The Great Gatsby Research Paper

In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts American society during the 1920s. The ideas of wealth, beliefs of social class movement, and scandalous styles all displayed within the novel can be summed up as the American Dream. The American Dream is described in a multitude of ways, such as the idea that America is the “land of opportunity”. A common interpretation of the dream is that America allows for social mobility, freedom, equality, and riches (Murtoff and White). In The Great Gatsby many of the characters display their idea of the American dream as obtaining wealth, marrying rich, or becoming prosperous through business. Each character in the novel illustrates their shallow wishes which reflect the ideology of the American Dream.

This has dramatically placed the working class citizens at a disadvantage and consequently made receiving a college education harder to achieve. Furthermore, The Great Gatsby illustrates the unattainability of the American Dream through the desperation of Gatsby to remold himself into a wealthy upperclassman and his fantasy of Daisy. Rags to riches is a saying associated with the dream. While some people believe it is achievable, many others know that it is well beyond reach. The American Dream of rags to riches is a dream for a reason- it is hard to achieve (Fulton). In The Great Gatsby, the reader follows the life of Jay Gatsby, told by Nick Carraway. As the novel progresses it is revealed Gatsby grew up poor and worked his way to the top through his determination. While at first it appears that Gatsby has accomplished the American Dream, it becomes clear that his dream is unstable and will come crumbling down. In chapter nine of the novel, Gatsby’s whole past is revealed. Gatsby reveals he was born with lower class status, and rose up to his position through business (Fitzgerald