Esha Parikh
Ms. Dunphy
AP L&C
19 January 2014
The Great Gatsby and the American Dream
The Great Gatsby is set during a time period of prohibition, yet no one seems to abide by it, bootleggers, music and extravagant, showy parties, and the American Dream. Fitzgerald showcases this “jazz age” period in history as a time where the rich do not seem to have a care about the world, while the poor are left in a heap of debris. Fitzgerald wanted his readers to see what happens under The Read White and Blue(The Great Gatsby’s original title) and the hopelessness of achieving the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American Dream in the novel, The Great Gatsby as an idea that is obtainable, but only if the person obtaining it is chasing …show more content…
Despite Gatsby’s lack of education and position at birth, he works hard and achieves wealth and prosperity. Irrespective to Gatsby’s “fortuitous circumstances of birth or position,”(Adams) Gatsby was able to afford to live in “a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville I Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thing beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more that forty acres of lawn”(Fitzgerald 10). Seen though Gatsby went about his money by illegal means, it does not denote that Gatsby is determined to achieve his goal. His blind hope that money can buy Daisy’s love, despite the fact that what attracts him to Daisy is her beautiful life which “is full of money,”(120) is his drive to the American Dream. Gatsby was born to parents who were “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people”(Fitzgerald 105) and wanted “all the beauty and glamour in the world”(Fitzgerald 105). He does so by selling liquor, but he does eventually get all the money he can dream of, but somewhere along the line he looses sight of this and yearns for a class he will never belong to. Gatsby’s dream is the leading force he lives for and cannot give up on; because his dream is not for himself but simply is to enter into Daisy’s world, it ultimately leads to his …show more content…
They seem to have all that a person could ever dream of during this time period. Tom was born into a large amount of money; he acts extravagantly like bringing “a string of polo ponies for Lake Forest”(Fitzgerald 1). Tom peaked in high school while playing football, which is why he is never satisfied with his wealthy, polo-playing life. Tom is “forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game”(Fitzgerald 10). Tom always wants to better, and always want more, including another women. He has a beautiful wife, who he is extremely possessive over, but he still decides to have a mistress. Daisy, who simply lounges around her mansion and ponders what to with her time, never seems to be satisfied with her life as a woman. She says, “the best thing a girl can be in the world is a beautiful little fool”(Fitzgerald 118). Even though she is rich, as a girl it is only important to be ignorant and beautiful so she can marry a man of high status and have a luxurious life with money. Daisy shows that in this society, the only way to be happy is to pretend to be satisfied with ones position even though its one of the saddest life a person can ever be given. The couple that seemed to have the ultimate prestige of this “Old Money” visage is the ones who are constantly trying to have a different life and gain a
Ms. Dunphy
AP L&C
19 January 2014
The Great Gatsby and the American Dream
The Great Gatsby is set during a time period of prohibition, yet no one seems to abide by it, bootleggers, music and extravagant, showy parties, and the American Dream. Fitzgerald showcases this “jazz age” period in history as a time where the rich do not seem to have a care about the world, while the poor are left in a heap of debris. Fitzgerald wanted his readers to see what happens under The Read White and Blue(The Great Gatsby’s original title) and the hopelessness of achieving the American dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American Dream in the novel, The Great Gatsby as an idea that is obtainable, but only if the person obtaining it is chasing …show more content…
Despite Gatsby’s lack of education and position at birth, he works hard and achieves wealth and prosperity. Irrespective to Gatsby’s “fortuitous circumstances of birth or position,”(Adams) Gatsby was able to afford to live in “a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville I Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thing beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more that forty acres of lawn”(Fitzgerald 10). Seen though Gatsby went about his money by illegal means, it does not denote that Gatsby is determined to achieve his goal. His blind hope that money can buy Daisy’s love, despite the fact that what attracts him to Daisy is her beautiful life which “is full of money,”(120) is his drive to the American Dream. Gatsby was born to parents who were “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people”(Fitzgerald 105) and wanted “all the beauty and glamour in the world”(Fitzgerald 105). He does so by selling liquor, but he does eventually get all the money he can dream of, but somewhere along the line he looses sight of this and yearns for a class he will never belong to. Gatsby’s dream is the leading force he lives for and cannot give up on; because his dream is not for himself but simply is to enter into Daisy’s world, it ultimately leads to his …show more content…
They seem to have all that a person could ever dream of during this time period. Tom was born into a large amount of money; he acts extravagantly like bringing “a string of polo ponies for Lake Forest”(Fitzgerald 1). Tom peaked in high school while playing football, which is why he is never satisfied with his wealthy, polo-playing life. Tom is “forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game”(Fitzgerald 10). Tom always wants to better, and always want more, including another women. He has a beautiful wife, who he is extremely possessive over, but he still decides to have a mistress. Daisy, who simply lounges around her mansion and ponders what to with her time, never seems to be satisfied with her life as a woman. She says, “the best thing a girl can be in the world is a beautiful little fool”(Fitzgerald 118). Even though she is rich, as a girl it is only important to be ignorant and beautiful so she can marry a man of high status and have a luxurious life with money. Daisy shows that in this society, the only way to be happy is to pretend to be satisfied with ones position even though its one of the saddest life a person can ever be given. The couple that seemed to have the ultimate prestige of this “Old Money” visage is the ones who are constantly trying to have a different life and gain a