Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And The American Dream

The American Dream is a difficult term to define due to its subjective nature. Some people view it as the promise of material wealth and a comfortable existence. Others view the dream as the promise of a blank slate upon which they can chart their own paths and determine their own futures. Still others see the dream as the promise of racial equality. The term “American Dream,” then, is perhaps best summarized as a projection of people’s innermost desires. Therefore, a particular formulation of the American Dream reveals as much about the dreamer himself as it does about the broader American society in general.
To me, the American Dream depicts a society that encourages dreaming by offering opportunity and freedom to all of its citizens. More …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby strongly desired to please everyone around him, especially when it concerned his love, Daisy Buchanan. From this, it is clear that he tries to achieve the American Dream for the love of Daisy Buchanan. He moved right across from her and bought dozens upon dozens of items, all to impress her and get her to love him. Gatsby was searching for the American Dream: to find the love of his life and live happily ever after; however, after trying to achieve it through obtaining material possessions and throwing lavish parties, he realized it would never be …show more content…
He contends that America has painted itself as the land of the free throughout its brief history, yet he believes that this has yet to be achieved by society. He contends this lack of freedom on the basis that the working class, the Indians, and black people were the foundation of our great nation, and thus, must work to bring back their mighty dream back within their grasps. While Hughes’ words speak more literally to racial inequality in general in the United States, his words speak to the inequality that exists in the current American Dream. Specifically, he believes that the American Dream is not actually available to anyone but Caucasians, but also that the Dream has only been made available to the white man because of the toils of everyone else. In addition, Hughes states that society has this great, romanticized idea of the American Dream, but it is not yet attainable. However, he is certain, and he insists that one day it must become attainable for everyone in America, white or minority, rich or poor, so that "America [can] be America