Tainted Illusion The essence of the American Dream can be traced back to the time of the Puritans in 1630 with John Winthrop’s vision of a “city upon a hill” and is still evident in American culture today. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is presented during the 1920s in a rather vulgar manner through the main characters of the novel. The whole basis of the unscrupulous attributes that both the “old and new money” possess can be exposed through the manipulative effect money has. Through the obscene behavior of Tom, Daisy, and Jordan that offsets the temperaments of Nick and Gatsby, who have virtuous dispositions, the overall theme of the corruption of the American Dream is able to be conveyed. The death of the American Dream comes with
…show more content…
Before earning his riches, Gatsby believed in improving his character for success. “No wasting time at Shafters. . . No more smokeing or chewing” (Fitzgerald 181). Gatsby strictly and tenaciously limits himself in order to imitate the mannerisms of the rich, adulterating his innocence, leading to the revelation of his lies as a means of upgrading. However, this incentive changes when he becomes a felonious gentleman, and builds a house in West Egg, where self-made people reside. Gatsby 's illegality essentially began when Daisy became his main goal in life. "He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug stores in here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter" (Fitzgerald 141). He pursues wealth in an illicit fashion to the extent of becoming a morally corrupted figure in order to win over Daisy’s heart. As an attempt to conceal his past, Gatsby fills his closet with "massed suits... and his shirts piled like bricks in stacks a dozen high" (Fitzgerald 97) in his house that is "a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy" (Fitzgerald 9). Through the perfecting of Gatsby’s life and acquisition of his possessions, he becomes materialistic and eventually loses his true identity. Along with his house and European suits, he buys expensive cars and throws lavish parties in hopes of capturing Daisy’s attention. He fraudulently embellishes himself, leading her to believe such illusion while striving for acceptance, power, and
Before earning his riches, Gatsby believed in improving his character for success. “No wasting time at Shafters. . . No more smokeing or chewing” (Fitzgerald 181). Gatsby strictly and tenaciously limits himself in order to imitate the mannerisms of the rich, adulterating his innocence, leading to the revelation of his lies as a means of upgrading. However, this incentive changes when he becomes a felonious gentleman, and builds a house in West Egg, where self-made people reside. Gatsby 's illegality essentially began when Daisy became his main goal in life. "He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug stores in here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter" (Fitzgerald 141). He pursues wealth in an illicit fashion to the extent of becoming a morally corrupted figure in order to win over Daisy’s heart. As an attempt to conceal his past, Gatsby fills his closet with "massed suits... and his shirts piled like bricks in stacks a dozen high" (Fitzgerald 97) in his house that is "a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy" (Fitzgerald 9). Through the perfecting of Gatsby’s life and acquisition of his possessions, he becomes materialistic and eventually loses his true identity. Along with his house and European suits, he buys expensive cars and throws lavish parties in hopes of capturing Daisy’s attention. He fraudulently embellishes himself, leading her to believe such illusion while striving for acceptance, power, and