The American Dream is defined by James Adams as a "life [that] should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement,” including themes of democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality. The Great Gatsby is a representation of the American Identity during the Jazz Age, a period of time before the Great Depression when there was economic prosperity and lavish behavior, which revolve around the ideals of the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby poses the themes of the American Dream such as the pursuit of happiness, prosperity, and equality through his use of rhetorical language and literary devices, which is supported and analyzed by various criticisms of his
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Wilson and Tom begin a conversation, and Tom says, “Get some chairs, why don’t you, so somebody can sit down. . . I want to see you. . . Get on the next train. . . I’ll meet you by the news-stand on the lower level” (26). One should notice that Tom speaks in an imperative speech quite frequently, which demonstrates his higher social rank; however, Wilson says, “Oh, sure. . . All right. . .” (26), which are very brief replies that accept every one of Tom’s demands. The inequality between the two is parallel to that of a master and a slave. Wilson gives into Tom’s wishes, depicting the power-roles between the characters. The American Dream is supposed to support equality and unity; however, in The Great Gatsby, the opposite …show more content…
The representations of prosperity and happiness such as Gatsby’s parties, the Buchanan's mansion, and Myrtle’s affair with Tom all have many flaws. The people who go to Gatsby’s parties are just years away from experiencing the Great Depression. Tom’s mansion and his wealth cannot keep Daisy from loving Gatsby. Myrtle just wants to be a part of the upper class by sleeping with Tom, but she has Daisy that stands in the way. Everyone is struggling to achieve his or her American Dream in The Great Gatsby, and everyone fails because there’s always a
Wilson and Tom begin a conversation, and Tom says, “Get some chairs, why don’t you, so somebody can sit down. . . I want to see you. . . Get on the next train. . . I’ll meet you by the news-stand on the lower level” (26). One should notice that Tom speaks in an imperative speech quite frequently, which demonstrates his higher social rank; however, Wilson says, “Oh, sure. . . All right. . .” (26), which are very brief replies that accept every one of Tom’s demands. The inequality between the two is parallel to that of a master and a slave. Wilson gives into Tom’s wishes, depicting the power-roles between the characters. The American Dream is supposed to support equality and unity; however, in The Great Gatsby, the opposite …show more content…
The representations of prosperity and happiness such as Gatsby’s parties, the Buchanan's mansion, and Myrtle’s affair with Tom all have many flaws. The people who go to Gatsby’s parties are just years away from experiencing the Great Depression. Tom’s mansion and his wealth cannot keep Daisy from loving Gatsby. Myrtle just wants to be a part of the upper class by sleeping with Tom, but she has Daisy that stands in the way. Everyone is struggling to achieve his or her American Dream in The Great Gatsby, and everyone fails because there’s always a