Comparison Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby And A Streetcar Named Desire

Superior Essays
Everyone wants to be happy. Some people will travel across the sea and leave their home and family in search for happiness. They will throw away everything they have in order to attain something that, during the moment, seems like the perfect solution to all of their problems. Jay Gatsby and Blanche Dubois in The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire, respectfully, give away everything they have in order to attain what they believe to be the ultimate form of happiness: the American Dream. Jay Gatsby and Blanche Dubois were both consumed by the idea of the American Dream and were blinded to its reality, which inevitably resulted in failed relationships, lower status, and the loss of what they value most.
The American dream is a notion
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He was so infatuated with the idea of calling Daisy his own, that he failed to realize that Daisy has already moved on without him. In addition, due to the constant concern of the past and of wanting to repeat it, Gatsby becomes a prisoner of own thoughts and dreams. Throughout the novel, Gatsby’s objective was to embrace Daisy into his arms and to never let her go. However, the reality of Daisy’s circumstances does not allow that to happen. When Gatsby finally rekindles with Daisy and they both admit their love to each other, they were faced with the situation of confessing to Tom of their love for each other. When Daisy was faced with the challenge of telling Tom for her love of Gatsby, she bursted into tears and confusion and said,” “Oh you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now—isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. “I did love him once—but I loved you too” (Fitzgerald 101). This quote shows evident proof that Daisy is confused on whether she wholeheartedly loves Gatsby or Tom. Gatsby all his life tried his hardest to grasp onto Daisy’s love and to keep it forever; however, he failed to realize that Daisy has already moved on without him and that she made a commitment with another man. This proves that Gatsby is putting in a lot of effort into something that was never real, and that is never going to be real either. Furthermore, when Tom speaks of …show more content…
In the beginning of Gatsby’s life, Gatsby envisioned himself of being the son of God and of deserving more than what was given to him. Gatsby struggled to capture the American Dream and tried to blend in with society. As Gatsby grew, so did his name around New York City. He becomes very well known for his extravagant parties, his new money, and his marvellous mansion. All of this was done to capture Daisy’s attention and to win her love and to become a part of the higher class. However, Gatsby failed to realize that everything that he was going after was just a reflection of what he wants his life to be, but was never real. When he passes away, everything he has done goes unnoticed and his name is forgotten amongst his “closest” friends. The irony behind Gatsby’s death was that he was shot by someone of the Valley of Ashes, and throughout his life Gatsby tried his hardest to become from the people of East Egg but was never accepted. Before the death of Gatsby Nick narrated, “And I thought of the night when I first came to his ancestral home, three months before. The lawn and drive had been crowded with the faces of those who guessed at his corruption — and he had stood on those steps, concealing his incorruptible dream, as he waved them goodbye. I thanked him for his hospitality. We were always thanking him for that — I and the others.” (Fitzgerald 119) Gatsby was only known for his

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