Coursing through the veins of every American flows the undeniable drive to succeed. This drive is “The American Dream”: what does this mean? The American Dream was a notion given to believe that an individual should pursue being happy, wealthy, and loved, causing many Americans to strive for it. This idea had the power to create rich from poor, turn struggle into money, and open windows of opportunity for those who are willing to better themselves. Many American, base their dreams upon reaching a higher standard in life, become more than what they were. Many Americans have strived to reach their idea of the America Dream throughout history, in both fiction and nonfiction. In The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses his protagonist
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Nick has just arrived home and sees Gatsby mysteriously wandering around his estate and says to himself, “-he [Gatsby] stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way… I could have sworn he was trembling…I glanced seaward…a single green light minute and far away…”(20). We find out the Gatsby is actually stretching his arms towards a green light across the bay, this green light Gatsby now is reaching for represent the American Dream. His American Dream whom he associates with Daisy, his movement of him trembling represents his passion and emotion for Daisy. She is so close yet so far but he doesn’t have her in his grasp quite yet. This is showing how the American Dream is being to die and how anxious he is for him final attempts to have her. The obstacles that Gatsby and the green light, which symbolizes Gatsby’s uncontrollable desire to have Daisy, represent that even through nature his dream is unconquerable making it impossible to achieve. This shows that the American Dream itself is so close, but always out of reach describing the downfall of the American Dream. Another time the novel exemplifies the death of Gatsby American Dream is when he Nick refers to his age. Gatsby and Daisy have just left the room after Tom and Gatsby’s fight Nick says, “Thirty – the promise if a decade of loneliness, a thing list of single men to know, a thing brief case of enthusiasm, thing hair’”(135). Nick is truly showing the ironic part of not just his life but Gatsby’s as well. Gatsby is trying to so desperately to hold on to a love he had almost 5 year ago and is obsessed with making sure it works because he now has money. This little phrase that refers to Nick aging symbolizes the death of the American Dream. This foreshadows an ending to the freewheeling idea of Gatsby American Dream, slipping away slowly. We learn
Nick has just arrived home and sees Gatsby mysteriously wandering around his estate and says to himself, “-he [Gatsby] stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way… I could have sworn he was trembling…I glanced seaward…a single green light minute and far away…”(20). We find out the Gatsby is actually stretching his arms towards a green light across the bay, this green light Gatsby now is reaching for represent the American Dream. His American Dream whom he associates with Daisy, his movement of him trembling represents his passion and emotion for Daisy. She is so close yet so far but he doesn’t have her in his grasp quite yet. This is showing how the American Dream is being to die and how anxious he is for him final attempts to have her. The obstacles that Gatsby and the green light, which symbolizes Gatsby’s uncontrollable desire to have Daisy, represent that even through nature his dream is unconquerable making it impossible to achieve. This shows that the American Dream itself is so close, but always out of reach describing the downfall of the American Dream. Another time the novel exemplifies the death of Gatsby American Dream is when he Nick refers to his age. Gatsby and Daisy have just left the room after Tom and Gatsby’s fight Nick says, “Thirty – the promise if a decade of loneliness, a thing list of single men to know, a thing brief case of enthusiasm, thing hair’”(135). Nick is truly showing the ironic part of not just his life but Gatsby’s as well. Gatsby is trying to so desperately to hold on to a love he had almost 5 year ago and is obsessed with making sure it works because he now has money. This little phrase that refers to Nick aging symbolizes the death of the American Dream. This foreshadows an ending to the freewheeling idea of Gatsby American Dream, slipping away slowly. We learn