Raleigh Thill
Mrs. Pillars
1st hour
02/26/23
“American Dream”
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book “The Great Gatsby” portrays the American dream as a corrupt and almost unattainable ideal, revealing the flaws of the society in which it was created. To reach the American dream you need to fulfill your desires, achieve affluence, and acquire monetary wealth. But when aspiring towards your goal, there's a point where you can go too far and create other problems that were non existent before.
The Great Gatsby exposes the corrupting influence of the American Dream, showing how the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to tragedy and separation of living life itself.
The accumulation of monetary wealth is a key aspect of the "American Dream" depicted in
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As Fitzgerald writes, "It was on the two little seats facing each other that are always the last ones left on the train. I was going up to New York to see my sister and spend the night. He had on a dress suit and patent leather shoes, and I couldn't keep my eyes off him, but every time he looked at me I had to pretend to be looking at the advertisement over his head." (Chapter 2)
Myrtle's pursuit of monetary wealth reflects the idea that in America, wealth and social status are highly valued and can lead to a life of comfort and luxury. However, her story also highlights the dangers of prioritizing material wealth over genuine human connection and moral responsibility
In “The Great Gatsby” Fulfilling personal desires is also a theme that is heavily linked with the concept of the American dream.
One piece of evidence that illustrates this relationship is the character Jay Gatsby, who is driven by his desire to win back his lost love, Daisy. Gatsby’s endless pursuit of wealth and status is motivated solely by his desire to be “worthy” of Daisy's affection. Which leads him down a path of lies and deceit to gain his wealth, social status, and power. And even with that he still doesn’t get the love of his
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The final example is of Myrtle Wilson and her being dissatisfied with her life as a working class woman and dreams of a more glamorous life. She sees her affair with Tom as a way to fulfill her desires for wealth and social status. As Fitzgerald wrote, “with the influence of the dress, her personality had also undergone change. The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur.” (chapter 2) Myrtle’s desire for a better life leads her to abandon her husband and engage in an affair, ultimately leading to her tragic end. Her story highlights the dark side of the American Dream, the idea that pursuing personal desires without consideration for others can lead to devastating consequences. These examples help elaborate how the American dream is not only about the pursuit of social status, wealth, and fulfilling personal desires but also understanding the consequences of such. Attaining affluence is another central part of “The American Dream” portrayed in “The Great