“I lived at West Egg, the-well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them.” (Fitzgerald 5). In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses West Egg as an example of people working to fulfill the American Dream, and East Egg as an example of aristocratic society. In the novel, East Egg represents Fitzgerald’s criticism of The American Dream, because the people of East Egg, specifically Tom Buchanan, look down upon new money and the major ideals of the American Dream. Because of people like Tom, other characters such as Gatsby and Myrtle can never accomplish the dream, because aristocracy doesn't allow them. Fitzgerald criticizes the
…show more content…
Gatsby uses his extravagant parties to attract Daisy, which cost him immense amounts of money to entertain: “I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night, but she never did. Then he began asking people casually if they knew her, and I was the first one he found.” (Fitzgerald 79). By using great amounts of his money to attract Daisy, Gatsby exhibits that he believes that money can buy happiness. Gatsby’s exhibition of the idea that money can buy happiness is a part of Fitzgerald’s criticism of The American Dream in the novel, since Gatsby only worked immensely for his wealth because he believes it would make him happy. Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby’s motives as scrutiny of The American Dream, because he believes that this example demonstrates the shift of the ideal from spiritual to material. After Gatsby has finally physically obtained his true love, Gatsby loses the sense of accomplishment he believed he would have from gaining his dream: “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock. Daisy put her arm through his abruptly, but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had …show more content…
Tom keeps people from gaining The American Dream, because in the story Tom is an example of aristocratic society, old money society who wanted to keep their elite group of millionaires pure and not allow any new money people into it. This aristocratic old money society is a major part of Fitzgerald's criticism of The American Dream, because this high level of society makes the dream become impossible to achieve. Fitzgerald exploits his criticism of aristocratic society and The American Dream when Tom speaks of protecting the white race: “Well, it's a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It's all scientific stuff; it's been proved.” (Fitzgerald 12-13). In stating that he believes the white race will be submerged, Tom shines light onto his aristocratic beliefs of protecting his high aristocratic class by not allowing it to be mixed with new money individuals . Tom’s aristocratic belief that the upper class should not be mixed with newly rich people is very hypocritical, since Tom regularly cheats on his wife with a woman of the lowest class.Toms hypocritical belief and actions are apart of Fitzgerald's scrutiny of The American Dream, since even
Gatsby uses his extravagant parties to attract Daisy, which cost him immense amounts of money to entertain: “I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night, but she never did. Then he began asking people casually if they knew her, and I was the first one he found.” (Fitzgerald 79). By using great amounts of his money to attract Daisy, Gatsby exhibits that he believes that money can buy happiness. Gatsby’s exhibition of the idea that money can buy happiness is a part of Fitzgerald’s criticism of The American Dream in the novel, since Gatsby only worked immensely for his wealth because he believes it would make him happy. Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby’s motives as scrutiny of The American Dream, because he believes that this example demonstrates the shift of the ideal from spiritual to material. After Gatsby has finally physically obtained his true love, Gatsby loses the sense of accomplishment he believed he would have from gaining his dream: “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock. Daisy put her arm through his abruptly, but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had …show more content…
Tom keeps people from gaining The American Dream, because in the story Tom is an example of aristocratic society, old money society who wanted to keep their elite group of millionaires pure and not allow any new money people into it. This aristocratic old money society is a major part of Fitzgerald's criticism of The American Dream, because this high level of society makes the dream become impossible to achieve. Fitzgerald exploits his criticism of aristocratic society and The American Dream when Tom speaks of protecting the white race: “Well, it's a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It's all scientific stuff; it's been proved.” (Fitzgerald 12-13). In stating that he believes the white race will be submerged, Tom shines light onto his aristocratic beliefs of protecting his high aristocratic class by not allowing it to be mixed with new money individuals . Tom’s aristocratic belief that the upper class should not be mixed with newly rich people is very hypocritical, since Tom regularly cheats on his wife with a woman of the lowest class.Toms hypocritical belief and actions are apart of Fitzgerald's scrutiny of The American Dream, since even