The American Dream was the optimistic belief that gave people the idea that they should pursue being happy, wealthy, and loved. This illusion created false hope and excuses for happiness from the tragedy of World War 2. Everyone knew and accepted the idea but there were many different perspectives of it. The dream essentially relies on one’s social class and status and F. Scott Fitzgerald makes known that he wants to show the ignorance of the rich and the role of women by differentiating the reality in the 1920’s and the false hope of the American Dream. Wealth and class were big on the American Dream.
F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby exemplifies the wealth, people, and the American dream in the 1920s. This novel, with its characters, shows how materialistic people were during this era. By introducing Nick Carraway as the narrator, readers see how a normal person, that is not living that opulent, exuberant lifestyle, views people like Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. Throughout the novel we experience the 1920s, with all of its luxury, wealth, passion, and importance of the American dream. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss not only the characters of The Great Gatsby, but the wealth and the American dream that is constantly revealed throughout the novel.
Nick is made to view Gatsby in a positive light and as a positive influence in order for readers to see his dreamer ideology in the same way. Gatsby’s whole persona and traits are built on dreams so when Nick can’t help but notice how Gatsby’s smile and demeanor seem to “concentrate on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor” and “[believe] in you as you would like to believe in yourself,” it reveals how beneficial Nick sees dreams as being to society (Fitzgerald 48). The emphasis on the “you” displays how dreams truly help those who have them. They don’t focus on anyone or anything else, they have a “prejudice” towards “you,” demonstrating how dreams will always support you, making them extremely beneficial. Similarly, the sense
Jay Gatsby seems the personification of the American dream. Coming from a poor background he was a self-made man. Everything about him is indeed great - to sum up: his house, his parties, his looks. However, it’s his generosity and human nature, which contrast with the selfish and greedy society from where he lives, that make him truly great.
Some wealthy people tend to use their powerful status to take advantage of people and situations. These people believe that they have obtained the American dream when in reality they're hurting themselves and others. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,Jay Gatsby, and Tom Buchanan are two wealthy men that use money and stature to manipulate people and affairs. Money does not buy happiness,but it can bring the pain. My claim is supported by the actions of Jay Gatsby,Tom Buchanan, and Myrtle Wilson.
The American dream is represented in The Great Gatsby in many different ways, in this essay I will explore almost all the different ways it is represented. I think the American dream is whatever you think it should be, I think the American dream is you living your life how you want it to be. I’ll be exploring how each of the characters sees the American dream. Some people think the American dream is having a family or making money, but I think that the American dream is whatever you want it to be. It can be making as much money as possible, living peacefully, living on a farm and raising animals and growing crops, or even raising a family.
Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Americans in the roaring 1920s really believed this. They believed that with hard work and determination they could achieve their dreams. The American Dream is defined as when someone starts out low on the social or economic level and works hard to reach fame and wealth. Most people think having an abundance of money, big house, nice car, and a happy family are effects of the American Dream.
The achievement of a wealthy American Dream is a sugary treat pursued by many but achieved by few. The desire for the taste of money through success can corrupt even the most strong willed who choose to follow the path and soon the pursuer will find the spoiled core of identity rotting influence. With the desire for sweet money comes the desire for the bitter fake status inside. In The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, this is described and the upper-class core is exposed as a disgusting old inedible influence. Jay Gatsby, formerly known as James Gatz, falls victim to this hunger and fails like all who pursues this treat.
Great American Dreams The American dream can be viewed many different ways, it’s truly dependent on what in life one seeks to attain. For most it is a sense of financial security, perhaps happiness, and social importance through wealth. Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, many ideas are cast with the dominance of absolute wealth. Especially for Nick Carraway who is from the quiet Midwest with goals of fortune and prominence.
“ The Great Gatsby “ , written by F. Scott Fitzgerald , was an American novelist , short story writer, whose works illustrate the Jazz Age portrays a theme of rich quantities , love affairs , and corruption in the early 1920’s America . Fitzgerald wanted to fulfill the “American Dream “, live legendary , and create opportunity , think of a land that should be better , richer and fuller for everyone . The American Dream became what we know it to be nowadays, It is the right of freedom, prosperity, equality and pursuit of happiness through working hard . However, the American Dream is an interesting concept that never seemed fully attainable. Although it is supposed to represent independence, liberty and the ability to make something of yourself,
According to CBS’s recents surveys 6 out of 10 American citizens believe that the “American Dream” is dead. Why is that the majority of the country rest assure that earning a successful and happy life is unrealistic? Honestly, that 60% of the country are ignorant and lazy people. The “American Dream” means freedom, and the opportunity to reach any goals no matter the background. The American Dream can be achieved with hard work, and dedication to strive for one’s goals.
The glory of wealth and success, seemingly enchanting, masks the darkness hidden within the American Dream—the lack of emotion brought on by the prospects of wealth exposes the true hollowness of a life full of indulgence. Material wealth and success are both components of the American Dream, a dream so many sought to capture during the early 1900’s. Through the story of Dexter Green, “Winter Dreams” is able to draw a parallel between the dream so many in America sought and the dream Green sought for himself. In the short story “Winter Dreams”, F. Scott Fitzgerald seeks to reveal the discrepancy between the appearance of the American Dream and the reality hidden in the prospects of wealth and an extravagant lifestyle by employing the use of
The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, is easily the quintessential icon of American culture. The novel takes place during the roaring twenties, which had “unprecedented economic prosperity, evolution of jazz music, flapper culture, and new technologies in communication forging a mass culture movement in the United States”. Gatsby rose from rags to riches and stood for independence and the ability to make something of himself with hard work which is the American Dream. The American Dream is one of the most recognizable ideals that all Americans try to achieve which is clearly portrayed in the novel. Even though The Great Gatsby was written in the twenties, the messages derived from the novel such as economic, sexual, racial, and
Evan Olmstead English II - 6th Mr. Davidson 2/16/18 AMDG The Great American Dream F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby portrays many themes, however the most significant theme relates to man 's unsuccessful attempts at the American dream. The Great Gatsby shows how not one by many characters fail at achieving their American dream. The American Dream as defined by James Truslow Adams in 1921, "life should be better, richer, and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each regardless of social class or circumstances of birth”. The desire to strive for what one wants can be achieved if one is willing to work hard enough.
There are many themes exist in the novel of The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald. The most significant theme in this novel is the American dream. The meaning of the American Dream is someone who starting low on the social level or economic, which then working hard and try their best towards wealth and fame. In other word, it stand for one’s independence to strive in order to achieve desired wealth and fame with hard work, but it ends up being more about selfish and materialism pursuit of pleasure. American dream is achieve when a person having a car, money, big house, happy family and nice clothes.
