The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a book about the American Dream and how it is dying, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book follows Nick Carraway, a young man out of college, and his keen observations of how the Great American dream effects his friend Gatsby. Throughout the book, Gatsby follows the American Dream through old love and new money only to have that same dream become his demise. Gatsby is this extraordinary figure that portrays the dying Great American dream perfectly.

Gatsby had a relationship with daisy, years before she got married to Tom. This relationship faltered, because Gatsby didn't believe he had fulfilled the other parts of the American dream. He didn't think he was good enough for Daisy. Later once Gatsby obtains his wealth he feels he is able to go back to Daisy.

“he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward— and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock.”

This passage shows that Gatsby is so close to his old love, but it is a thing of the past and no matter how far he reaches he will never be able to have it back. This is just like the American Dream, it is a thing of the past. Daisy and Gatsby's relationship was never meant to last. Later when Daisy and Gatsby are together part of his dream fades away. In chapter 5 it is written “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever.” Gatsby realizes here how close he is to his Great American dream. Gatsby also thinks he can use material things to win over Daisy. While their walking around the house Gatsby is only focu...

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...d not realize that it was never going to happen. The same dream that sparked James Gatz, ended up becoming the same spark that the gun that killed him created.

Gatsby tries to recreate the American Dream throughout the book using old love and new money to achieve his final goal, that eventually doomed him. The American Dream was a thing of the past just like Gatsby's dreams. His love for Daisy blinds him from the unconquerable dreams that he put in his head. Gatsby acted on his dream too late and became a prime example of why the American dream was no longer a thing. Gatsby's death also shows that the America moves one, Nick was the only one that attended, the only one that actually cared. America is an up and coming nation and it will stop for no one, not even The Great Gatsby.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004.