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What Is The Hollowness Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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SleaZzzin’ Dreamin’

American Dream: The ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Changing through each period of time, the American dream always obtains the word success. One may argue that the American dream is all about success, money, and prosperity, but is there more to life that could bring one happiness? The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American dream by its authenticity, the reality of the dream, and the overpowering demand for success. The fictional character, Jay Gatsby, discovers more than what the eyes see within the American dream. Before meeting Daisy, Gatsby, strived for success by making a name for himself …show more content…

The hollowness of the American dream is shown from another perceptive during the 1920s. Described by the poem, the dream left a battered economy and furious people with “eyes I dare not meet in dreams in death’s dream kingdom. These do not appear: there, the eyes are sunlight on a broken column. There, is a three swinging and voices are in the wind’s singing. More distant and more solemn than a fading star” (Source B). Striking imagery in this poem portrays the American dream as broken and corrupt by shifting the point of view in the direction of an unsuccessful citizen at this time. Furthermore, money can not buy happiness nor freedom. Before money gravitated in America, it primarily shined in the eyes of successors, they want to “let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain. Seeking a home where he himself is free” (Source C). The author gave way to seeking happiness that was once obtainable within America. Through their eyes they had freedom as their dream which shows money can only physically liberate not free. Overall, money does not ensure true happiness which can shed light on the perceptive others see in their

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The American Dream comes and goes throughout everyone’s lives in America. But for some, it shows a spark of hope of a dream that will allow them to succeed in life. Whether it is something that people want to have in their lives or having a goal in their mind, it is what allows people to continue pushing through life and doing everything to get what they want. The American Dream creates a vision of what people want in their future but, if this “vision” fails, many people would either give up or find a new dream. There are many reasons why people give up on their dreams, but some, they believe that it is out of their control to accomplish their dreams such as the main characters in The Great Gatsby.

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"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 it that if you don 't compromise you may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes in this book. The American Dream that most people in this book obtains to have is wealth, statist, a fun social life, and someone to lust. It is the life we all strive to have until we obtain it and see it 's meaningless composure.

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"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.

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The Great Gatsby is not simply a story of Jay Gatsby’s undying and misguided love for a Daisy Buchanan. The novel, The Great Gatsby, encompasses a number of themes, the most significant one is the disillusionment and corruption of the American dream. The ability to obtain prosperity such as happiness, or a car is what comprises of the American dream. It is a belief that anyone who is self-sufficient, or who is a hard worker can obtain this dream regardless of their social standing. In the book, the facade of a dream appears to be at the tips of Gatsby and Myrtle’s fingers but this “pursuit of happiness” sentiment is in actuality impossible.

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To continue, similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot delivers the same message that the American Dream is more distant than the past in his poem, “The Hollow Men.” In the poem concerning the life between lightness and darkness, the author writes, “More distant and more solemn than a fading star” (Source D). The author of this poem further explains the truth behind the American Dream that is its inability to be attained. The ideals within the American Dream are often associated with memories and items of the past, ultimately illustrating the impossibleness behind achieving it. As supported, seeking to achieve the American Dream steers one’s mind to emphasize the past rather than the present or

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