A Selfish Dream in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitgerald

Originally, the American dream for the first settlers was for their children, and they would sacrifice everything for freedom of religion, and thought. Although, the American dream in the 1920’s is to live in happiness through financial and social success. For many, this selfish dream is achieved through illegal activity such as bootlegging, and gambling. This dream is mirrored in many novels such as The Great Gatsby. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s demise to highlight both the fragility of, and un-attainableness of the American dream in the 1920’s.

The views of Tom Buchanan and people of the valley of ashes such as Wilson, reveal the fragile emptiness of the American dream in the 1920’s. Fitzgerald uses the rudeness of Tom, an upper class man, towards a lower class such as Winston to display the fragileness of this dream. Tom’s conversation that is, “‘Let’s have some gas!’ cried Tom roughly. ‘What do you think we stopped for — to admire the view?’ ‘I’m sick,’ said Wilson” demonstrates that there is no equality for all, as originally desired in the American dream (123). This disrespect demonstrates the view of the upper class on the lower class. Tom believes that Wilson is below him, and treats him as if he is a worthless dog. Wilson is treated like a worthless dog when Tom insultingly demands him to put gas in the car. On top of that, Tom has an affair with his wife, which is perhaps why he does not feel well. The fact that his wife is cheating on him makes him sick because she is everything to him. Since his wife is having an affair, Winston feels the desire to have someone to comfort him, and reverts to religion by believing Eckleburg’s eyes are those of God. Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s eyes help to expres...

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...ather has ended. The faint movement of water represents the little affect he really has on people with his parties in an effort to finally be accepted. As the water moves toward the drain, it expresses how Gatsby is first only a farm boy working towards his goal of riches, and once again is unknown to the world around him except for a select few like Nick and his father. This indicates that one fine morning, we too will die without our dreams attained if we reach out towards money like Gatsby did.

Gatsby’s ultimate end focuses on the distant, brittle American dream of the 1920’s presented in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This selfish dream had originally been selfless when it was first presented to new American settlers. These altruistic people would have sacrificed everything for a better life for their children, without the desire for money and class.