The Great Gatsby Research Paper

The American Dream has been sought out by many, and although everyone has their own version of it, everyone would agree that it surrounds the idea of happiness and success. It has been made to be this idealization of one’s life, almost like an alternate reality or universe. This idealization, however, can gain control over one’s life, causing them to take risks to achieve their goals. The novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, delves into the topic of the American Dream and how it can corrupt one’s life when obsession takes over. Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby to critique the American Dream by conveying how it is an illusion of happiness that gives false hope, and that by being unattainable, it can lead to tragedy. Gatsby’s lavish

Gatsby reveals his true motivations behind his pursuit of wealth and status to be an obsession with winning Daisy’s love, which exemplifies the American Dream’s illusion as a promise of happiness. Despite the mystery surrounding his wealth, Gatsby reveals to Nick after having befriended him for a while, that he only ever chased after the higher social class to impress Daisy. Gatsby was born into a poor background with “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (98) as parents, which made him feel like he had yet to leave his mark on the world and do something meaningful, and so he became a soldier to join the fight in World War I. When Daisy and Gatsby first met he was about to be sent off to Europe, and so to keep in touch afterwards, they sent each other letters. They held onto this hope that they would soon enough be together once again, but eventually they stopped writing to each other because Daisy got married to Tom. This left Gatsby more determined than ever to win her love

high in a white palace, the king’s daughter, the golden girl.” (120) This depicts Gatsby’s perception of Daisy as being deeply connected to wealth and status. It reveals that Gatsby associates Daisy’s charm and allure with the wealth and privilege she represents. This clarifies that Gatsby is not only pursuing Daisy as a romantic endeavor, but also to achieve social status and acceptance into the elite world she was brought up in. Daisy was Gatsby’s only dream for so long, that his obsession and determination to gain her love blindsided him, leading to his downfall. Gatsby was never able to face the fact that he and Daisy could never be together, that his dream was realistically unachievable. Before Gatsby met his end, people gossiped about him left and right while enjoying the luxuries he offered at his parties, but that’s all they ever wanted; someone to keep them entertained: “Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.” (33) This clearly explains that people didn’t show an interest in trying to get to know Gatsby, and that his parties were this sort of escape for people from the superficiality and hypocris When Nick tries to have people attend Gatsby’s funeral, especially Daisy, only a handful of people show