Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby leaves us with a pessimism perspective of the unachievable American Dream through the life of Gatsby and his search for Daisy, Nick and his longing for a more exciting life and the depiction of the West Egg an East Egg. Gatsby was so enthralled with Daisy, that when he finally achieved his life-long goal he was filled with disappointment. Gatsby built his life trying to became of the “same stratum as [Daisy]—[so] that he [would be] fully able to take care of her”(). When he finally achieves his goal he makes sure to exaggerate his wealth. For example, when Daisy visits his house for the first time Gatsby asks, “My house looks well, doesn't it?” Gatsby wants Daisy to notice his elaborate and glorious house, so …show more content…
East Egg being “old money” people, or the people who had been wealthy for a long period of time and West Egg, the “new money” people, they citizens who have newly obtained their wealth. In the novel, Gatsby and Nick lived in West Egg and Daisy lived in East Egg. Furthermore, during this time period, the number of millionaires tippled because of the stock market. People were receiving millions, for doing nothing involving hard physical work. Many people saw this way of living, including Nick, and decided they wanted this easily attainable money, unlike the traditional American Dream. On the other hand, some unmoral people, including Gatsby, wanted the life style of the wealthy that they would cheat their way into riches. Gatsby participated in criminal acts to gain money so he could win Daisy over. But, when he received her he was disappointed, and only really loved her for, “her voice [that] is full of money,” (120). On the surface his life seemed like the definition of the American Dream, but in reality his life was never fulfilling. Not only does Gatsby’s story demonstrate the disillusionment of the dream, but it also proves that the dream unachievable. Moreover, these new groups of wealthy citizens created the lifestyle of “New Money.” This new class would never obtain the level of sophistication that they were hopping to achieve. For example Myrtle thought she could obtain the Dream by
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, the pursuit of the American dream in a corrupt period is a central theme. This theme exemplifies itself in the downfall of Gatsby. In a time of disillusionment the ideals of the American dream are lost. The classic American dream is one of materialism and when Gatsby incorporates Daisy, a human being, into the dream he is doomed to fail.
As a young man, Jay Gatsby was poor with nothing but his love for Daisy. He had attempted to woe her, but a stronger attraction to money led her to marry another man. This did not stop Gatsby’s goal of winning this woman for himself though, and he decided to improve his life anyway he could until he could measure up to Daisy’s standards. He eventually gained connections in what would seem to be the wrong places, but these gave him the opportunity he needed to "get rich quick." Gatsby’s enormous desire for Daisy controlled his life to the point that he did not even question the immorality of the dealings that he involved himself in to acquire wealth. Eventually though, he was able to afford a "castle" in a location where he could pursue Daisy effectively. His life ambition had successfully moved him to the top of the "new money" class of society, but he lacked the education of how to promote his wealth properly. Despite the way that Gatsby flaunted his money, he did catch Daisy’s attention. A chaotic affair followed for a while until Daisy was overcome by pressures from Gatsby to leave her husband and by the realization that she belonged to "old money" and a more proper society.
Initially, Gatsby stirs up sympathetic feelings because of his obsession with wealth. Ever since meeting Dan Cody, his fascination for wealth has increased dramatically. He even uses illegal unmoral methods to obtain hefty amounts of wealth to spend on buying a house with “ Marie Antoinette music-rooms, Restoration Salons, dressing rooms and poolrooms, and bath rooms with sunken baths.” (88) His wardrobe is just as sensational with “ shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine fennel.” (89) Gatsby buys such posh items to impress Daisy but to him, Daisy herself is a symbol of wealth. Jay remarks, “[Daisy’s] voice is full of money.” (115). For him, Daisy is the one who is “ High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden gir...
he didn 't want to live the same sad life as his parents,where he had to work just to put bread on the table he wanted more then that ,he want to have a legacy.he saw an opportunity to seek,and he took it .when he help the old man from drowning.Gatsby went through alot in the war and his life but the thing that kept him alive is daisy buchanan, his love for daisy was unstoppable.Gatsby worked hard to make himself one of new york richest people for daisy buchanan.Gatsby does everything he can to conquer Daisy’s heart again.”Although Daisy has been married off to Tom Buchanan,”Gatsby is determined to win her back by displaying his new wealth.Similarly, purchasing a new wardrobe and an expensive home in part for daisy o fell in love with him Not only do Gatsby try to impress women with their wealth, but they equate those women with money” (Pearson). He believes that the only way Daisy will be with him is if he is rich and if has enough money to sustain her.Gatsby would do anything in order to achieve this status that.in order to get enough money in such short time ,he gets his “hands dirty” to be able to live in West Egg and have the ability to throw his very-well known extravagant parties.”There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whispering and the champagne and the stars…
What is later revealed is that Gatsby’s wealth and luxurious lifestyle is all in the name of getting Daisy, Tom Buchanan’s wife, to fall in love with him. But in the end, even with all his money and power, Gatsby is not able to get the girl. What this brings to light is, was Gatsby’s money truly worth anything? “I love her and that 's the beginning and end of everything” (The Great Gatsby, Chapter ) This quote from Jay Gatsby shows that his entire life is centered around Daisy. That his only motive for the things that he does, for the massive parties that he throughs, for working to become incredibly wealthy, is to have Daisy fall in love with him. Gatsby’s life is one that is incredibly lavish. It is full of expensive amenities many would only dream of having. But Jay Gatsby is not living this fabulous lifestyle for himself. He is living it for Daisy, and only for Daisy. Gatsby’s only desire in life is to have Daisy be in love with him, and he chooses to live the way he does because he believes that is what she wants. Gatsby spends money at wild abandon simply to make an effort to impress Daisy. He throughs incredibly immense parties, with hopes that Daisy and Daisy alone will be impressed. But what is troubling about Gatsby is that, unlike most books, he doesn’t get the girl. Gatsby is, despite his entire life being dedicated to getting the one thing
Gatsby is a dreamer, he dreams that one day he and Daisy will be able to be together once again. To achieve this dream, Gatsby has made himself a rich man. He knows that in order to win Daisy back, he must be wealthy and of high social stature. Gatsby is rich, has a beautiful mansion, nice things, things like shirts “They’re such beautiful shirts. . . It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such-such beautiful clothes” (pg.98).Gatsby believes his dream will come true because of all the money and nice things he has.
The first time that Daisy and Gatsby are alone his narcissistic tendencies display themselves. Gatsby notes that Daisy’s attractiveness increased because of the many men that had already loved Daisy. He also mentions that he was amazed by Daisy’s breath-taking house. But, crucially, Gatsby does not think of Daisy in terms of psychological compatibility. He never remarks that her flirtatious statements were funny nor that they even shared any specific interest. To Gatsby it was material goods that made a woman worthy of his affection, rather than any other aspect of her being. He was a poor man and Daisy was a rich lady. By doing so he demonstrates his incessant narcissism because he cares to increase his personal affluence by leeching from his romantic interests and gain social class by having a relationship with a girl of gold.
Gatsby took full advantage of Prohibition and secured his wealth by selling illegal alcohol. He and his crony, Meyer Wolfshiem, were in business together. “He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter,” (Fitzgerald, 133). With his fortune secured, Gatsby searched for Daisy and Tom. Having found them, he purchased a properly ostentatious mansion across the bay from them. Ironically Fitzgerald, places Gatsby’s mansion in West Egg, the part of town where the newly rich reside. The “newly rich” are looked down upon by the “old rich”. The old rich, which include Tom and Daisy, live in the more socially accepted East Egg. This means that while Gatsby is like them he is not of them, which is vitally important to social acceptance during the
Gatsby was a rich man, but that doesn't mean he is happy in life. He lived a some what boring life. All he wanted was to be together with Daisy. He always had the idea of winning her back for all these years. Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay." and threw big parties all the time hoping Daisy would just show up and be in love with him. He also made many stupid mistakes that got some people to very much dislike him, and some to like him, but not many. His dreams were almost unattainable; he coldly win back Daisy from Tom or any way. His mistakes along the way of trying to impress Daisy, may have been a reason he got
Apparently being wealthy is not all Gatsby wants, but also wants love from Daisy. He loves her so much he wants her to break Tom’s heart and come with him. This man is clever and cold hearted like Lord Voldemort and Sauron. Jordan glanced at Nick and told him in a calm tone, “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby’s way of being in love with Daisy is to be a creepy stalker, never giving her space and always spying on her.
Gatsby, as a child, had a daily schedule that he followed. He knew from childhood that he had to work for his fame. "Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something" (175). Gatsby's ambition lay not only in his future, but as he grew older it would be found in his love. He had an obsession with Daisy Buchanan and tried everything in his power to bring things back to they way they used to be when they first met. He thought he could relive the past. He threw lavish parties to get her attention. He did everything in his power to be near her. " ‘Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay' " (79) He earned his wealth so that they could finally be together.
Nick describes Gatsby as “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life(Ch.3).” Such description unifies the appearance of Gatsby with people’s expectation of a man who accomplished the American dream. The obsession with wealth often blinds people from the potential crisis. The crisis of having everything they worked and struggled for redefined if the reality fails them. Just like strivers who chase the American dream, Gatsby also spent his whole life in pursuit of his American dream, which Daisy was a major component of.
Gatsby believes in the aforementioned "American Dream." Thus, Gatsby believes that money alone will allow him to enter the upper class. However, the unspoken truth of the "American Dream" is that class mobility requires money and the culture typical of the upper class. Gatsby becomes wealthy, but his lack of this culture prevents him from fulfilling his goal of social mobility. Writer Andrew B. Trigg discusses Gatsby 's inability to climb the social ladder: "culture provides a barrier to entering the top echelons of the leisure class" (Trigg.) Throughout The Great Gatsby, Gatsby 's lack of taste is evident, which leads to the upper class 's rejection of him. Gatsby repeatedly displays his wealth in excessive ways. Gatsby throws extravagant parties, buys flamboyant clothes, and purchases an opulent car and mansion. Throughout the novel, these displays of wealth are met by criticism from those that Gatsby is trying to impress. Tom Buchanan, Daisy 's husband, and a man of inherited wealth, detests Gatsby. In Chapter seven, Tom frequently criticizes Gatsby for his gaudy displays of wealth. First, Tom criticizes Gatsby 's car: " 'Come on, Daisy, ' said
Gatsby has an uncanny devotion for the things and people he desires. Gatsby is a poor man who feels that he can win his love Daisy back, if he achieves enough material wealth. When he first meets Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby commits "himself to the following of a grail" (156). After five years of separation, he will do anything in his power to win her love back. Everything he does, up to this point is directed toward winning Daisy's favor and having her back in his life. The greatest example of his devotion towards Daisy is the mansion he constructs, "a colossal affair by any standard...with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden" (9). Once a "penniless young man without a past" (156), he transforms himself into a self-made millionaire and builds an extravagant mansion without having any history of family wealth. He also strategically places the mansion across the lake from Daisy's house. From his window, Gatsby can see the blue colored lights of her house. Even though she is marries to Tom Buchanan and has a daughter, he "revalues everything in his house according to the amount of response it draws from her well loved eyes" (96). But in the end, Gatsby's insurmountable devotion to Daisy won't be enough to win her over. He dedicates so much of his life just to be with her and ultimately it won't make any difference in the long run.
Gatsby downfall came when he sacrificed his morality to attain wealth. Gatsby realises that the illusion of his dream with Daisy, demands wealth to become priority, and thus wealth becomes the desire overriding his need for her [Daisy’s] love. Gatsby claims to others that he has inherited his wealth, but Nick discovers "[h]is parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people" (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, pg 104) and that Gatsby has lied about his past. In a society that relies on luxuries, Gatsby throws parties to attract Daisy’s attention. Also, Gatsby expresses that same need to keep busy, just as Daisy does, in a society of the elite. Nick describes Gatsby as "never quite still, there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand" (Fitzgerald, pg 68). Gatsby fills his house "full of interesting people...who do interesting things" (Fitzgerald, pg 96). Gatsby's dream is doomed to failure in that he has lost the fundamental necessities to experience love, such as honesty and moral integrity.