The American Dream is an ideal of having equal opportunities to achieve success and prosperity through one 's hardwork. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick, the protagonist tries to pursue his own dreams, hoping to succeed in the ideals of the American Dream. Throughout the story, as more and more people enter Nick 's life, he realizes that the American Dream is simply an unrealistic idea, created to corrupt those trying to achieve it. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream ruined the morality of those trying to accomplish it, and those who 'd already did. Fitzgerald symbolizes Jay Gatsby as the American Dream itself, as his morals were ruined through his selfish pursuit of unrealistic dreams, and eventually led him to his downfall.
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He gradually made his way to living in the East of the United States, and along the way, fell in love with Daisy. He was mesmerized by her luxurious lifestyle, and she became Gatsby 's one and only motivation. He did everything to win back Daisy. He didn 't care whether Daisy was married or not, he was still lost in their past. Gatsby has always been in denial as he questions Nick "can 't repeat the past?"(110). He knew of the things that kept him and Daisy apart was wealth and social status. Gatsby attained his wealth from his illegal past, by taking advantage of Prohibition, and threw away his morals to enter the bootlegging industry. He climbed up the social ladder with the help of his illegal money, even though it was morally wrong. Gatsby was labeled as new money, where most of them live in West Egg, while old money, like the Buchanans, lived in East Egg. Fitzgerald uses these two fictional setting to show the …show more content…
He had what everyone else wanted, and that his power. He abuses his power over those lower than him as he and Daisy "smash things up...[and] let other people clean up the mess they had made" (179). He uses his power both physically and socially by abusing his relationship with Myrtle, yet she crawled back to him because of the things she 'd wanted from him. She 'd wanted just what Daisy had, which was the American Dream. He 'd always valued Daisy as a trophy wife, yet he still commits adultery with Myrtle. He 'd never had the morals that he expected from others. He could cheat on Daisy, but becomes enraged when he finds out that Daisy is cheating on him with Gatsby. Gatsby is considered a threat to him, even though he doesn 't love Daisy, he doesn 't want someone else to love and taker her away. He has always thought of himself as superior to others, with his outspoken opinion of other races. Tom believes that " 'it 's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things '" (13), this showcases that he is oblivious and in denial of greater changes to society. He exploits people at their weakest points, such as purposely giving away Gatsby 's identity to George Wilson who wants to take revenge for his wife that was killed. Tom is satisfied by causing Gatsby 's death,
He gradually made his way to living in the East of the United States, and along the way, fell in love with Daisy. He was mesmerized by her luxurious lifestyle, and she became Gatsby 's one and only motivation. He did everything to win back Daisy. He didn 't care whether Daisy was married or not, he was still lost in their past. Gatsby has always been in denial as he questions Nick "can 't repeat the past?"(110). He knew of the things that kept him and Daisy apart was wealth and social status. Gatsby attained his wealth from his illegal past, by taking advantage of Prohibition, and threw away his morals to enter the bootlegging industry. He climbed up the social ladder with the help of his illegal money, even though it was morally wrong. Gatsby was labeled as new money, where most of them live in West Egg, while old money, like the Buchanans, lived in East Egg. Fitzgerald uses these two fictional setting to show the …show more content…
He had what everyone else wanted, and that his power. He abuses his power over those lower than him as he and Daisy "smash things up...[and] let other people clean up the mess they had made" (179). He uses his power both physically and socially by abusing his relationship with Myrtle, yet she crawled back to him because of the things she 'd wanted from him. She 'd wanted just what Daisy had, which was the American Dream. He 'd always valued Daisy as a trophy wife, yet he still commits adultery with Myrtle. He 'd never had the morals that he expected from others. He could cheat on Daisy, but becomes enraged when he finds out that Daisy is cheating on him with Gatsby. Gatsby is considered a threat to him, even though he doesn 't love Daisy, he doesn 't want someone else to love and taker her away. He has always thought of himself as superior to others, with his outspoken opinion of other races. Tom believes that " 'it 's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things '" (13), this showcases that he is oblivious and in denial of greater changes to society. He exploits people at their weakest points, such as purposely giving away Gatsby 's identity to George Wilson who wants to take revenge for his wife that was killed. Tom is satisfied by causing Gatsby 's death,