Success Of The American Dream

In the 1920s, citizens of the United States of America commonly strived for the “American Dream”. This was the belief that by living in this country, you could somehow become well-known and rich, yielding a better life and a noble status. This dream was not an easy one to accomplish, so the methods in which some attained it were in many cases unsure and morally wrong. Nevertheless, no matter how you rose to success, being an elite member of society was thought to promise happiness and a fulfilling life. All of these ideals are clearly portrayed in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. However, what the characters of the novel began to realize is that though the “American Dream” can be accomplished through such means as smuggling …show more content…
After enlisting in the army, he met a girl named Daisy, and they fell in love. Whenever Jay went off to the war, he told Daisy that he was penniless. After Daisy found this out, she realized she couldn’t marry him, because of the common belief that marrying for money was the only way that a marriage could be successful and joyful. Daisy then quickly married Tom Buchanon, a man who came from a wealthy family. Gatsby was so desperate for Daisy that he wanted to be rich in any way he could, and thus resorted to bootlegging. Gatsby became rich in little time, basically living the typical “American Dream”. Though he possessed immense wealth and threw lavish parties, Gatsby was still discontented. He did not acquire his enormous mansion and expensive possessions for his own merit, but rather for the hope that they might please Daisy. We can see this is true whenever, after speaking with Gatsby, Jordan says, “I think he half expected her (Daisy) to wander into one of his parties, some night, but she never did” (Fitzgerald 79). We can also see this when, at his extravagant and over-the-top parties, Gatsby does not engage with his hundreds of guests, nor does he dance or partake in any of the parties’ festivities. He later admits that all of the parties were for Daisy, in the hopes that she might attend one so that he could see her. This shows us that Gatsby’s “American Dream” is not his ill-gotten wealth, but Daisy …show more content…
Nick moves into a house right next door to Jay Gatsby, and right across the river from his cousin, Daisy Buchanon. Though not much is said of his intentions for the move, to me it seems as if Nick is after a different kind of “American Dream” as well. Though he is not quite as desperate for wealth as the other characters in the novel, I think that the aspect of the “American Dream” that Nick values most is being respected and well-known. We see this through Nick’s befriending of rich and noble people. His new house is conveniently located next door to Jay Gatsby’s, whom he takes an interest in and, as the novel progresses, befriends him. He also spends more time with his wealthy cousin Daisy and her husband Tom, getting to know them more and more as the book unfolds. Yet, we can see this theory validated most by Nick’s dating of Jordan Baker, a famous tennis star. Nick even says himself that he doesn’t really like her that much. He describes her one day by saying, “Usually her voice came over the wire as something fresh and cool, as if a divot from a green golf-links had come sailing in at the office window, but this morning it seemed harsh and dry.” (Fitzgerald 155). In this quote, Nick is showing that his interest in Jordan is everchanging, meaning he likes her at one moment and then doesn’t the next. However, being that she is well-known and rich, he