Connection of Great Gatsby to the American Dream

Connection of Great Gatsby to the American Dream

The American Dream is a happy way of living that is desired by most Americans as they view it as something that can be achieved by anyone in the United States, especially through working hard and becoming successful. The American Dream represents the ideals of a nation, the pursuit of happiness, liberty, equality, and democracy. The desire to live the American Dream also pushes people into doing unorthodox activities so as to achieve the dream. By concentrating on the Great Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream, Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” demonstrates how the dream cannot be successful because of the way it is misunderstood by people and society’s materialistic perception of modern life.

The narrator, Nick Carraway, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” tells a story that mostly focuses on Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby was born into a poor family and became one of the richest men in the West Egg. The richness that Gatsby manages to have is attributed to the relationship he had with Dan Cody, a millionaire. The desire for wealth by Gatsby was motivated by his love for Daisy Buchanan. However, after he manages to have the wealth that he had been pursuing so that he can be with Daisy, he finds out that Daisy has been married to a man named Tom. After learning that Daisy has been married, Gatsby does not give up on his love for Daisy as he concentrates on throwing numerous parties each week, hoping that Daisy will show up and see how successful he has been. After Nick Carraway finally shows up in the neighborhood, he is used as a foundation for an affair between Gatsby and Daisy because Nick is a close relative to Daisy. Even though Gatsby somehow manages to get close to Daisy and they have an affair, in the end, she goes back to Tom, and this proves that their relationship was not real. By focusing on Great Gatsby’s futile pursuit of the American dream, Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream cannot be fully achieved mainly because those who believe in the dream constantly strive for something better than themselves. By using Jay Gatsby, the author of the novel demonstrates how dangerous it is to attempt to reach for something more than one attains. Through this, Fitzgerald shows that the desire to achieve the American Dream usually pushes people to become so involved in material things that they miss the chance for real happiness.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” depicts an immortal illustration of the American dream. In the pursuit of the American dream, people are usually focused on achieving the goals of financial success and independence. The author of the novel shows the pursuit of the American Dream through Gatsby. “Having been born to a poor agrarian household, Gatsby successfully escaped poverty. Without any noticeably extraordinary abilities, Gatsby was able to acquire millions of dollars and achieve widespread fame in a matter of a few years. Along with the riches comes the opportunity for a reinvention of his identity. The financial success of Gatsby implies that he is well aware of the American Dream, and he has mastered his own identity and realized the potential of his labors.” (Islam, P. 2). Wealth is often seen by most Americans as a source of happiness since one can be able to afford whatever one wants. However, most people usually struggle with being happy since they indulge themselves in relationships with individuals that are only interested in their wealth and not based on sincere feelings. Despite Gatsby achieving what he believed was the American dream, he realizes that he would have a mountain to climb since Daisy, whom he believed would love him back voluntarily because of his wealth, does not. Gatsby is forced to literally show Daisy how rich he is in the hope of winning her back. Even though Gatsby somehow succeeds in winning her back, she only loves him because of material possessions and not because she truly loves him.

The author portrays Gatsby as a true embodiment of the American Dream. The author reveals the background of Gatsby when growing up by explaining that “(Gatsby’s) parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people… For over a year, he had been beating his way along the south shore of Lake Superior as a clam-digger and a salmon fisher or in any other capacity that brought him food and a bed” (Fitzgerald, p. 98). Gatsby’s background is a common background for people who became motivated to achieve the American Dream mainly because of their childhood experiences. Issues and challenges due to poverty usually push people to achieve their dream. Other than his desire to achieve Daisy’s love, Gatsby was motivated into achieving the American Dream mainly due to his childhood experiences when he was living in poverty.

A contrast between Gatsby’s lifestyle in the past and in the present reveal