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

The Great Gatsby contains numerous representations of the American Dream, which is a major theme in the novel. The American Dream is an ideal of freedom and equality, in which all citizens of America, regardless of background are able to achieve success through hard work and initiative. This philosophy, that all men are created equal, and free to the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, is built into the core of American culture, politics and law. However, in the novel these ideals have been corrupted from visions of a better life into simply becoming rich.

In the beginning of the novel, Nick Caraway exemplifies someone chasing the American Dream. A young graduate from Yale, he moves to New York to make his fortune in the

The novel specifically critiques the culture of the Jazz Age, a time of unprecedented wealth, consumerism, and a changing national ethos. In an era of material excess and greed, the American Dream becomes a symbol of wealth, achieved only with money and power. The Great Gatsby criticizes this idea through the character of Jay Gatsby. From the outside, Gatsby is proof of the American Dream; a self made man, who through sacrifice and determination was able to become extraordinarily wealthy. However, Gatsby is merely an imitation of wealth. His true identity is James Gatz, a poor farm boy who developed a taste for luxury and motivated by a desire to prove his worth chased after it. Five years prior to the start of the novel, Gatsby had fallen in love with Daisy, however; she married Tom soon after. Continuing to love her through their years apart, Gatsby begins to earn money in hopes of winning her back. Daisy becomes the key motivation of Gatsby, everything he does is an effort to win back her affections. He is described as idealistic and full of infinite hope. However, Gatsby does not earn his money in an ethical fashion. Instead he makes his fortune through crime, most notably bootlegged liquor. The novel takes place in the prohibition era, in which the American government placed a ban on all manufacturing and distribution of alcohol. However, this created a great

His mansion, located in unfashionable West Egg,is tasteless and overly grandiose, which symbolizes that he does not truly belong to the upper class. He is mocked for this reason, people make up wild stories about him and Tom refers to him as ‘Mr. Nobody From Nowhere.” It is this distinction between Gatsby and the affluent residents of East Egg that prevents him from being fully accepted in high society. Because of the division in class between Daisy and Gatsby, they are ultimately incompatible. Daisy represents the American Dream, Gatsby’s vision of success, which is ultimately unattainable. Even when he begins an affair with her, she remains just out of reach, never truly belonging to him. Daisy is unwilling to leave behind the security and societal position her marriage to Tom offers her. Gatsby wishes to and lets his pride and idealism get in the way of their relationship, by refusing to accept that she ever loved Tom. Upon this realization an argument ensues, initiating the set of events that end the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby, and result in his murder. After his death, Gatsby leaves behind no meaningful legacy. Only three people attend his funeral, his mansion is left empty, and Daisy moves away with Tom in an attempt to forget him. Even after obtaining vast amounts of money, the American Dream eluded Gatsby. His