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Gatsby's Pursuit of the American Dream The Great Gatsby, a novel by Scott
Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt
to reach its impossible goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is used
in many novels. This dream is different for different people; but, in The Great
Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire
happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old
dream; and, in order to do this, he must have wealth and power. The American
Dream had always been based on the idea that each person no matter who he or she
is can become successful in life by his or her hard work. The dream also brought
about the idea of a self-reliant man, a hard worker, making a successful living
for him or herself. The Great Gatsby is about what happened to the American
Dream in the 1920s, a time period when the many people with newfound wealth and
the need to flaunt it had corrupted the dream. The pursuit of the American Dream
is the one motivation for accomplishing one's goals, however when combined with
wealth the dream becomes nothing more than selfishness.
Jay Gatsby, the main
character of the story, is one character that longs for the past. Surprisingly,
he spends most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies in
this pursuit. In the past, Gatsby had a love affair with the attractive young
Daisy. Knowing he could not marry her because of the difference in their social
status, he leaves her to gain wealth to reach her standards. Once he acquires
wealth, he moves near to Daisy, Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be
just across the bay (p83), and throws extravagant parties, hoping by chance she
might show up at one of them. He, himself, does not attend his parties but
watches them from a distance. When this dream doesn't fall into place like he
planned, he asks around if anyone knows her. Soon, he meets Nick Carraway, a
cousin of Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, He wants to know…if you'll
invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over (p83).
Gatsby's personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have the
opportunity to get what they want. Later, in the Plaza Hotel, Jay still believes
that Daisy loves him. He is convinced of this and even takes the blame for
Myrtle's death.
Was Daisy driving? Yes…. But of course I'll say I was (p151). He
also watches Daisy as she returns home to make sure her husband doesn't harm
her. How long are you going to wait? All night if necessary (p152). Gatsby
cannot accept that the past is gone and done with. He believes that he acted for
her and beyond his personal interest and that that should guarantee his success.
Nick attempts to show Jay that his dream is unobtainable, but Gatsby innocently
replies to Nick's comment by saying, Yes you can, old sport (p141). This shows
the confidence that Jay has in fulfilling his American Dream. For Jay, his
American Dream is not material possessions, although it plays a big part in the
fulfillment of his true American Dream, Daisy. Gatsby does not rest until his
American Dream is finally fulfilled. However, it never comes about and he ends
up paying the ultimate price for it. Gatsby's own characteristics, especially
his obsession, contributed to his fate. Despite his attitude toward Daisy and
her friends who are rich and play polo together, he, too, has been drawn in by
the lure of money and fame. Unable to control his obsessive desire to have
daisy, he cares little about the means by which he acquires the money to marry
her. He associates with known criminals, appears to be involved with
bootlegging, and is rumored to have killed a man.
Finally, he lies about himself
and his family to get Nick's help for his quest. The means he uses to achieve
his goal ends up to be everything that he despises about the people who come to
his parties. He prefers the pretty illusions he thinks of rather than the harsh
reality of the obsession that he has allowed to corrupt his life and dream. The
result of this corruption is that his so-called American Dream has vanished
before his eyes. The idea of the American Dream still holds true in today's
time, no matter if it's wealth, love, or fame. But one thing never changes about
the American Dream; everyone desires something in life, and everyone, somehow,
strives to get it. Gatsby is a prime example of pursuing the American Dream, and
I think that this story would teach the reader to be less cynical so that we try
to achieve the American Dream and not leave it as that just a dream.
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