Death Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The Roaring 20s was a time period of economic prosperity, although almost half of the United States was poor at the time. Many were flourishing and individuals during that time aimed for the “American Dream.” The American Dream means that people believed on moving upward in their social class rank and could obtain their own version of success. Many individuals aimed for success,by buying luxurious things and not being financially stable. F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates the death of the American Dream through many of his characters in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald shows how the desire for wealth illustrated the death of the American Dream. In the 20s authors referred to people that recently attained great wealth as “new money” this separated …show more content…
He had a name change when he gained wealth. Fitzgerald relates this to the actions of the newly rich, he emphasizes how individuals began to act differently when they achieved their american dream. Jay always wanted to be rich, and disliked the fact he wasn’t born into a rich family. These thoughts led him to runaway from home and pursue his dreams. He was able to attain his American Dream, and jumped through social classes. Because Gatsby did not inherit wealth, he did not know how to value it. He believed anything he wanted could be payed off. In the novel he tells his new friend Nick, “old sport, you don’t make that much money” (82). Gatsby thought he was obligated to give money to those that did him favors. Fitzgerald shows the withering of The American Dream here because he portrays how people that had sudden wealth became materialistic and didn’t have morals.These reasons caused The American Dream to corrupt because individuals weren’t focusing of idealistic problems. F. Scott Fitzgerald emphasizes through Gatsby that people during the 20s reached their dream and then suddenly stopped trying to maintain it there, because they were caught up by all their nice and expensive