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

It's commonly depicted in pop culture that when a child has a nightmare, they wake up and go to their parents. But what if you dont wake up? What if every minute, of every day, you see immoral, debauched actions on a constant basis? Well, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has often been referred to as the American Nightmare. The novel depicts a society that is obsessed with wealth and status, where morality and decency are sacrificed for the pursuit of the American Dream. Through the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald exposes the dark side of the American Dream and the corrupting influence of wealth and power. He shows us how fixation on a goal (Such as the American Dream) can quickly become obsession and will corrupt everyone, like

Gatsby, in particular, embodies the idea of the American Dream - he comes from low beginnings and rises to great wealth and status through hard work, resilience, and his tenaciousness. However, his pursuit of the American Dream becomes twisted and corrupt, leading to his eventual downfall. Fitzgerald writes, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning - So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" (Fitzgerald 180). Gatsby's fixation on the green light at the end of Daisy's dock represents his unattainable dream and his desperate desire to recapture the past. His relentless pursuit of this dream ultimately leads to his tragic

The characters are obsessed with material possessions and social standing, and are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their position in society, even if it means they have to be spurious and hide what they're actually doing. Fitzgerald writes, "I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" (Fitzgerald 17). This quote from Daisy shows how women are seen as mere objects to be controlled and manipulated by men. The society in the novel values superficiality and appearance over substance and character.

The novel also highlights the corruption and decay of the American Dream. The characters in the novel have achieved their wealth and status through illegal and immoral means. The partygoers at Gatsby's lavish parties are often involved in bootlegging and other criminal activities. Fitzgerald writes, "I discovered that the guest's card bore the name of the notorious bootlegger with whom Gatsby had been associated in a business way" (Fitzgerald 63). The pursuit of wealth and status has led to a moral decay in society, where criminal activity is accepted and even