How Is The American Dream Corrupt In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Essay In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American dream has become corrupted and those who seek this dream have become bastardized. Originally, the idea of the American dream began from the want and need for a secure income, a happy family and home life, and an education. For all the characters, the American dream is all about wealth, status, and materialistic objects. Many of the characters subconsciously strive for their interpretation of the American dream. Fitzgerald presents two different people; George Wilson represents the working class, and Jay Gatsby, the new money. Both fail to reach their goals, showing that no character has more opportunity than the other in fulfilling their idea

He idolizes Daisy and she represents the final object to his American dream that he has been working for. Her “voice [was] full of money (120).” and Gatsby was attracted to that because that is part of his plan to winning Daisy. When he first moves to West Egg, he positions himself directly across from Daisys house and looks at the green light at the end of her dock night after night. Nick, Daisys cousin and Gatsbys neighbor, notes that one night he saw, “…[Gatsby] stretch out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way…[Nick] could have have sworn [Gatsby] was trembling…[he] glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When [he] looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and [Nick] was alone again in the unquiet darkness (21)”. The green light represents hope and opportunity for a happy life, just as this land had once been a symbol for European sailors on their way to America in search of freedom, happiness and riches. Gatsby worked hard for this dream of his, he came from nothing and worked his way up always hoping that he could reach his goal of marrying Daisy, Gatsby never lost sight of his green light. Nick thinks to himself, “ As I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first

George lives in the Valley of the Ashes, a place “… where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens;… ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke… of men who move dimly and already crumbling through powdery air (23).” The Valley of the Ashes lacks happiness and hope, and the people who live there are ghostly and empty. George lives with his wife, Myrtle Wilson who is having an affair with Daisys husband Tom. The only thing that can satisfy Myrtle is materialistic objects and money and because of the Wilsons’ financial situation, George can not provide that for her. He works hard and tries to earn enough money for them so that they can get away. George has, “wised up to something funny the last two days (124)”, his wives affair. He wants to buy Toms car so that he can sell it and have enough money to get away, “I’ve been here too long. I want to get away. My wife and I want to get away (123).” George works hard and when he cant force Myrtle to stay with him and cooperate to leave with him, he turns to the only sign that holds the littlest bit of color in the valley of the ashes, The Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg. “The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic – their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. But his eyes, dimmed a