Miniver Cheevy: The American Dream

The early settlers of America set out for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... And isn’t that what we all want? We all want a good life-- whether it be an ideal job, a house, or someone to love. We all want freedom-- independence to do whatever we believe is right or moral. And lastly, we all want to be happy-- and this is whether we realize it or not. But sometimes you want something so bad, and with such passion... that you don’t even realize that it is already behind you.
And that is what the American dream is: an unattainable dream. A corrupt idea that society has created to make us believe that “anything is possible” if we just hope for the best and reach for the skies. The American settlers soon found out about the falseness …show more content…
He believes he should have been born in a different time "when swords were bright and steeds were prancing." Miniver settles on his own destiny by living in his own pity and resorting to alcoholism. Jay Gatsby and Miniver Cheevy are both alike in the sense that they are both dreamers. They are both men who dwell on the past and chooses to intoxicate themselves with unrealistic dreams. They both live in the past, the only difference is that one only wishes that the past could be repeated, and the other is absolutely convinced that it …show more content…
However, after reading the poem Richard Cory, I soon became aware that someone who gains power or high status can become socially isolated as a result. In the poem, Robinson describes how everyone envied his traits, looks, and success. Which is why the last two lines of the poem shocked me a bit. "Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head." In the poem, the author subtly describes how Richard Cory was isolated from society resulting in him committing suicide. As Americans in a capitalist society, we are taught to try to become successful in order to make the most money and gain the most power. Robinson explains how people can become miserable because of success. The sad thing is that Richard Cory was a humble, approachable human being but he still became isolated because he could not create meaningful relationships with others because of the position that he was in. It illustrates that becoming rich and famous does not guarantee relationships and happiness. This explains how Fitzgerald’s portrayal connects to Edwin Arlington Robinson’s portrayal of the American Dream. Both Richard Cory and Jay Gatsby have everything thought to be needed in order to achieve the American Dream, success, looks, power, and wealth. But both characters are miserable with their lives are are isolated by the rest of