Some Dreams Come True In The Great Gatsby

Some dreams come true. Some do not. Specific, measurable, and objective dreams tend to come true more than those that are vague, abstract, and subjective. Martin Luther King Jr. defined his dream as a world where his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” However, another dream--the American Dream—is subjective as it is not as defined or measurable. But who defines the American Dream? Some would argue that the American Dream is defined by politicians, the upper class, or the American people. The American Dream can be traced back to the declaration of independence, which provides a basis of hope, as it states “all man are created equal

Overall, the characters within the book possess an abundance of hope within their hearts. Gatsby has an “extraordinary gift of hope” that he will hold Daisy in his arms again, and sacrifices himself in order to achieve this dream (2). As Gatsby struggles to reach the upper class, his dream fails crudely as his life comes to an abrupt end. Moreover, Daisy Buchanan dreams of wealth and materialism. With no long term goals, she preys upon the wealth of Tom, her husband. Daisy is surrounded by luxury, permitting her to live in the moment, rendering her to be apathetic about the next. After finding no satisfaction in her luxuries, she decides to rekindle her love life by having an affair with an old lover—Gatsby. Daisy’s husband, Tom, has inherited the captital to live the American Dream from his parents. With overflowing wealth, Tom believes everything is perfect—he wants no changes. At this point, Tom has stopped dreaming, killing his American Dream as he is no longer embarking on the “pursuit of happiness.” Furthermore, Wilson’s dream is dependent on Tom. Wilson’s dream is to be wealthy enough to move away with his wife, and turns to Tom for support. Tom has no desire to help him, debilitating Wilson’s dream, only to be immolated by the death of his wife, Myrtle. Prior to her death, Myrtle had her own American Dream. Myrtle strived to become a part of the upper class.

Throughout the novel, there is a “green light Gatsby is staring across the bay, reaching out towards the light,” serving as a symbol of hope or longing for Gatsby (21). This green light is at the Buchanan's house. Gatsby reaching for the light represents his hope for achieving his dream, as Daisy is on the other side of the light. Although Gatsby’s dream never came true, he never gives up, as he “believe[s] in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before [him]. It eluded [him] then, but that's no matter-to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther” (180). With this quote, Fitzgerald makes a bold statement...no matter how hard you try, your American Dream will not come true. Gatsby describes Daisy as “High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl” (120). “High in a white palace” implies that she--his dream—is out of his reach. In attempts to attract Daisy, Gatsby throws several parties to demonstrate his wealth to her. Furthermore, all of Gatsby's parties are lit by artificial lights during the nighttime. Seeing as light represents hopes and dreams, the artificial light represents the fabricated appearance of Gatsby's