Kaitlin Zarbis Period 3 Gatsby Questions 1. For some, the American Dream embodies prosperity and the idea of going from rags to riches through hard work and perseverance. For others, the American Dream is about living a happy and fulfilling life. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald relates how the American Dream has become corrupted in a materialistic society. Gatsby, Myrtle, Daisy, and Tom all represent different aspects of this newly corrupt American Dream and how the prospect of achieving this American Dream is ruined by the harsh realities of life. To begin, Tom and Daisy Buchanan are characters who have already achieved the American Dream due to the fact that they are of “old money” and have inherited a large fortune. They …show more content…
She wishes to be happy, and being with Tom does not give her this happiness. Sure, he has given her riches and a family, thus fulfilling part of the American Dream, but Daisy does not love Tom the way she loves Gatsby. In the end, however, Daisy resorts back to the comfort of Tom and what he is provided for her; they have obtained the American Dream, but both of their lives are empty and flawed. Continuing on, Myrtle wishes to escape her social status and join the exclusive upper class, and she attempts to do this by having an affair with Tom. Not only is she attracted to Tom because of his money, she is attracted to Tom for his appearance; she sees him as someone who can afford a suit for their wedding, while her husband, George, was not able to do this. She tries to become like Tom by acting in extravagance: she constantly changes her outfit in an effort to fit in; she asks Tom to purchase her things without even thinking twice about the cost; and she shifts her personality to appear as an arrogant, elite upper class woman. By having this affair, she is able to have a small taste of what it is like to fulfill the American Dream; however, her views of what is successful versus what …show more content…
At the beginning of Chapter 4, Nick Carraway lists the guests that appeared one night at Gatsby’s party. The catalog from East Egg contains names that are of Anglo-Saxon origin, suggesting that these people have been in America for a long time, like Chester Beckers. Strange animal and plant names are also featured (Hornbeams, Blackbuck, Endive, Whitebait, Hammerhead, Beluga, Leeches, and Civet), and the name “Stonewall Jackson Abrams,” which is named after a confederate general during the Civil War, possibly implying that most of the “old money” in East Egg was made off of slave labor. The catalog from West Egg is much more ethnic, like the last name “Mulreadys,” indicating that they might have recently immigrated to America. The West Eggers also feature an interesting assortment of last names, like Catlips, Duckweed, and Bull. There is also a character referred to as “Rot Gut,” which perhaps is a name given to him by a gang or the mafia, demonstrating that “new money” can come from illegal acts. Also many of the guests are in the movie business, which is a very new business at this period of time. In a New England society, a name equals power; the “old money” therefore has more power than the “new money” because their name has been around longer in America. The catalog exhibits how Gatsby’s parties can draw attention from both the elite East Eggers and the West Eggers; however, it is said in the novel that not many people at the party actually know Gatsby, apart from
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.
Wanting to be with her true love again, she sneaks visits with him without Tom knowing. Just like Myrtle had, Daisy torn into her own marriage. She loved both men, but as soon as it was found out, the men began fighting for her. “I glanced at Daisy who was staring terrified between Gatsby and her husband…” (Fitzgerald 143). This isn’t what Daisy wanted at all. At some point Daisy loved Tom, and it’s very likely that she still does, regardless of all of his cheating. Living a life of riches for so long has affected her with affluenza, blinding her morals as it did to Tom. When someone already has everything they could ever ask for, they’re still going to want more. Something to work for, or else life becomes boring as Daisy points out many times in the novel. When both men she loves are threatening each other and fighting for her fondness she’s realized what she’s done wrong. She’s fallen into the same trap as Myrtle, being stuck between two men, but she still has feelings for Tom.“I saw them in Santa Barbara when they came back and I thought I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband. If he left the room for a minute she’d look around uneasily and say ‘Where’s Tom gone?’” (Fitzgerald 83). Gatsby tries to convince Daisy that she loves him and only him, yet Daisy actually loves them both. After Daisy was married she could think about anything except Tom, while Gatsby has spent the five
In The Great Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan are, on the visible surface, an example of this American Dream (Fitzgerald 10). Tom and Daisy are in love and married, with money, a beautiful home, and a wonderful child. They also own a car, and their home is in a very affluent area. In the 1920s, middle-class Americans owned their own homes and cars, and were making their own money. Also in the 1920s, increased wealth was an aspect of the American Dream.
Daisy, for example, lives a miserable life, even though she appears otherwise. On the outside, she seems to have everything—a happy marriage, wealth, and beauty— which also connects to the American dream. Her relationship with Tom may appear to be perfect, however their marriage is marked by adultery, deception, and dissatisfaction. She married him only because she had to for his wealth and reputation. Daisy finds out that Tom has an affair with another woman in New York, but she does not leave him when Gatsby gives her the chance to.
In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporates many different themes, but the most prevalent message is that of the impossibility of the American Dream. Fitzgerald writes of two types of people: those who appear to have the ideal life and those who are still trying to achieve their dreams. Tom and Daisy are two characters who seem to have it all: a nice house, a loving spouse, a beautiful child, and plenty of money (Fitzgerald 6; ch. 1). The adage of the adage. However, neither of them is happy, and both end up having affairs.
The American Dream is represented in many novels, but one that stuck out the most was in The Great Gatsby. In the novel, after telling the truth about Gatsby, He is known from a small town where he was poor and didn't really have anyone. Then grows up and earns money but still came up from the slums, now working for Dan Cody. Then you get to the story now where he has this amazing mansion and has everything in the world, except one thing… Daisy. You thought
1. Predict what kind of a man Mr. Gatsby is from the descriptions in chapter one.
Throughout the story Tom is seen flaunting women around and making them think that he is in love with them when he could care less about them. “What I say is why go on living with them if they can’t stand them? If I was them I’d get a divorce and get married to each other right away...it's really his wife that’s keeping them apart. She’s a Catholic, and they don’t believe in divorce. Daisy was no Catholic…”(Fitzgerald 33). Tom is making Myrtle think that he would marry her if only Daisy was not Catholic, but that is not the case. Tom just likes Myrtle to be there for him if he gets bored or annoyed with Daisy but would never want to marry her since she is not seen as significant in society being that she is not wealthy. “This surplus created the basis for economic inequality, and in turn prompted a ceaseless striving for upward mobility among people in the lower strata of society” (Medvedev 198). It is seen throughout the book that Myrtle tries to appear rich even though she has no money. Some of her love for Tom might be based on the fact that he has a lot of money and she wants to be wealthy considering many people during this era would look for anyway to move up in society. If Tom were to divorce Daisy who comes from a wealthy family and marry Myrtle who has no money, in his mind he would be moving down the “social ladder” which is the last thing Tom would want seeing that he strongly values his possessions. During the time period of the roaring twenties F. Scott Fitzgerald was very wealthy. Using his experiences with how he feels about being very important during this time, heavily affected the words he used to illustrate Tom’s character and his love for being rich and showing it off. Being a rich elite in the Jazz age was very thrilling and exciting because there were many new inventions and the United States was becoming very industrialized. A lower class individual during this time did not get to enjoy the
The American Dream is what we all aspire to achieve. The idea of starting off with nothing and to become something has caused millions of people from all corners of the world to immigrate to this country for over 300 years. However, what exactly is the American Dream? F Scott Fitzgerald answers this question within his novel The Great Gatsby. Through the eyes of Nick Carraway, Fitzgerald analyses the high class of the 1920s and reveals that the American Dream has been distorted from a pure ideal of security into a convoluted scheme of materialistic power. Fitzgerald incorporates the aspects of both the Òold dreamÓ & the Ònew dreamÓ in his tragic story to depicts how the inflexible dream has been corrupted and lost forever.
American clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger once said “The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it is possible to achieve the American dream.” This idea of the “American dream” has been around since the founding and has become a prominent part of American culture and identity. This same idea is what the raved about novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is based around. Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, pursues this American dream through his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan and his need to be insanely rich.
"The American Dream" is the idea that any person can achieve success through hard work. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters struggle to achieve "The American Dream." Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, is unable to capture his interpretation of the "American Dream" because of his envy of Tom Buchanan and Gatsby's personal background. Tom Buchanan, Gatsby's personal rival, crushes all of Gatsby's hopes and dreams of happiness. Tom is married to Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby's one true love.
A society naturally breaks up into various social groups over time. Members of lower statuses constantly suppose that their problems will be resolved if they gain enough wealth to reach the upper class. Many interpret the American Dream as being this passage to high social status and, once reaching that point, not having to concern about money at all. Though, the American Dream involves more than the social and economic standings of an individual. The dream involves attaining a balance between the spiritual strength and the physical strength of an individual. Jay Gatsby, of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, fails to reach his ultimate dream of love for Daisy in that he chooses to pursue it by engaging in a lifestyle of high class.
Her desire to move into the lives of the upper class influences her adultery with Tom and is also the factor which ultimately causes her demise. Myrtles desire to be rich and famous is catalogued by the “several old copies of Town tattle” (p.31) in her apartment, showing that her wish to be old money is toeing on obsession. To Myrtle, Tom symbolises the life that she wants for and uses him to inch her way into the highest class hierarchy and somewhat succeeds. Myrtle achieved a sense of luxury and happiness through Tom that allows a taste of the American Dream. However, Myrtle is fundamentally denied this as her death serves to symbolise the death of the American Dream. Myrtle’s death is caused by the reckless driving of Daisy, a rich woman in a rich car. This symbolises that despite myrtles struggle and taste of success in achieving the American dream, the upper class remains in control and prevents anyone below them from climbing to their level. It also symbolises the social security of the upper class, as Daisy is relatively unaffected by the manslaughter and instead the carnage falls onto those of the class below her – Gatsby, who was blamed for it, Myrtle who is killed and George who is forced to deal with his wife’s
The American dream was a vision shared by the American people who desired their land to be improved and wealthier for every individual, with the opportunity for everyone in accordance to achievement. The dream is based on every individual working hard to become successful with an abundance of money, a nice house, two children and a high-quality job. In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the American dream symbolizes being free to come and go with the river, not to have restrictions, and to take pleasure in the wide-open Western edge. The dream’s beauty and liberty is depicted as a requirement for Huck, and for Jim who is a slave. The book shows that the American dream consequently turns out to be a celebration of freedom, for physical organization and rules, and also chauvinism of the Southern society in the slavery period. However, The Great Gatsby, which was written by Fitzgerald, is a figurative meditation on the 1920s breakdown of American dreams, in a period of unparalleled wealth and material surplus. Fitzgerald depicts the 1920s as a period of rotten moral and social value that is shown through America’s sarcasm, gluttony, and empty chase of enjoyment.
Myrtle is, as Daisy, impressed with Tom's wealth and appearance, but, like Jay Gatsby, is stuck in a fantastic, idealized perception of her object of affection. Even when abused and trampled over by Tom, Myrtle continues to adore him, just as Gatsby continues to dote upon Daisy after being obviously rejected by her. As far as ethical considerations, Gatsby tends to prove himself a sincere and caring person, while Daisy and Tom just destroy the lives of two people and then leave town to escape the consequences of their actions.