What Is The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby, a classic novel that interprets the American Dream in the 1920’s, by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows how dreams can guide and fulfill but may eventually destroy a person who is unwilling to let an unattainable dream go. Gatsby’s dream to win back his previous love leads him to give the appearance that he is portraying a character that he is truly not. Gatsby foolishly convinces himself that he can be an equal match to Tom Buchanan, his lover’s husband. Gatsby’s death is a cause of him never allowing himself to let go of the past. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel conveys the message that wealthier people will most likely take advantage of his or her money for his or her own selves. Gatsby’s dream of reliving and bringing back the past guides him towards unrealistic …show more content…

Gatsby’s ultimate goal or dream is to rekindle his past relationship with Daisy. His sole purpose in life was to win Daisy over. While Gatsby is deployed to war, Daisy is impatient. She settles for Tom Buchanan, a wealthy, arrogant, powerful man. When Gatsby returns from war, he is astonished to see that Daisy has left him for wealth and materialism over love. By the end of the seventh chapter of The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is “guarding” Daisy by stalking Tom and Daisy’s house. His whole life is guided by his desire of being with Daisy, getting his prized possession. Daisy enchants everyone in every room she enters. Gatsby wants this perfection of a woman for himself, though it is unreal. He has experienced her love in past years. All he wants is to receive that love again after his deployment. This dream guides his life to materialism and fantasy. But Daisy marries to Tom Buchanan and has a daughter named Pam with him. She has learned to love Tom after all of the years they have been married. But deep inside her heart, she still has feelings for Gatsby. Gatsby is