The idea that everyone has an equal opportunity to reach his or her goal through hard work and determination sets people up for failure because there is always more to achieve. Even though people strive for success, predetermined social class does not allow for any change of conditions. In a never-ending cycle, the poor always work to support the wealthy, and in turn the wealthy treat the working class as minorities. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, The Valley of Ashes, a representation of the delusion of the American Dream, is a side effect of the unequal opportunities given to the wealthy in a society with stark class division. George Wilson tries to escape the Valley of Ashes but fails because of his distorted image of the American Dream, proving the impossibility of changing one’s social status. In the Valley of Ashes, all of the workers “[move] dimly and are crumbling through the powdery air” because they are all trying to escape the poor living conditions and their lives in the Valley of Ashes (23). George’s dim life in the Valley of Ashes exposes his inability to change his condition because of the preset social classes. Wilson is under the impression that he and Myrtle can move to a better home in the West if he works hard enough in the Valley of Ashes. He works harder
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Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, The Valley of Ashes depicts the distorted image American Dream as side effect of the unequal opportunities given to the wealthy in the preset societal classes. George, Myrtle and the workers in the Valley strive towards a greater goal to better their life, but no one achieves it because of the predetermined economic wealth divisions. It will always be impossible to get out of the situations they were born in because the wealthy will keep indulging themselves. On the other hand the poor always work hard so those people are successful. Individuals can never succeed if they reach for impossible goals controlled by predetermined
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, The Valley of Ashes depicts the distorted image American Dream as side effect of the unequal opportunities given to the wealthy in the preset societal classes. George, Myrtle and the workers in the Valley strive towards a greater goal to better their life, but no one achieves it because of the predetermined economic wealth divisions. It will always be impossible to get out of the situations they were born in because the wealthy will keep indulging themselves. On the other hand the poor always work hard so those people are successful. Individuals can never succeed if they reach for impossible goals controlled by predetermined