The Significance Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Introduction:

Out of the many things that sprouted out of the ‘20s and The Great Depression, The Great American Dream is but one. By definition the American Dream is “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone”(Leonhardt); meaning that no matter what social status or financial position you are born in, if you work hard you will achieve your dreams. This ideal received support alongside skepticism, and one can see why after reading The Great Gatsby. The Great American Dream has been glorified and reached its popularity among Americans around the ‘20s; however, in Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he ridicules it and its attainability, presenting to his readers all the types of Americans like Gatsby,

If anything at all is to be taken from the novel, The Great Gatsby, it is that The American Dream was not attainable for everyone; in fact, only a select few like Tom were able to achieve and live their dream. Throughout the book, Tom Buchanan exemplifies a dominant personality. To start off, “his family was enormously wealthy…it was hard to realize that a man in [Nick’s] generation was wealthy enough to [buy a string of polo ponies]”(Fitzgerald 6). Along with having a luxurious life, he also aspired to be superior and above all. Fitzgerald shows this trait right in the beginning with Tom’s racist comment that “[the] idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved”(Fitzgerald 13). Ultimately, through the rest of the book, Tom lives his dream, which shows that though the American Dream is not attainable for many, there are some who are lucky, especially when they inherit such great wealth. Unlike Tom, and the few Individuals who can fulfill their dream, there are numerous others who are unable to do so. Gatsby is one of many characters who could not accomplish his dream. Though most people perceive The American Dream as achieving a life of wealth and prosperity; however Gatsby’s dream solely embodies winning Daisy’s love and living a life with her that they could have lived had Daisy waited for him. Moreover, he dedicated his entire life and living to just that. He worked so hard to acquire every possible aspect that would impress her. Nick Carraway occasionally spotted Gatsby standing on his dock, “[stretching] out his arms towards the dark water”, toward Daisy, toward “a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock”. Gatsby felt so near to winning her heart, as if