The Great Gatsby Research Paper

The American Dream has many meanings for different people. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald tells many different stories throughout the novel and how much the American Dream means to each character in the 1920’s. Gatsby is a character who would do whatever it takes at whatever cost to achieve success. The American Dream is supposed to portray hard work and determination, but as each character attempts to achieve their success, many tragic events begin to occur. As harsh realities start to stand in the way, the American Dream becomes more unattainable and destructive over time. The American dream is more likely to destroy than inspire because it causes people like Gatsby to focus more on wealth and status than on valuable aspects of life. Gatsby

Over time he is able to figure himself out and become a very successful man, but is just realizing that money might not be able to buy him everything he wants. Gatsby is scared Daisy will not want to meet him, so he wants the meeting to be a surprise. This symbolizes the social validation that Gatsby relies on. Gatsby uses his money to his advantage throughout the novel. His taking advantage of people is causing chaos and ruining relationships between characters such as Tom and Daisy. This begins to destroy him because he has a lot of money to buy things, but the money he has is not able to buy his friendship with Daisy. Another reason why the American Dream is more likely to be destroyed is because it causes people like Tom and Gatsby to do illegal things to achieve their versions of success and happiness. Gatsby and Tom find themselves arguing when Tom yells, “I found out what your ‘drug stores’ were. that was one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, I wasn’t far wrong” (Fitzgerald 133). This goes to show that Gatsby, Tom, and many others in the book will do things at whatever cost to achieve the American

The American Dream symbolizes hard work and honesty while bootlegging does the complete opposite. The wealth and social status of these two men are what give them the ability to think they can do whatever they need to be better than everyone else. The American Dream is more likely to be destroyed because it creates conflict between relationships, resulting in tragic situations. Nick begins to realize that maybe Gatsby was focusing too much on Daisy, “If that was true he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream” (Fitzgerald 161). Gatsby, in the last few months, began focusing so much on his love for Daisy that it became his main focus. He wants the feeling of real love again, and he begins to forget about what really matters. Gatsby’s trying so hard to impress Daisy with money, fancy parties, and fancy cars, his other dreams begin to fade. Gatsby’s “perfect” lifestyle only got him so far before reality began to hit him. The American Dream begins to destroy Gatsby and his lifestyle, which causes many tragic events leading to his