Thesis: Throughout The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald the idea of the American dream is constantly displayed through various forms such as dreams seen in several primary characters in the book as seen most evidently in characters such as Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson, and Nick Carraway. These dreams can be dreams of wealth, prosperity, love or even the most prominent dream of all in The Great Gatsby, the American dream. However, sometimes as the story showed us, people can get so caught up in these dreams that they begin to solely rely on these dreams, only to realize that their dream is, after all, just a dream. The Great Gatsby is a quintessential American novel because it portrays the American dream and unique culture and society of …show more content…
Jay Gatsby shows readers how meaningful his hopes and dreams are to him. He is the definition of a perfectionist, and this makes him a person who would fall under the category of becoming so caught up in his dreams that he becomes borderline reliant on them. The narrator, Nick Carraway realizes this, and comments on it frequently. In chapter 9, he says this regarding Gatsby`s dream "I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock... his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him." (Fitzgerald 189). Nick here says that Gatsby became so tied up and reliant in this dream that Gatsby could "hardly fail to grasp it." However, Nick also states that "he did not know that it was already behind him" meaning that his dream that he relied so heavily on was unrealistic and unachievable in the first place. This dream he had was to get married to Daisy again, and he did everything he could to perfect this dream, even going to illegal measures. The fact that Gatsby would go to illegal measures to achieve this dream that he couldn’t realize was unachievable in the first place proves how caught up and reliant he would become on this dream and how it would come back to bite
The novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deals heavily with the concept of the American Dream as it existed during the Roaring Twenties, and details its many flaws through the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and ambitious entrepreneur who comes to a tragic end after trying to win the love of the moneyed Daisy Buchanan, using him to dispel the fantastic myth of the self-made man and the underlying falsities of the American Dream. Despite Gatsby’s close association with the American Dream, however, Fitzgerald presents the young capitalist as a genuinely good person despite the flaws that caused his undoing. This portrayal of Gatsby as a victim of the American Dream is made most clear during his funeral, to which less than a handful of people attend. Gatsby makes many mistakes throughout the novel, all of which Fitzgerald uses these blunders as a part of his thematic deconstruction of the American Dream.
The thesis of Kimberley Hearne’s essay “Fitzgerald’s Rendering of a Dream” is at the end of the first paragraph and reads “It is through the language itself, and the recurrent romantic imagery, that Fitzgerald offers up his critique and presents the dream for what it truly is: a mirage that entices us to keep moving forward even as we are ceaselessly borne back into the past (Fitzgerald 189).” Hearne’s essay provides information on the misconception of The American Dream that Fitzgerald conveys through “The Great Gatsby”. She provides countless evidence that expresses Fitzgerald’s view of The American Dream, and explains that Fitzgerald’s writing of the novel is to express to Americans what The American Dream truly is.
The book, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a great book that captures multiple aspects of the young rich life of Jay Gatsby and his love for a girl that got away, Daisy Buchanan. This brings us to the thesis statement that Gatsby will do almost anything he can to get back with Daisy, who he lost before, such as move very close to her, throw huge parties, have someone else invite her to his house, and even argue with her husband.
The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, perfectly symbolizes many emerging trends of the 1920’s. More importantly, the character of Jay Gatsby is depicted as a man amongst his American dreams and the trials he faces in the pursuit of its complete achievement. His drive to acquire the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan, through gaining status and wealth shows many aspects of the author's view on the American dream. Through this, one can hope to disassemble the complex picture that is Fitzgerald’s view of this through the novel. Fitzgerald believes, through his experiences during the 1920’s, that only fractions of the American Dream are attainable, and he demonstrates this through three distinct images in The Great Gastby.
Choose one of the following topics and write a well-organized essay with evidence supporting the statements you set forth. Your response should be two pages, double spaced with a 12 font in Times New Roman:
The idea of changing social class in the 1920s is a common theme highlighted throughout The Great Gatsby. Through the characters of Gatsby and Myrtle who both fail in their desperate attempt to live out The American Dream, Fitzgerald successfully convinces the reader that The American Dream for most of America at this time was just that of a dream and was not obtainable for many. Fitzgerald explained that The American Dream was a highly unrealistic standard that so many tr...
Through the use of symbolism and critique, F. Scott Fitzgerald is able to elucidate the lifestyles and dreams of variously natured people of the 1920s in his novel, The Great Gatsby. He uses specific characters to signify diverse groups of people, each with their own version of the “American Dream.” Mostly all of the poor dream of transforming from “rags to riches”, while some members of the upper class use other people as their motivators. In any case, no matter how obsessed someone may be about their “American Dream”, Fitzgerald reasons that they are all implausible to attain.
Many may wonder as to how F. Scott Fitzgerald may have demonstrated the idea of the American dream in the 1920’s through the Great Gatsby? However, taking a look at the various characters in the novel and the different ways in which they have been depicted it is quite evident that F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the idea of the American dream through the character of Great Gatsby. Despite being narrated by Nick Holloway the book seems much closely related to a memoir of Gatsby than a novel; due to the author’s exceptional use of imagery throughout. It was this use of imagery and description that really demonstrates to the reader what the American dream was all about and the character of Gatsby does is nothing more than amplify the contents of
In The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author presents the American dream throughout a male character in literature. This character is Jay Gatsby, who is a person that wants to pursue the American Dream. Moreover, some people believe that reaching the American dream is the culmination of a successful life; anyone regardless of class or gender can succeed in America. The Great Gatsby portrays the American dream in the person of Jay Gatsby and so the desire for conquering dreams and wealth are present in the 1920’s.
In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives the reader a glimpse into the life of the high class during the 1920’s through the eyes of a man named Nick Carraway. Through the narrator's dealings with high society, Fitzgerald demonstrates how modern values have transformed the American dream's ideas into a scheme for materialistic power and he reveals how the world of high society lacks any sense of morals or consequence. In order to support his message, Fitzgerald presents the original aspects of the American dream along with its modern face to show that the wanted dream is now lost forever to the American people. Jay Gatsby had a dream and did everything he could to achieve it however in the end he failed to. This reveals that the American dream is not always a reality that can be obtained. Fitzgerald demonstrates how a dream can become corrupted by one’s focus on acquiring wealth and power through imagery, symbolism, and characterization.
The novel, The Great Expectations surrounds the protagonist Pip's journey from childhood into adulthood and his unconditional love towards rich girl, Estella whom he has been in love with since his younger years. She soon becomes the centre of his life, for everything he does, is to claim her love. He receives a fortune from an anonymous benefactor which then places himself as socially equal to his beloved. However, Pip’s journey faces many complications and his somewhat delusion to thinking he and Estella are equal, leads to his ill fate. Similarly, in The Great Gatsby, Mr Gatsby’s love for a particular woman whom he hopes to marry does not occur due to his similar fate.
Since the early colonization of America, the American dream has been the ultimate symbol for success. In retrospect, the dreamer desires to become wealthy, while also attaining love and high class. Though the dream has had different meanings in time, it is still based on individual freedom, and a desire for greatness. During the 19th century, the typical goal was to settle in the West and raise a family. However, the dream progressively transformed into greediness and materialism during the early 20th century. The indication of success soon became focused on wealth and luxury. The Great Gatsby is a story focused on the deterioration of the American dream. Throughout the novel, Jay Gatsby is shown with a desire to achieve his dream by all means. Utilizing the Roaring Twenties as part of his satire, Fitzgerald criticizes the values of the American dream, and the effects of materialism on one’s dream.
The American Dream, a long standing ideal embodies the hope that one can achieve financial success, political power, and everlasting love through dedication and hard work. During the Roaring 20s, people in America put up facades to mask who they truly were. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald conveys that the American Dream is simply an illusion, that is idealist and unreal. In the novel, Gatsby, a wealthy socialite pursues his dream, Daisy. In the process of pursuing Daisy, Gatsby betrays his morals and destroys himself. Through the eyes of the narrator, Nick, one sees the extent of the corruption Gatsby is willing to undertake in order to achieve his dream. Although Fitzgerald applauds the American Dream he warns against the dangers of living in a world full of illusions and deceit; a trait common during the Roaring 20s. The language and plot devices Fitzgerald uses convey that lies and facades, which were common during the Guided Age, destroys one’s own character and morals. Through Fitzgerald use of symbolism, expectations, and relationships, he explores the American dream, and how it is an illusion that corrupts and destroys lives.
Let’s be real, we’ve all had dreams of being rich. Growing up in the 2000’s, I was lucky to get introduced to the World Wide Web: a place where people who know about business go to sell their goods or services and become millionaires. Fast forward eighteen years later, and some of the start-ups of the early 2000’s are now worth billions of dollars. Take Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Book Selling Company for example, or Elon Musk’s PayPal. The internet is still a good way to grow a business and potentially make a lot of money, if you know the “how to” that is.
The darkness of the American dream is a common theme in The Great Gatsby as the fallen American dream is a huge problem during the 1920s in the United States. Fitzgerald uses The Great Gatsby to not only describe an impression of the Jazz Age, but also as a general critique of the American dream during Fitzge...