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The Great Gatsby Research Paper

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The Great Gatsby is considered to be “the great American Novel” because its characters are the stereotypical Americans. When we think of America when generally think of the glorious so called American Dream. While showing us how everyday people thought and lived, The Great Gatsby also showed us how some Americans were chasing an impossible dream.

First on the chopping block is Mr. Jay Gatsby. Mr. Gatsby is the book’s best example of completing the American Dream. As we know, Gatsby made the majority of his money through some sort of drug store chain, the main point being that he is self made money just as someone from the 1920’s would have. Next, as we know, he threw wild parties, of which were very 1920’s like, with the hopes of attracting …show more content…

Mr. Carraway claimed to have been an honest man. “Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (Page 59) Truth being he really isn’t that good of a person. He left his wife and kids because they were too much responsibility. In return, he seeks a job in the bond business. Unlike Gatsby, Nick seeks a new dream whereas Gatsby was trying to relive a pass experience. This time we can interpret Fitzgerald’s character as a foreigner who seeks a better life and is introduced to the concept of the American Dream. Regardless of what that dream may be we still see the concept of how someone was tired of their old life and wanted change which was exactly how foreigners felt during the early …show more content…

As we know Daisy and Jay were planning to get married but the war prevented that from happening. Soon after Jay left, Daisy married Tom. “‘I love you now - isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.’ She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once - but I loved you too.’” (Page 132) This shows that rather loving Gatsby for who he was, she was in love with the idea of power and money. It’s no coincidence that Tom happened to have both those qualities. In a way Daisy is like a magnet. The closer Gatsby gets to her the more he realizes he can’t leave her. Here Fitzgerald shows us how money and power were the things people adored, not

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She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once – but I loved you too.’" (133) In his mind, Gatsby always pictures Daisy as being all-in and devoted to him as he is to her. In reality, she did love Tom at one point as well, and though he wants her to leave her husband and his money, it is all Jay’s fantasy, his life with

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He took what he could get, ravenously and unscrupulously— eventually he took Daisy one still October night, took her because he had no real right to touch her hand.” (Fitzgerald, 149) Daisy is the heir of a rich family, a chance that is one in a million. This heritage had made her always have the comfortable presence of money, never going without. Gatsby was quite the opposite, where he was “ a penniless young man” (Fitzgerald, 149). Thus, Gatsby had realized this and had decided then and there that he would continue this lie of money, all in order to be the star in Daisy’s life.

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Gatsby’s failure to see the truth about relationships leads to his downfall; he doesn’t understand that people change and love isn’t like it always was in the past. Additionally, Gatsby’s inability to deal with relationships is worsened by his relentless pursuit of the American Dream. In Gatsby’s mind, achieving success and wealth is linked to winning Daisy’s affection, therefore achieving happiness for himself. However, Fitzgerald suggests that Gatsby’s narrow definition of success blinds him to the true meaning of human connections. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (5) Gatsby’s fixation on material wealth rather than approaching the girl himself shows his belief that love and happiness can be attained through material possessions.

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However, in chapter 7, during the confrontation, Daisy quickly rethinks her decisions and states, ‘I did love him once – but I loved you too’. As Gatsby hopes and expectations of them being together breaks the audience starts to comprehend that Daisy contradicting statements is purely because she is afraid to leave Tom. Tom came from a wealthy family and was highly respected in society. Daisy knew that life with him would be luxiourous and entirely satisfactory in terms of respect and wealth. In addition, the author is trying to convey to the audience that Daisy is too secure in her marriage with Tom to even consider leaving it.

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Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby illustrates the lifeless, bleak, and unequal, tale of the American dream. The American dream is that every citizen in the United States can be equally prosperous by working hard and being innovative. The Great Gatsby follows the story of Nick Carroway, the narrator and a World War 1 veteran, and his exploits across New York in the Summer of 1922. It also follows one of Nick's neighbors named James Gatsby who is known around New York for throwing large eccentric parties and having amassed a large amount of wealth. For much of the story Gatsby has a mythical aura surrounding his name, a likeness as if he is called a murderer and the son of Kaiser Wilhelm Early, among other things.

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Gatsby is constantly trying to revive his past relationship with Daisy, which ends up taking him away from reality. Gatsby’s obsession with living in the past and daydreaming about Daisy shows when he is talking to Tom and mentions that, “Your wife doesn’t love you … she’s never loved you. She loves me” (Fitzgerald 130). Gatsby needs Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him so they can make up for the past time they lost together. Later, finding out the true reason “Gatsby bought that [mansion is] so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (Fitzgerald 78).

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Gatsby experiences the luxuries of riches and fortune when aboard a global yacht trip with the copper mogul, Dan Cody. After Cody’s passing inheritance meant for Gatsby was stripped away as the twenty-five thousand dollars, “He didn’t get… He was left with the singularly appropriate education” (Fitzgerald 100-101). This brief opportunity at riches and an easy life vanishes, leaving nothing but some prior experience that helps to drive his want for greatness and success. Gatsby’s fortune was made in hopes of attracting and reuniting with his old flame, Daisy Buchanan.

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This too, is reminiscent of Fitzgerald’s life of being eternally less wealthy than those around him, including his colleagues, friends, and even his wife. It is not too difficult to see Fitzgerald putting that part of himself into his character, this idea that he is not seen as an equal in the eyes of those born into opulence, just like how Gatsby is seen by Tom and the Sloane’s. Thus showing how Fitzgerald put even

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