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The role of the american dream in the great gatsby
The great gatsby novel themes
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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald highlights the concept of relationship between real and ideal in the 1920’s; this thematic structure of the text parallels the concept of the
American Dream, a better life and in current popular culture, the text is studied today. Fitzgerald portrayed Gatsby, as a part of himself, someone who did what it took to get what he revered in life. Fitzgerald did not live the way he wished he could; because of this he gave Gatsby such a tone. The jobs they had were not ideal, but needed because “Rich girls, don’t marry poor boys”
(F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great American Dreamer).
In order to get the girl of his dreams, he took odd jobs writing in magazines, newspapers, and movies. All to make sure he would never be a failure, like his father was. Wanting not only the love of his life, but the career he so longed for, after the many years of failure. To marry
Zelda, his dream girl he must have a successful career in order to keep up with her lifestyle. Not only has she left him once, due to the fact he could not cater to her, she did not marry him until after his first book was published This Side of Paradise. What else could Fitzgerald ask for, he has his career, his dream girl, and his little girl?
Aiming for such a goal, brought along stress and sleepless nights knowing what was at stake if nothing came out of his ambitions. Resulting, with him becoming an alcoholic; going on binges. It was at this point that Fitzgerald could barely find any acceptance for his literature.
With this and his wife becoming clinically insane, he took off to Hollywood hoping for a screen write, promising himself to stay away from it all. Only, for a few months was he able to keep this promise and s...
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more offered in the wilderness; however, once he arrived he wouldn’t live the way he wanted to
Gatsby is unrealistic. He believes he can relive the past and rekindle the flame he and Daisy once had. He is lost in his dream and accepts that anything can be repeated, "Can't repeat the past…Why of course you can!" (116, Fitzgerald). For Gatsby, failure to realize this resurrection of love is utterly appalling. His whole career, his conception of himself and his life is totally shattered. Gatsby's death when it comes is almost insignificant, for with the collapse of his dream, he is spiritually dead.
enough of anything to keep him happy. He felt like nobody loved him. When he was born
Crossing the porch where we had dined that June night three months before, I came to a small rectangle of light which I guessed was the pantry window. The blind was drawn, but I found a rift at the sill.
Any goal in life is achieved through ambition, fueled by determination, desire and hard work. Ambition maybe a driving force to success or to a pit of failure, the path chosen by an individual determines the end. Remember that any goal to be fulfilled needs desire, desire that strives to do good or greedy desire that is selfish. Also the actions that contribute to our ‘hard work’ need to be morally and ethically right to enjoy the sweet success. However, when the desire and determination is stronger than conscience, many tend to fail often reach or don’t reach what they strived for, leaving them emotionally or even physically dead. The inner lying consequence of ambition is clearly stated by Napoleon, he quotes “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them”. The undesirable consequence of ambition can be observed in the lives of the protagonists of ‘The Great Gatsby and Macbeth. This describes the direction in which ambition is driven could change the end result, it is simply based on the individual itself rather than the dream they seek to achieve. Therefore, the strong drive of ambition helps the seeker attain their goal but greedy desires and wrong paths taken eventually lead to downfall.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald focuses on the lifestyle of a group of people who will do anything to accomplish their goals. The characters go through different changes that come to affect their life decisions and will cause them to lie, sacrifice and feel lonely in their lives. They live the American dream and have power but chase a dream that would affect and change their lifestyles. They judge and discriminate against one another not knowing they have a certain symbol in common in their lives. Their desire to accomplish their goals became a type of new life to the characters.
...Fitzgerald imitated in many of his novels. Incorporated in the text was also a lot of Fitzgerald’s own life and the problems he faced. “Alcoholism. Mental illness, and marital issues factor into nearly everyone of his novels, and they aggressively contrast with his glamorous public image”-Qwiklit Many people realized Fitzgerald’s private life came out through his novels not the one the public saw of him.
believed that money would make him happy. When he became rich, his dream then became
According to the dictionary, the definition of dissatisfaction is the quality or state of being unhappy or discontent. Dissatisfaction is a disease that theoretically knows no prejudices, has no cure, and almost everyone has it. This is a global epidemic, that can destroy a man in the time it takes to snap your fingers. Physically most people will be alright but discontent will rot you to the core on the inside. Unfortunately, not being content seems to be a very common part of society today and in the past. The theme of not be satiated by life is especially seen in the famous novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. All the characters in this novel seemingly have achieved the american dream but they are all unhappy and never get what they really want in the end. Also, no character is satisfied with their marriage, with love, and with life in general. They are all unhappy with their lives and they destroy the lives of others in order to satisfy themselves. The Great Gatsby teaches us that even being wealthy and powerful, people can still be dissatisfied and will do anything in order to be happy. Therefore, despite believing that we have it all, dissatisfaction still plagues the human spirit.
During Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, it is apparent to be an absurd time for the wealthy. The shallowness of money, riches, and a place in a higher social class were probably the most important components in most lives at that period of time. This is expressed clearly by Fitzgerald, especially through his characters, which include Myrtle Wilson, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and of course, Jay Gatsby. This novel was obviously written to criticize and condemn the ethics of the rich.
his dream, he will be able to live a life full of happiness and joy. He will experience
Fitzgerald created a mystery man that appeared to be only driven by secrets, wealth, partying, and his own selfish ambitions, but as the story progressed, it was evident that Gatsby was actually motivated by his deep unselfish love
what he was going to get, and he is not responsible for his fate, he
In 1897, consequently to the collapse of Edwards business, the family moved to New York, in order for Edward to take up a job as a salesman for Proctor and Gamble. Be that as it may, their moved was brief after Edward was let go from his employment in 1908, inciting a move back the St. Paul where the Fitzgerald’s lived off the McQuillan family fortune, (Fitzgerald, Bruccoli and Baughman, 1995). For the next 14 years, Scott invested the larger part of his time at boarding school, at Princeton University, in the army, and in New York City (Ibid, 1995). Fitzgerald’s writing career began to take off in 1920 after the publication of his first novel, This Side of Paradise (Bruccoli and Smith, 1981). The novel received glowing reviews (Ibid, 1981) and secured Fitzgerald’s place as one of the country’s most promising young
gave in to his feelings by marrying her in spite of her and her family's