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Why Is The Great Gatsby Unattainable

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The Great Gatsby is frequently split between East Egg, West Egg, and Valley Of Ashes. East Egg represents the old money, West Egg represents new money, and the Valley Of Ashes shows the social decline and failure of the American Dream. Though some characters of higher class display that the “American Dream” is attainable in “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it ultimately proves itself impossible for the mainstream public and other key characters, due to the lengths of which that the wealthy had to go through, just to end up in considerably worse situations than standard citizens.

In contrast to the American Dream being unattainable, Fitzgerald shows that it is possible for anyone to access and achieve the American Dream, if they …show more content…

Scott Fitzgerald proves that the American Dream is unattainable for the mainstream public by frequently reverting back to the Valley Of Ashes and how the people dress, what they work as, and how they act. Wilson was described as “[A]blond, spiritless man, anæmic, and faintly handsome” and these characteristics give a sense of deprivation. “Spiritless” and “anæmic” portray Wilson to seem ghastly and famished, meaning he is sick or possibly has not eaten, due to lack of money (Fitzgerald 25). Wilson also had a cheating wife and only worked as a mechanic. His lifestyle also did not portray any sort of happiness of the American Dream. “The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul river,… passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as half an hour” (Fitzgerald 24). The Valley Of Ashes is described in a grotesque manner and an eye sore. The “foul River” and “dismal scene” tell that the place is dirty and that is a result of the wealth inequality between Long Island and Valley Of Ashes. It was said that Valley Of Ashes only held three stores and one of them “[W]as for rent and another was an all-night restaurant, approached by a trail of ashes” (Fitzgerald 24,25). There were not many businesses in the small town and the absent upkeep of the town’s trash, dirt, and wealth reflects the lack of businesses. Overall, Valley Of Ashes represents the moral decay of the American Dream and those who could not attain

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he captures the alluring niche of the American Dream. Fitzgerald delves into the Roaring Twenties, exploring the era’s instability and immersion in greed and pleasure. In his novel, he reflects personal events and experiences being lower class along with his desire to attain wealth for the means of happiness. Presented through his cast of characters and the realities they face, Fitzgerald criticizes the American Dream. Pairing symbolism and diction, he demonstrates the tragic tales following the glamorized American Dream as a result of the extent individuals resort to in order to achieve this ideal.

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Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the American Dream in the novel both compares and contrasts to that of Hughes’ portrayal in the poem through the usage of the literary devices of imagery, tone, and symbolism. Through the usage of imagery, The Great Gatsby paints a bleak picture of the failure of The American Dream on a disadvantaged group, while “I Too, Sing America” portrays it as something that can be improved upon. In the novel, a stretch of desolate land created as the result of industrial waste is described as “...a valley of ashes...where ashes grow like...grotesque gardens (Fitzgerald 23)”. This powerful imagery described the valley of ashes as a wasteland and a failure of the American Dream. The

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The author has shown the readers a side to the American dream that would seem to be almost more of an American nightmare. Fitzgerald demonstrates the flaws of the American dream through his characters, symbols, and events. Readers are introduced to the Buchanans first in Chapter one of the novel. These are the first

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1038 Words | 5 Pages

When one envisions the American Dream, one might picture the classic rags-to-riches story or simply the freedom to prosper and succeed. But in reality, not everyone gets an equitable chance to rise above the ashes, and because of this one can only wonder about the tangibility of this dream. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, readers explore this idea, examining people from the ultra-wealthy, such as Tom and Daisy Buchanan, to the impoverished lower class, such as Mr. Wilson. In doing so, one realizes that not a single character ends up satisfied, all left to grasp the barest trace of happiness and comfort. While Tom appears to fit the simplistic archetype of the affluent out-of-touch person that cruelly antagonizes the other characters

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Scott Fitzgerald proves that the American Dream cannot be attained is by showing the difference in lifestyles between characters. George and Myrtle Wilson are two characters who live in The Valley of Ashes who are not nearly wealthy enough to keep company with the Buchanans or Jay Gatsby himself. Every time anyone living in either the West Egg or East Egg, the wealthiest neighborhoods, wants to venture to the city they must pass through The Valley of Ashes. In the center area between both of the eggs sits The Valley of Ashes a town where “ashes grow like wheat” full of smog and “grotesque gardens. (Fitzgerald, 23).

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The ever-hopeful end result of pursuing the American dream is the aspiration of achieving a substantial amount of money and successfully building the white picket fence. Many talk about the famous accounts of successful dream chasers, however, hidden under their feet are countless Americans anxiously waiting to climb up the ladder. In contrast, several get caught up on earthly desires believing it will lead them to eternal satisfaction, but often, it decides their own fate. In The Great Gatsby, American author F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the tragedy found within numerous characters. This novel reveals all social classes striving to achieve the American dream, showing how even the most wealthy struggle to live an authentic, happy life.

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Through the characters of Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, Fitzgerald demonstrates how the American dream is a misconception that can lead to

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We also learn about Nick from his descriptions. To conclude the feel of this novel, Fitzgerald introduces the theme of the pursuit of wealth so early in the story because it’s important to understand how it connects with the American Dream. The valley of ashes is a desolate land between West Egg and New York City that consists of dumping of industrial ashes. This place is literal and symbolic in one, it symbolizes poverty and hopelesness in such a way. These characters are helpless, they are suffering just like the environmental is.

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582 Words | 3 Pages

Wilson, desperate for money and wealth, works everyday to achieve the goal of the American dream. Fitzgerald symbolizes this in the novel with Wilson's crave for Tom Buchanan's car and money, despite constantly asking for this vehicle Wilson never acquires it displaying how the American dream is unachievable through legal actions and Wilson eventually dies at his own hands. Jazz and lavish parties were at large in the 20's and were shown in the novel as well. Gatsby threw parties every weekend to attract Daisy, his first love and obsession throughout the novel. The parties display the want for alcohol after its ban and the evolution of music as jazz was constantly played throughout the parties.

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2091 Words | 9 Pages

A murder scene takes place and the American dream has been killed. This novel tells us that even during the roaring 20's and after the war had ended that there still is darkness in the world. Happy endings are pretty rare in the world and in a American dream. On the contrary, when life is sparking up and there is things to celebrate for then celebrate one’s life. The American dream is real and it can make many people happy, it just does not always end well.

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Fitzgerald accentuates the theme of the American Dream deteriorating by adopting symbolism throughout the novel with the Valley of Ashes and Dr. Eckleberg. Fitzgerald cities depicted in the novel aid in his theme of deterioration. The Valley of Ashes epitomizes the constant quest of wealth and the moral

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424 Words | 2 Pages

The Valley of Ashes symbolizes the decay of the American Dream and societal corruption. Makes differential

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578 Words | 3 Pages

The American Dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success, prosperity, and social mobility through hard work, determination, and initiative. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby attempts to achieve social mobility but ultimately fails due to the constructs of old vs new money. An argument is shown that the American Dream is just that, a dream, and that happiness cannot be achieved through wealth. In the novel, the super poor are stuck in their social class, unable to move because they live in the valley of ashes, which represents poverty and the corruption and social decay that came with the lavish and careless lifestyles of the rich.

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660 Words | 3 Pages

The novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitz Gerald embodies many themes. A major in the story is the pursuit of can be labelled the American Dream. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolizes the American dream. The Great Gatsby shows what happened to the American Dream in the 1920’s, which is a time period when the dreams became corrupted for many reasons.

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1558 Words | 7 Pages

This is accomplished through the use of symbols such as the Valley of Ashes, The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and The Green Light. These 3 symbols play a huge roll in the novel for each of them are massively important in their own ways. Mid-way between New York City and West Egg, lies the Valley of Ashes. The Valley of Ashes is a dreary place symbolizing the moral descent of society. As described in the novel it is, “A fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens, where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.”

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