How To Achieve The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

In the Epic Of America, James Truslow Adams defines the American dream as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement…. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." (p.214-215) In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third novel, The Great Gatsby, he describes three ways to achieve the American Dream: be born into it, marry into it, or work hard. Jay Gatsby strives to achieve the American

Jordan Baker had to work to become a professional golfer. Tom and Daisy Buchanan were born into it. Tom and Daisy never had to worry about working or anything in general. Myrtle Wilson had thought she had married someone who had almost accomplished the American Dream but she quickly found out that she had not. After eleven years, she decided she had enough and was trying to get out of that situation. That’s when she found Tom, she tried to have him support her. She wanted to live the good life that George Wilson was failing to provide. George Wilson owed his own auto mechanic shop and though he had it good, until he found that his wife was no longer happy. He tried to provide her with anything she wanted, but nothing was good enough for her. The theme of The Great Gatsby, is to achieve the American dream, even though the characters are faced with economic disparity, social injustice, and cultural upheaval while still trying to achieve the American

He was a farm boy growing up in North Dakota. While he was seventeen, he worked on Lake Superior. During an approaching storm, Jay spotted a yacht and rowed out to warn them about the storm. He then meets Dan Cody, who was a wealthy copper Mongul. He is pleased that Jay went out to warn him. After this encounter, Dan offered Jay a job as an assistant on his yacht. Jay was employed by Cody for five years. Dan Cody inspired the name Jay Gatsby and introduced Jay to the life of luxury. When Dan died, he left Jay a small fortune, but because of Dan’s wife, he could not receive his fortune. Dan Cody was his very first inspiration to achieve the American dream. Jay Gatsby then decided he would strive for wealth and the life of luxury. In nineteen-fourteen , World War II begins, Jay goes off to fight in the war. He is stationed at a camp in Louisville in October nineteen-seventeen. During his time in Louisville he meets Daisy. They were together for about a month. During this time, he lied to her and said that he was very wealthy. She was the true reason he wanted to become wealthy and established. “Gatsby may be more creative and romantic in pursuit of the American Dream than Tony because he does all for the sake of a woman rather than merely aping another man's success. But Gatsby, like Tony, cannot transform himself into a true gentleman. Misreading the signs of American gentility, Gatsby moves to West Egg, a community of the nouveau riche,