The American Dream is a phrase that was coined by a man named Addams, and is a set of ideals to describe equal opportunity for success especially in the United States. Recently there seems to be a disappearance of the American Dream and not everyone who works hard is able to achieve economic stability. Many individuals write about the American Dream, and argue that politic differ in affecting the American Dreams of people in different social classes. In Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby a young man name Nick moves to New York and meets a wide range of interesting characters from different backgrounds and classes. Nick finds out that the characters differ in their ability to succeed based on their income. Similarly, in John Buell’s article
…show more content…
Politics” write that the upper class is more capable of reaching the American Dream by highlighting that politics can be easily corrupted through money. One day while Jay Gatsby (a very rich man) is driving very recklessly he is stopped by a police officer. Gatsby just “take[s] a white card from his wallet [and] wave[s] it before the man’s eyes” (Fitzgerald 68). The officer immediately apologizes and lets Mr. Gatsby pass. When Nick, curious of how Gatsby avoided getting a ticket, asks, Gatsby replies that he did a favor for the commissioner, and as a result gets a free pass card. Fitzgerald highlights that with the right price, government officials can be bought off. The incident with the policemen underlines the corruption of the system in the 1920s. The rich can bribe their way to their American dream, while the poor are left to fail. Additionally, John Buell in his article about blue-collar workers analyzes how although most workers are willing to work for higher education or training, the government is unwilling “to fund job training and development” (Buell). With increased skills, lower and middle class can more easily achieve social mobility, yet the government stops them. This unwillingness demonstrates that the system is not interested in spending money on the lower classes, and rather would focus more on saving and/or raising revenue through the rich population. …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and the articles, “The Poverty of U.S Politics” by John Buell and "The 1920s: Government and Politics: Overview" by editor Judith S. Baughman all confirm the notion that because political laws are passed in favor of monopolies they rich can achieve the American dream more easily than the poor. Baughman states about the government favoritism placed upon white-collar workers, and Fitzgerald confirms the statement by providing an illustration of a hardworking and diligent individual on the brink of poverty, Mr. Wilson. Likewise, Buell discloses how the government is pro-business and favors the upper class in order to raise revenue, which Fitzgerald clearly illustrates through the characterization of Mr. Gatsby, a rich man with a habit of bribing government officials. All these authors support the idea that politics is unfair in affecting economic prosperity depending on one’s social class, and that in order to have a social mobility in all classes the government needs to turn away from a pro-business policy, and get more involved in
Politics” write that the upper class is more capable of reaching the American Dream by highlighting that politics can be easily corrupted through money. One day while Jay Gatsby (a very rich man) is driving very recklessly he is stopped by a police officer. Gatsby just “take[s] a white card from his wallet [and] wave[s] it before the man’s eyes” (Fitzgerald 68). The officer immediately apologizes and lets Mr. Gatsby pass. When Nick, curious of how Gatsby avoided getting a ticket, asks, Gatsby replies that he did a favor for the commissioner, and as a result gets a free pass card. Fitzgerald highlights that with the right price, government officials can be bought off. The incident with the policemen underlines the corruption of the system in the 1920s. The rich can bribe their way to their American dream, while the poor are left to fail. Additionally, John Buell in his article about blue-collar workers analyzes how although most workers are willing to work for higher education or training, the government is unwilling “to fund job training and development” (Buell). With increased skills, lower and middle class can more easily achieve social mobility, yet the government stops them. This unwillingness demonstrates that the system is not interested in spending money on the lower classes, and rather would focus more on saving and/or raising revenue through the rich population. …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and the articles, “The Poverty of U.S Politics” by John Buell and "The 1920s: Government and Politics: Overview" by editor Judith S. Baughman all confirm the notion that because political laws are passed in favor of monopolies they rich can achieve the American dream more easily than the poor. Baughman states about the government favoritism placed upon white-collar workers, and Fitzgerald confirms the statement by providing an illustration of a hardworking and diligent individual on the brink of poverty, Mr. Wilson. Likewise, Buell discloses how the government is pro-business and favors the upper class in order to raise revenue, which Fitzgerald clearly illustrates through the characterization of Mr. Gatsby, a rich man with a habit of bribing government officials. All these authors support the idea that politics is unfair in affecting economic prosperity depending on one’s social class, and that in order to have a social mobility in all classes the government needs to turn away from a pro-business policy, and get more involved in