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They Were Careless People In The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis “They were careless people…” says Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby. In a story depicting the 1920s during a time of prosperity, growth, and the emergence of the America as a major global power, this statement may seem to be contrary. But in reality, Nick Carraway’s description of his friends and the people he knew, was not only true, but is an indication of those who were striving for the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is foolish, the people who pursue it are immoral and reckless, and this pursuit is futile. First F. Scott Fitzgerald proposes that the American dream is foolish. For example, rich characters who obtained the American Dream are unhappy. …show more content…

Scott Fitzgerald implies that the people who pursue the American Dream are immoral and reckless. For example, Tom, a character who had achieved the American Dream, was unhappy and having an affair. This character has this life that everyone was striving for. He had everything he wanted so he wasn’t satisfied. He treated people like they were materialistic things. He has a beautiful wife, but it wasn’t enough for him so he had mistress that he used. His wife was nothing more than a trophy that he displays. He was so careless that he physically abused Myrtle and made her believe that he would marry her, if his wife wasn’t Catholic, which is lie. He was insensitive and thoughtless. Additionally, Jay Gatsby was engaging in bootlegging to maintain the wealth of the American Dream. Gatsby being a bootlegger was reckless because he was breaking the law. This book was published in 1925, at the pentacle of the prohibition era. During that time period where alcohol was considered to be irresponsible and unhealthy for society. Gatsby had no morals, because if he had morals he wouldn’t be making money off of something illegal just to have this dream. In summary, both of these men who had wealth, whether it was old money or new money, lived immoral and reckless lives. By living those lives, they impacted those around them and eventually leading those people to live immorally and

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