The United States of America declared their independence from an oppressive British nation on July 4th, 1776, and in the words of the Declaration of Independence, became a nation where, “all men are created equal.” Founding Fathers of America sacrificed their lives in order to eliminate the social injustice of inequality between citizens of mainland Britain and citizens of the colonies. The United States was founded on the principle of fairness born with every man, which was later coined, the American Dream. In 1931, Historian James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream as a rich and full life with, “opportunity for each.” Although the dream of equal opportunity was the hope for America’s founders, strong barriers have made movement between
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Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, adequately epitomizes the wealthy class of America, who live lavishly, and relish in privilege. The upper class in the 1920’s had an enormous amount of wealth. In Fitzgerald’s novel, the main character Jay Gatsby, is the perfect example of extravagant living. He would host parties at his mansion on Long Island for only the most wealthy and most important. Gatsby’s mansion was described to have had parties between, “nine in the morning and long past midnight” (Fitzgerald 39). These parties included large amounts of alcohol, food, and entertainment and time when these luxuries were limited. The upper class had the resources to not only use but waste their time and money on parties while the working and poor classes struggled. Fitzgerald uses the “Valley of Ashes” in order to represent the poverty stricken nation that lay just next the rich on Long Island (24). While American’s continued to struggle in order to achieve their dreams, the divide between them and the wealthy grew larger and the wealthy were sat at the top unfazed. Access to such monumental amounts of money made the upper class untouchable, which left the working and poor classes unable to access opportunities for
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, adequately epitomizes the wealthy class of America, who live lavishly, and relish in privilege. The upper class in the 1920’s had an enormous amount of wealth. In Fitzgerald’s novel, the main character Jay Gatsby, is the perfect example of extravagant living. He would host parties at his mansion on Long Island for only the most wealthy and most important. Gatsby’s mansion was described to have had parties between, “nine in the morning and long past midnight” (Fitzgerald 39). These parties included large amounts of alcohol, food, and entertainment and time when these luxuries were limited. The upper class had the resources to not only use but waste their time and money on parties while the working and poor classes struggled. Fitzgerald uses the “Valley of Ashes” in order to represent the poverty stricken nation that lay just next the rich on Long Island (24). While American’s continued to struggle in order to achieve their dreams, the divide between them and the wealthy grew larger and the wealthy were sat at the top unfazed. Access to such monumental amounts of money made the upper class untouchable, which left the working and poor classes unable to access opportunities for