Corruption and the “American Dream”
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, is a story that tells many aspects of an American life but it specifically displays the American Dream and the corrupting powers of money that come with the American Dream. American Dream is something that many strive for and by itself, the American Dream, dreaming of a better and more prosperous life, won’t defile someone. Ultimately, it is the love of money and yearning for satisfaction, which comes with the American Dream, that corrupts people. This American Dream can be seen through Gatsby’s life, in his dream of a life with Daisy, and also in Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s life, through their wealth taking over their lives. The Great Gatsby is a novel where there …show more content…
Having a high social status was something that was sought after in this era. This dream of materialistic pleasures led people to obsession and corruption. The American Dream lifestyle during the Jazz Age consisted of wild parties, (illegal) drinking, flappers, etc. Gatsby threw big parties where people, “conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks” (45), though the goal behind his parties was to attract Daisy. Fitzgerald once said that in the Jazz Age, “the parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the buildings were higher, the morals looser”. This notion of an American Dream is seen throughout the lifestyles of characters in The Great …show more content…
First, to have a life with Daisy and to win her back, he had to work to have enough money for Daisy. He got his money and wealth through the illegal business of bootlegging, where he bought, “side-street drug-stores…and sold grain alcohol over the counter” (141).Though it was for a good purpose, getting the one he loved back, Gatsby is an example of people who tried to fulfil their American Dream by getting money through crime and illegal business. Next, the main reason why Gatsby was corrupt was because his dream was unrealistic and it disillusioned him. At the end, Gatsby’s dream that seemed so great had vanished. His dream was corrupt because in reality he could never relive the past. Even when he gets back together with Daisy, the things he was reaching for seem to disappear, for, “the significance of that light had now vanished forever” and, “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (98). This shows that the American Dream might seem so great to people but once it starts to become a reality, it doesn’t seem as great as it seemed. Gatsby’s dream of Daisy wasn’t a dream of money or materialistic things but his dream could only be fulfilled after he got money and got wealthy. He was corrupted by his goal because it took over his life and he worked his whole life to get wealthy and find Daisy. An unrealistic dream of living with Daisy like the past, “preyed on Gatsby” (6) and make him center his whole life around this
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, is a story that tells many aspects of an American life but it specifically displays the American Dream and the corrupting powers of money that come with the American Dream. American Dream is something that many strive for and by itself, the American Dream, dreaming of a better and more prosperous life, won’t defile someone. Ultimately, it is the love of money and yearning for satisfaction, which comes with the American Dream, that corrupts people. This American Dream can be seen through Gatsby’s life, in his dream of a life with Daisy, and also in Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s life, through their wealth taking over their lives. The Great Gatsby is a novel where there …show more content…
Having a high social status was something that was sought after in this era. This dream of materialistic pleasures led people to obsession and corruption. The American Dream lifestyle during the Jazz Age consisted of wild parties, (illegal) drinking, flappers, etc. Gatsby threw big parties where people, “conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks” (45), though the goal behind his parties was to attract Daisy. Fitzgerald once said that in the Jazz Age, “the parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the buildings were higher, the morals looser”. This notion of an American Dream is seen throughout the lifestyles of characters in The Great …show more content…
First, to have a life with Daisy and to win her back, he had to work to have enough money for Daisy. He got his money and wealth through the illegal business of bootlegging, where he bought, “side-street drug-stores…and sold grain alcohol over the counter” (141).Though it was for a good purpose, getting the one he loved back, Gatsby is an example of people who tried to fulfil their American Dream by getting money through crime and illegal business. Next, the main reason why Gatsby was corrupt was because his dream was unrealistic and it disillusioned him. At the end, Gatsby’s dream that seemed so great had vanished. His dream was corrupt because in reality he could never relive the past. Even when he gets back together with Daisy, the things he was reaching for seem to disappear, for, “the significance of that light had now vanished forever” and, “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (98). This shows that the American Dream might seem so great to people but once it starts to become a reality, it doesn’t seem as great as it seemed. Gatsby’s dream of Daisy wasn’t a dream of money or materialistic things but his dream could only be fulfilled after he got money and got wealthy. He was corrupted by his goal because it took over his life and he worked his whole life to get wealthy and find Daisy. An unrealistic dream of living with Daisy like the past, “preyed on Gatsby” (6) and make him center his whole life around this