The Great Gatsby Comparison

In The Great Gatsby there is no accurate definitive term for The American Dream. Through each character’s perspective there’s a different concrete term for what the American Dream is. Analyzing through each character’s lense will give a sense of what the American Dream means to them, and the differences between the book versus the movie. The major theme in The Great Gatsby surrounds the american dream. The characteristics behind that term are mostly filled with materialistic living, greed, and overall egoistic characters sharing these qualities, yet many of these characters throughout the book/movie are utterly miserable, and find most of their solace in other people. The diversity among the locations of West Egg, East Egg, and The Valley

In a way both Tom and Daisy get their fix from other people. Tom has Myrtle to resort to when he wants to escape, but see’s her in a low key manner like Daisy secretly sees Gatsby. The way Daisy and Tom use people is a form of feeling superior. They can use and abuse other people but in the very end they always get away so cleanly. In this aspect the way Tom avoided getting found out by Wilson with his affair with Myrtle and Daisy avoided getting charged with murder, and having no remorse even over that fact that the blame was placed on Gatsby. Due to them being filthy rich, they discreetly start fresh and relocate to wherever their hearts desired, but deep down no amount of wealth could cure their cold and cruel

He throws lavish parties, intentionally purchases his mansion across the bay from Daisy, and practically builds his own fantasy all to impress her in hopes that it would be everything she could ever want. Observing gatsby at his parties, attending dinner at an underground restaurant for high class men, despite these luxurious gatherings he seems to be in a sullen and distant state. Daisy is quite ordinary, but in Gatsby’s eyes she is everything he could ever desire. “There was a change in Gatsby that was simply confounding. He literally glowed; without a word or a gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him” (Fitzgerald 95 ). Gatsby was a completely different person in Daisy’s presence, almost like she brought back to life something in him that died long ago. This blissfulness is seen throughout when Gatsby brings Daisy to his mansion, giving her a tour of his luxuries and gazes at her awe as she admires everything in sight and is ultimately entranced by her in every way. “He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock.” (Fitzgerald 99) This quote entirely sums up the various changes in Gatsby’s behavior and ultimately depicts how he’s waited for so long and finally his dream has come true