ipl-logo

Theme Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby

1315 Words6 Pages

The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald can be seen as the American dream, where characteristics of hard work and ambitions of many characters are shown. The novel exemplifies many themes especially during the 1920s; however the most important one is the American Dream corruption. The American Dream as seen in The Great Gatsby is someone of lower economic social class. They have a high ambition to work hard towards prosperity and stardom, such as the character Gatsby. Throughout the story it is possession of fortune, a luxurious car, huge mansion, and a happy go lucky family that depicts the perfect American dream. This dream illustrates the idea and shows that people, no matter who they are can become whoever they want to be. This novel represents …show more content…

When her daughter was born, Daisy said “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful fool” (Daisy, 22). Here Daisy basically exclaimed that there is no hope for females and her daughter. That she won’t be successful unless she is a fool and attractive enough which will bring that success and happiness. In the 1920’s, in order for most women to be successful they had to marry for money, whether or not it was true love. In relation to Daisy, Myrtle thought she found love when she married Tom, but all that she received was money. In regards to Daisy and Gatsby, when Daisy reunited with Gatsby who she had not seen since before World War I, she realizes something and breaks down and cries. She says that, “they’re such beautiful shirts, it makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before” (Daisy, 89). Daisy fathoms that she married for money and not for love, and that she was only lying to herself in order to reach her goal. Additionally, she concludes that she could have married Gatsby for both love and money. In all, Daisy’s desire for her American dream and the

Show More
Related
444 Words | 2 Pages

F Scott. Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby portraits how the American Dream in the 1920's is twisted. People started to focus more on gaining money, high social statuses and , material goods. Even if it wasn't with good morals and working hard to achieve this fictional American Dream.

Read More
533 Words | 3 Pages

The American Dream Portrayed in the Great Gatsby In the Great Gatsby, a historical fictional novel created by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character and subject of the book Jay Gatsby has gone from rags to riches. However, his peers, who have equally as much money as Gatsby himself reject him, because his wealth is acquired, not handed down. Through his decision to set the Great Gatsby in the roaring 20’s, where wealth hit an all time high, the author highlights the theme that the American Dream is an achievable accomplishment, despite how high one must rise to get there, despite the underlying mess that is often present.

Read More
1047 Words | 5 Pages

Daisy and Tom’s marriage is further proof of the collapse of the American Dream. Although they belong to the West Egg social group and have extreme wealth, they are unhappy. Tom is first described as "one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterwards savours of anticlimax.” (Fitz, 1925) Tom and Daisy are both unsatisfied with life and are searching for something better.

Read More
876 Words | 4 Pages

Motif of Great Gatsby America in the Great Gatsby is presented mostly through the scope of class, wealth, and cars. This includes the rich, the poor and anyone in between. The American Dream is defined as someone starting lower on the economic and social level, and then working up towards prosperity and wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolizes the American dream. This dream also represents that people, no matter who they are, the can become wealthy and successful in life by their work.

Read More
882 Words | 4 Pages

This passage reveals that she wants her daughter to be a ‘beautiful fool’ so that she may fall in love and not have to worry about the harsh realities that life can include. Overall, I feel like she wants her daughter to be beautiful in order to marry a husband that may sweep her off her feet and allow her to be carefree. Daisy wants this for her daughter, because living a naive life was part of Daisy’s American Dream. Eventually, it ended up dealing more harm than good because she was overwhelmed when she was fought over by Gatsby and Tom. The confusion that sprouted from the fight revealed the other part of Daisy’s dream.

Read More
522 Words | 3 Pages

Her physicality serves as a metaphorical representation of the allure and illusion associated with the American Dream. Daisy becomes an object of desire and a symbol of unattainable perfection for Gatsby and other male characters, ultimately highlighting the emptiness and futility of their pursuits. Beneath Daisy's enchanting facade lies a complex web of internal conflicts. On one hand, she possesses a romantic yearning for true love and emotional connection. Yet, on the other hand, she is trapped within the societal expectations of her time, constrained by the materialistic values and superficial relationships that define the upper

Read More
309 Words | 2 Pages

Daisy knows that in the world she lives in women are seen for their looks and ability to have a good time, rather than their success

Read More
1059 Words | 5 Pages

One example of this is Tom Buchanon, who embodies the worst aspects of the dream. As Nick observes, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy…they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together.” (Fitzgerald 179) Tom’s careless and selfish behavior reflects the moral decay that can result from the pursuit of wealth and status. The fact that he and Daisy, “smashed up things and creatures” and then retreated back into their wealth and carelessness shows how the Dream can lead to a lack of empathy and concern for others.

Read More
796 Words | 4 Pages

The Corrupt Society Displayed in The Great Gatsby The world constantly questions the views and beliefs of people, and the answers to those questions come in many different forms. As time passes, the questions remain, but the answers often differ due to the morals and beliefs of the time and the people. At the turn of the twentieth century, the United States of America found itself in a new era of prosperity.

Read More
428 Words | 2 Pages

She doesn’t try to confront Tom about his mistress, and she feigns sophistication to remain in wealth and out of gossip. She even gives up Gatsby, who she states she loves, and dreads the drama that comes from the confrontation between Tom and Gatsby. She goes so far as to let Gatsby take the fall for Myrtle’s death, which ends in his death. She and Tom leave immediately, leaving no forwarding address; Daisy ends up running from the trouble she helped cause. Daisy is so utterly unattached and desperate for material comfort that she has no morals left to care

Read More
919 Words | 4 Pages

The relationship between Daisy and Gatsby and the events surrounding it are very indicative of the aforementioned sentiment. When they first meet, they did love each other, but their social class’ separated each other, physically and mentally. Daisy didn’t want to marry a man who came from rags and is a general nobody, she wants to marry someone who is wealthy and inherited money. That’s why she married Tom. He had money and social status, but he was arrogant and abusive.

Read More
660 Words | 3 Pages

And I hope she’ll be a fool, that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful fool" (Fitzgerald 22). Daisy is basically explaining that there are limited possibilities for women. The baby has to be beautiful in order to be successful and have happiness. Back in the 1920’s, women only married solely for the money, not necessarily for the love. Daisy thought she married Tom out of love, but realized it was all about the wealth.

Read More
772 Words | 4 Pages

"The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream." In this quote, by Azar Nafisi, it explains how dreaming can be tainted by reality, and that if a person doesn’t compromise they may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes present. The American Dream that most people in this book hope to have involves wealth, status, a fun social life, and someone to lust after. It is the life they all strive to have until they obtain it and see its meaningless composure.

Read More
923 Words | 4 Pages

The Great Gatsby discusses and portrays various themes and ideas that tie into the American Dream. Fitzgerald develops several life-like characters that convey the reality of achieving the ideal every American dreams of. F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of the novel The Great Gatsby, illustrates the corruption behind aiming to achieve the American Dream through Gatsby’s

Read More
723 Words | 3 Pages

Part of the American dream is finding love and raising a family. Gatsby’s hard work was fueled by the dream of Daisy. Gatsby had never loved a girl like this one. He was so infatuated with her that he even said, “Her voice is full of money," (Fitzgerald). Gatsby loves his money and ultimately just to hear her voice brought extreme emotion to him.

Read More

More about Theme Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby

Related Topics

Open Document