James Truslow Adams is responsible for coining the term “American Dream” in his book The Epic of America (Source E). Some may find it surprising that the book was published in 1931 because the idea of America’s unique, opportunist culture had been prominent since the country’s founding. However, several creators utilized this idea for central themes in their literary works long before it had a name. One of these people was F. Scott Fitzgerald, who published The Great Gatsby in 1925. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald exposes the irrational and unattainable nature of the now infamous American Dream. One aspect of the American Dream that held true in Fitzgerald’s novel and the real world was who could achieve it. When examining the characters
…show more content…
As American culture has evolved, consumerism has made a “picture perfect” life seemingly more realistic. In 1958, America changed when Bank of America introduced the BankAmericard (Source E). After its release, the accumulation of debt became normalized, but so did owning a house, car, and television. Consumer credit allowed almost anyone to achieve the American Dream. However, much like Gatsby, no one was genuinely successful. Behind every house, car, and television was a mountain of debt. Today, Americans know about the facade that Fitzgerald described in his novel. A CNN poll from 2006 found that fifty-four percent of people surveyed considered the American Dream unachievable (Source E). The results from the poll show that the corruption Fitzgerald illustrated through Gatsby can still be seen in the modern world. With the assistance of central themes like the ones from The Great Gatsby, Americans can identify the flaws in their goals and overall culture. In conclusion, Fitzgerald exposes the irrational and unattainable nature of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. The central theme of the novel placed a spotlight on the imperfections of American culture so readers from all time periods could identify the imperfections of their own societies. Fitzgerald is one of the few authors to curate timeless themes in their literary
As American culture has evolved, consumerism has made a “picture perfect” life seemingly more realistic. In 1958, America changed when Bank of America introduced the BankAmericard (Source E). After its release, the accumulation of debt became normalized, but so did owning a house, car, and television. Consumer credit allowed almost anyone to achieve the American Dream. However, much like Gatsby, no one was genuinely successful. Behind every house, car, and television was a mountain of debt. Today, Americans know about the facade that Fitzgerald described in his novel. A CNN poll from 2006 found that fifty-four percent of people surveyed considered the American Dream unachievable (Source E). The results from the poll show that the corruption Fitzgerald illustrated through Gatsby can still be seen in the modern world. With the assistance of central themes like the ones from The Great Gatsby, Americans can identify the flaws in their goals and overall culture. In conclusion, Fitzgerald exposes the irrational and unattainable nature of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. The central theme of the novel placed a spotlight on the imperfections of American culture so readers from all time periods could identify the imperfections of their own societies. Fitzgerald is one of the few authors to curate timeless themes in their literary