Similarities Between Legally Blonde And The Great Gatsby

Superior Essays
For hundreds of years, the American Dream has been an ideal that has meant different things to different people. In Legally Blonde directed by Robert Lucetic, Elle initially dreams of self fulfillment and happiness through the marriage to the love of her life, Warner. Similarly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby strives to be wealthy enough and rich enough to be suitable for Daisy, who he has idealized. Both characters strive to achieve their American Dream and are initially both focused on conforming to other’s perceptions, rather than personality and self improvement. However, while Elle succeeds because she ceases to conform to the perception of others and her dreams become more genuine. Gatsby’s dream does not evolve from …show more content…
At one of Gatsby’s swinging mansion parties, in the early summer, Nick and Jordan visit his immense library. There, they speak to a man Nick designates as Owl Eyes, who commends the fact that the library’s books are real, exclaiming, “What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop too—didn’t cut the pages. But what do you want? What do you expect?” (Fitzgerald 46). Gatsby is willing to spend an excessive amount on authentic books to prove his wealth,but never having opened them himself, he cares little about enjoying or learning from them. Gatsby appears to have achieved the American Dream, but it is merely a facade, as he is not fulfilled. After their introduction, Gatsby calls upon Nick an early morning in July, pulling up to Nick’s house in his gorgeous, extravagant vehicle. Gatsby comments: ‘It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport...‘Haven’t you ever seen it before?’ (64). His purpose is not simply to show off to Nick; he is searching for approval. Gatsby is deeply insecure about his status, and therefore wants confirmation that Nick believes he is respectable and wealthy. Two hours prior to Daisy and Gatsby’s reunion at Nick’s house, Nick sets out a few flowers to prepare for tea, however, “The flowers were unnecessary, for at two o’clock a greenhouse arrived from Gatsby’s, …show more content…
Initially, both seek their dream in superficial ways such as possessions and clothes. Gatsby purchases a mansion, an extravagant car, and fine clothes to present himself as a wealthy, respectable man that Daisy could marry, and Elle wears dull clothes and presents herself as a ‘serious’ law student that Warner could marry. At their core, these dreams are actually of happiness and self-fulfillment, not the person to which their directed. However, the focus of Elle’s dream becomes fulfilling herself as a successful lawyer, rather than trying to fit the societal ideal of one. With this, she is significantly more successful and can sincerely achieve lasting happiness. Furthermore while it is important to have aspirations, the most important thing is the method of achieving

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    When Daisy was coming over to Nick’s house, Gatsby bought hundreds of flowers for her that covered Nick’s house. This tremendous amount of flowers shows how clouded Gatsby has become by money. He feels that if he buys her flowers, he will therefore buy her love. The way the flowers were brought to the house also shows how much wealth means to his daily life. Nick says, “The flowers were unnecessary, for at two o'clock a green­house arrived from Gatsby's, with innumerable receptacles to contain it.…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Great Gatsby Recklessness

    • 1292 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The 1920 's: the jazz age, the birth of the movie industry, overall a social economic boom. The times were changing, and so the values and feelings followed. A young writer by the name of Scott F. Fitzgerald established his place in the entertainment world by boldly writing on-the-edge novels the people wanted to read. Over time, like most celebrities, his fame diminished. In one of his unsuccessful attempts to revive himself in society, Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby.…

    • 1292 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Born into a poor farming family in the west, Gatsby gradually gains wealth and power (albeit through questionable means). However, even this does not fulfill Gatsby’s dream. Fitzgerald argues that the American Dream is not possible because Gatsby views Daisy as an incorruptible dream…

    • 1194 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nick is recalling his father’s advice, and the result of such advice. Nick implies that his father meant to reserve his judgements because everyone has lived a different life. This schema that Nick possesses is one of the main motifs in the story, as it is put to the test a variety of times. Daisy is talking to Nick about her daughter. She hopes for her daughters naivete to hold true throughout her life so she can remain happy.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    A Mask’s Identity Masks are often used as ways of disguising one’s self that evoke a peculiar impression from the audience. They are known for being called a false face. Although, the facial appearance may differ, the holder still remains the same. No one knows the true identity of the mask’s holder unless it is removed. Similarly, this applies often when meeting people for the first time.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gatsby throws lavish parties, rides fancy cars, but he lies about how he got it. He says that he has been rich his entire life, and that he inherited the money from his family. The way Gatsby really got his money was when Gatsby was working for a man named Cody, and when he died Cody’s mistress did not allow Gatsby to get 25,000 dollars from the will. That is when Gatsby decided no matter what, he would become a rich and sucessful man. One day Gatsby picks Nick up for lunch and tells him “God’s honest truth” as Gatsby put it about his life and how he became rich .…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is set in the 1920s, a period of incredible prosperity, exorbitance, and brilliance. Although it was an era of incredible success, people became blinded by the immense amount of money neighboring them. As a result, they ventured out to go on a tremendous conquest in search of these riches. However, people lost the true meaning of happiness and solely focused on becoming wealthy. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses symbolism to exhibit that contentment is not merely established on the notion of acquiring money.…

    • 2004 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The novels, ¨The Great Gatsby¨, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and ¨Their Eyes Were Watching God¨, by Zora Neale Hurston, are both examples of text where the main characters strive to reach their dream. The American dream is the ideal that every human should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination and initiative. Similarly, both Janie and Gatsby are searching for love. While both Janie and Gatsby 's dreams were similar, Janie comes closest to reaching her dream by finding love with Tea Cake, whereas Gatsby fails at achieving his American Dream because he dies at the end of the story. Gatsby has reconnected with Daisy, but he can never have her because of their significant differences in social class.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I assumed the director considered it unnecessary, but it was necessary for the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can’t truly depict why it was needed in the book, but I would say it’s to add to the mystery that is Gatsby. Owl eyes didn’t believe that Gatsby had real books. I assume he thought they were cardboard and for show to illusion people to think he was richer than he actually was. But as Owl eyes found out Gatsby is as rich as he makes people think he is and it just proves that Gatsby is more than what people assume and think and goes to show that you don’t judge a book by its cover.…

    • 1020 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This characteristic manifests in Gatsby’s obstructed view of the world due to his own naive idealism. The reader is exposed to his idealistic views when Daisy and Nick are at his house and Nick reflects on the events of the afternoon. Even Nick, who has always defended Gatsby, realizes that “Daisy must have fallen short of Gatsby’s dreams一not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (101). Gatsby met Daisy five years prior. She was a girl with wealth, with connections, she embodied everything a seventeen-year-old boy would hope to have one day.…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Everyone has an American dream, it might not be planned out precisely but almost everyone knows what they want for themselves. For some it’s wealth and popularity, for others it’s happiness and an enjoyable life. Whatever the case is, the American dream is broad and it is not going away. In the novel The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Grant, Gatsby’s true American dream is to be with the love of his life, Daisy. The American dream that Gatsby is chasing is a possibility in today’s world because Gatsby is chasing love, which doesn’t change throughout the different time periods.…

    • 548 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Separated from his dream and surrounded by a society that worships inherited wealth, Gatsby comes to realize the fallacy of his persona. His dreams, which are structured by the pursuit of wealth, are incompatible with reality. When few people attend Gatsby’s funeral, Nick feels “a certain shame for Gatsby” (169). Nick’s once prideful and honorable impressions of Gatsby fade into pity. Gatsby’s death is plagued by loneliness, a stark contrast to his popular life under the public eye.…

    • 1373 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Relationships can be complicated, especially when there are multiple people involved. Sometimes people get so tied up in their relationships that it becomes their life, their passion, and their one goal, to perfect the relationship. For Jay Gatsby, this case is true. He fell in love with a girl he never could see himself with, and she fell in love with him. However, not all relationships always will work.…

    • 1664 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    American dream refers to a dream of someone who starting low in the social and economic level, then he or she working hard towards wealth, fame and success. This dream can be described as a materialism pursuit of pleasure as it is only achieved when a person successfully having a fancy car, a lot of money, luxurious house, happy wealthy family, fame and nice clothes. However, in order to achieve this dream, most of the character in The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald has turns to be someone who is selfish and materialistic. American Dream in the 1920’s, in this novel has caused destruction that can be seen through Daisy, Myrtle and Gatsby which then makes American dream as the significant theme of this novel.…

    • 1528 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Reality of the American Dream America has been viewed as the “promise land” and the “land of opportunity” for many generations. America has built itself on the concept of opportunity, individualism, and self-reliance which are the factors that assembled the “American dream.” The American dream has fueled the aspirations of many. Many believed that through hard work and dedication, prosperity and success is achievable. Success varies from individual to individual depending on one’s own personal desires.…

    • 1546 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays