The Great Gatsby Success Essay

It Does Not Do to Dwell on Dreams: Franklin, Fitzgerald, and Success “Jimmy was bound to get ahead…Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind?” (Fitzgerald, 173). When Jay Gatsby dies at the end of The Great Gatsby, his father proudly displays a young Gatsby’s daily schedule and list of “General Resolves” for his self-improvement. While his father proclaims that these lists display an inherent desire to improve himself in his pursuit of success, Nick responds with a seeming regret for Gatsby pursuing this way of life. Self-improvement is inherent within the ideal of the “American go-getter,” an ambitious individual who does everything possible to become successful. Benjamin Franklin credited his success to his strict methods of

Fitzgerald appears to criticize this ideal, viewing it as inaccessible with a vague path to success. While the American go-getter ideal is aspirational, Fitzgerald indicates that many individuals need help to achieve it. In his novel, the traditionally successful characters (e.g., Tom and Daisy Buchannan) come from the generational wealth they enjoy only by living off their family members’ past success. Individuals who do not come from a line of success must work harder, often relying on the assistance of already successful people. Both Franklin and Gatsby had to work hard for their success, forming connections with influential people who recognized their drive and abilities to help them in their endeavors. Franklin most clearly displayed this in his direction of his brother’s printing house and writing prowess, which caused him to be recommended for jobs and opportunities that allowed him to gain wealth and improve his skills (Franklin, 16). Granted, interactions with these important people may have been due to luck or coincidence, but Franklin capitalized on

However, one of these men succeeded in their life and is remembered as one of the great American success stories. The other found himself unfulfilled despite his drive and pursuit of self-improvement being just as intense. Was there something about Franklin that made him more likely to succeed? Franklin attributes success to his dedication to self-improvement by incorporating the thirteen virtues he found most important to living a good life. Throughout the second part of the Autobiography, Franklin describes how he would devote a week to improving each virtue, marking on a chart when he would violate it or any of the other virtues during the week (Franklin, 64-66). He further created a daily schedule focusing on productivity, improving his mind, and doing good (Franklin, 68). Gatsby, too, was dedicated to self-improvement, creating a list of “General Resolves” and a schedule for maximum productivity and improvement (Fitzgerald, 173). However, it is unclear whether he followed these methods later. While both men appear dedicated to personal improvement, their motivations differ. Franklin wants to fulfill himself through work (Franklin, 69), and Gatsby wants Daisy to see him as worthy of her (Fitzgerald, 91-92). Franklin’s motivations are directed but attainable, while Gatsby is stuck in the past, fighting for a dream that cannot be realized. This can be seen in the