'The Great Gatsby': Character Analysis

The American Dream is the belief that anyone in America can be successful through perseverance and through hard work. In The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby is an extremely wealthy and popular man, however, he was not born into money. Gatsby was born into a poor family on a farm in North Dakota but left that life behind in order to pursue more for himself, he always thought he was too good for that lifestyle. As a soldier in World War I he meets Daisy and instantly falls in love with her. He was broke and penniless at the time, so Daisy gets tired of waiting and marries a rich man. In order for Gatsby to achieve his dreams of being rich and living this American Dream, the final piece of the equation would be having a beautiful …show more content…
The American Dream is based on honest work, while Gatsby achieves his wealth through some messy business as a bootlegger, which actually concludes that he hasn’t achieved anything at all since crime was his method. George and Myrtle Wilson desire more for themselves, they want to leave their poor lifestyle behind, which is why Myrtle has an affair with Tom. Although George was a hard worker as the American Dream states, he still never gains success and ends up dying. In order to gain a higher status, Myrtle turns to cheating because she believes it will guarantee her a better life. However, she will never be approved of in a high-class society, she has no power and is simply an object for Tom which he uses and toys …show more content…
George Wilson does everything he can to please his wife, but he never is good enough and he even ends up killing himself for her. It just symbolizes that the American Dream is not possible for those who come from poor backgrounds, it is simply an illusion. Yes, the American Dream is a reality for Daisy and Tom, they don’t face any repercussions, the American Dream is not a dream for them but it is something they have had since birth. The American Dream is only a technique used to motivate poor people to work, but actually class is essential, not just anyone can rise to the top, you can’t climb your way into old money no matter how hard you try. Tom believes that Gatsby can’t be as sophisticated or as wise as he is since Gatsby actually has to work for his money, unlike Tom or Daisy. They are both selfish and live only to maintain and show off their supremacy. They are all about material items, their American Dream is fulfilled through their cars and luxurious home, however, they are both sad in their