The American dream is described as the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, “The Great Gatsby,” the main protagonist of the story, Jay Gatsby, is often seen as a symbol of the American dream. Gatsby's relentless pursuit of wealth and social status, is seen as the manifestation of the contemporary American dream during that time period. But, some could say that Gatsby's illegal ways and the demand for love raise questions about whether he lived the true American dream. The American dream then and now has seen some changes with advancements in technology and infrastructure, but overall the ideals have remained relatively …show more content…
“He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter”(133). What is “Meyer Wolfsheim”? No, he's a gambler.” Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: “He's the man who fixed the World Series back in 1919”(73). This scene causes Nick to start to question the true man Gatsby is, due to the people he does his business with, and his previous connections to them. Additionally, his relentless pursuit of his former lover, Daisy Buchannan, throughout the book shows how Gatsby's version of the American Dream is not resembling that of the 1920s American dream. “The modesty of demand shook me. He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths so that he could “come over” some afternoon to a stranger's garden”(75). His obsession with Daisy and the belief that she is the key to his happiness ultimately leads to his downfall. His death uncovers the barrenness of the materialistic pursuit that often is associated with the American dream, and suggests that true happiness cannot be bought or achieved through wealth in