the American Dream, the core idea is that working hard equates to a higher chance of success, but the American …show more content…

Within the Great Gatsby, one of the main characters, Jay Gatsby, is first thought out to be one of the rag-to-riches success stories that the American Dream supposedly thrives on, but then it is later revealed that Gatsby acquired his wealth through illegal means. This is an important critique on the dream as it is not only found in fiction, but throughout the world, while there are many men who did acquire their money through blood, there are near as many earning their money through the spilling of it, showing how much easier it is to give in to temptation in order to make a quick buck. As is stated by one of the locals in (Source C), “The American dream is long gone. Long, long gone. Politicians have ruined it, broken our values, sold out to folks with money who only care about themselves”. That is the waking nightmare the country faces, a country where the powerful gained their power through temptation and evils that spit in the face of many Americans trying so hard to follow the dream. Of course, the biggest argument against this, especially by powerful politicians, is that their actions are for the “greater good” of the people. One must then ask, who are “the people” to them, as this is a wealth commonly shared among elites who profit off of misfortune of the common

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“The term “American Dream” is used in many ways, but it essentially is an idea that suggests that anyone in the U.S. can succeed through hard work and has the potential to lead a happy, successful life.” (McMahon). The American Dream, according to Google, is everybody can achieve wealth and through hard work, determination, and good fortune. For most people, the American Dream is for lower class people trying to climb the social ladder to be considered upper class.

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Many people in America, if not all people, strive to live the American Dream, but what exactly is the American Dream? In his novel, “The Great Gatsby”, F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates to us that the American Dream is really only just a dream, which can never truly be attained through his use of corrupt characters. Fitzgerald uses old money vs new money to show us that people aren’t content with what they have, instead they have hatred for one another. He further goes to show that people can have everything but are incapable of filling the empty void they still have. Fitzgerald also describes the secretive and corrupt lives that many of the characters live, showing us that people can have a secretive, immoral side within themselves.

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The American dream has been an ideal for many generations. Yet this “dream” Is quite deceptive. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby to portray the American dream as empty, materialistic, and unattainable. Emptiness is obvious in The Great Gatsby, everyone “living the dream” is extremely unhappy. For example Gatsby throws extravagant and lavish parties that everyone attends will everyone except the one person he wants there.

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Is money more important than having family and real friends? The American Dream is different from the American reality for Gatsby in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald because Gatsby slowly realizes he has no real friends, no family, and no love. Gatsby did not have any true friends. When Gatsby had big parties the whole west egg would show up but when Gatsby’s funeral was going on everyone was too busy to attend. During the part where Nick is calling people for Gatsby's funeral Nick say’s, “However, that was my fault, for he was one of those who sued to sneer most bitterly at Gatsby’s on the courage of Gatsby’s liquor, and I should have known better than to call him”(Fitzgerald 169).

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In the novel The Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes the character of Jay Gatsby to illustrate the idea that although dreams can represent hopes and aspirations, they can also poison the mind of an individual when mixed up with reality. Throughout the book, Gatsby is constantly trying to obtain his ideal reality: one where he is able to attain the heart of Daisy—the presumed “love of his life”—as well as his perception of the American Dream. To compensate for the fact that he is struggling to do so, Gatsby conjures fantasies in his head where he is able to escape from his reality and pretend as if he has acquired the life he wants. This creates a sheer dichotomy between Gatsby’s real life and the illusions within his mind, a concept

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F. Scott Fitzgerald is renowned for vividly portraying his classic novel's extravagant Roaring Twenties in The Great Gatsby. He paints an image that captures the essence of an era defined by its wild partying, illegal drinking, and criminal appeal, enhanced with lively dancing and jazz music. The 1920s marked a period of significant social, cultural, and economic growth in the United States and a belief in endless possibilities. The American Dream guarantees that anyone can achieve success and wealth through diligent efforts. The fictional character Gatsby epitomizes the American Dream, given that Gatsby attained every aspect of his identity and wealth through optimism, dedication, and the desire to succeed.

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The American Dream is a concept that has been integral to the fabric of American society for centuries. It is the idea that through hard work and determination, anyone can achieve success and prosperity in the United States. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald explores this theme through the story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who has seemingly achieved the American Dream. However, as the novel unfolds, the reader comes to realize that the American Dream is not as attainable as it may seem, and that it is often accompanied by corruption, deceit, and a sense of disillusionment. Jay Gatsby, along with multiple other characters in the novel exemplify aspects of this concept, their lives illuminating the fictitious reality

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The american dream is when someone can do anything or be anything through something is work for .I think the American Dream is something that you 're looking towards to and work to get it. The American Dream in gatsby was that gatsby use so much of his time to get attention and to get with daisy but it end up failing. Nick point to view of gatsby was “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn”. (Chapter 1, pg.5)

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The American Dream by definition is “the ideal that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author, shows readers the corruption of the American Dream in the 1920’s through the use of characterization, literary allusions, and symbolism. Fitzgerald uses the character Gatsby, to show the corruption of the American Dream. Gatsby was once a poor man, coming back from war with only the clothes he was wearing, but built his way to living in a huge mansion.

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The "American Dream" has been essential to American history and culture. Scott Fitzgeralds' novel “The Great Gatsby” is important to this representation. However, the perspective of the "American Dream" has changed, and the importance of analyzing the vision of Fitzgerald's novel and the current principles of the American Dream is crucial to see if they are similar or different. The “American Dream” can be defined in multiple ways, but it can commonly be associated with pursuing happiness and financial freedom. It has been an inspiration for millions of Americans who emigrated to this country seeking freedom or a better life.

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I. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is depicted as a mirage due to its ultimate lack of fulfillment, outsider’s inability to obtain it, and the corruption it causes. A. Those who have achieved their idea of the American Dream are ultimately unfulfilled emotionally even though they possess tremendous wealth. B. The American Dream is a mirage, and thus unattainable as it limits success of an individual by their class and ethnic origin. C. Not only is the American Dream exclusive and unfulfilling, but it also causes corruption as those who strive for the American Dream corrupt themselves in doing so and the old rich hide behind their wealth in order to conceal their immoralities.

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As children grew up in the 1920s, their role in life was to accomplish the American Dream. The American dream is achieving success through hard work and dedication. The roaring twenties was a period in history with new social and economic changes. During this time, the American economy was booming, which leads to the growth of cities, partying, jazz, and illegal drinking of alcohol, also known as prohibition, which led to job opportunities. Many Americans dreamt of having a life full with happiness.

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The novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitz Gerald embodies many themes. A major in the story is the pursuit of can be labelled the American Dream. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolizes the American dream. The Great Gatsby shows what happened to the American Dream in the 1920’s, which is a time period when the dreams became corrupted for many reasons.

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The Facade of the American Dream The American Dream is the opportunity for all Americans to live a life of personal happiness and material comfort, but is it actually achievable? F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is a story of characters working hard to achieve the American Dream, but ultimately they are unable to ever realize their perfect life. The novel makes a strong naturalism argument about the rigid class system in society and the disillusionment of the American Dream.

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Kallie Schell Hour 3 The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a story that portrays the American Dream and it's ups and downs. F. Scott FItzgerald's view on the American Dream is that it is not possible and he's shows this through his characters stories. Fitzgerald's character Jay Gatsby dedicates his entire life to achieving the American Dream and achieves it financially but during the process lost the love of his life.

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