How Does Fitzgerald Present The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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The American Dream has multiple meanings or definitions that have been developed and are passionately believed throughout the world. Throughout time these meanings have changed and adapted to modern culture. In Gatsby , there are clearly some ideals about the American Dream that can be picked up among the characters, each having their own beliefs on the matter. Fitzgerald also used things such as symbolism and the geography of the city to help show certain people’s version of the American Dream. Along with this the whole idea hasn't changed too much from that of Gatsby, and other people still strongly believe in just the wealth part. One way Fitzgerald depicted the American Dream of wealth was through the East and West Egg. West Egg was described to harbor all the newly rich. Whilst East Egg was filled with people that mostly inherited their fortune like Tom Buchanan. So the personalities and money differed greatly. In chapter 6, page 83, Tom and Nick were discussing about Gatsby, “Who is this Gatsby anyhow?” demanded Tom suddenly. “Some big bootlegger?” “Where did you hear that?” I inquired. “I didn't hear it. I imagined it. A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers, you know.” From this the reader …show more content…

He had more money than the average person could imagine, but it meant little to him. His dream was more of “the pursuit of happiness”. All the wealth that he obtained was not for him. It was intended to improve himself to become the man that he believed Daisy deserves. Once he achieved this, his real goal was to reunite himself with his love. She was his happiness, and his dream. This new life that he wanted with her was symbolized by the green light at the other end of the bay that Gatsby seemed to obsess over. In chapter 5, page 72, Nick describes that the light had lost its significance once he had finally been reunited with Daisy, which really shows how important it was as a

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