The Valley of Ashes: An American Trap
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Gatsby, one of the main characters, tries to reach his goal of getting back together with Daisy, but is unsuccessful. Other characters such as George Wilson and Myrtle Wilson are also unsuccessful in their quest for the American Dream. In Fitzgerald's novel, the American Dream challenges the values and truths of American society. One of the utmost famous American values is that anyone can go from rags to riches, but is that absolutely true? People struggle to reach their hopes and dreams, especially those with unfavorable backgrounds. In addition, the ones who fall short are often the ones who work the hardest, while the ones that become successful are sometimes born into money. Although the Valley of Ashes is just a place in New York, Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes as a critique of American capitalist society and how the poor can’t evade poverty. Even though all citizens are said to “have equal opportunity”, Gatsby, Wilson, and Myrtle are all examples of the impoverished trying to reach their dreams unsuccessfully, proving that American society is flawed. Myrtle Wilson is one …show more content…
Not only does she cheat on his with Tom Buchanan, but she also talks about Wilson behind his back. She describes him as a “little kike”(34) who had been chasing her for years. Myrtle thinks she can talk down to her husband even though he is a loyal man. As the book progresses, George’s hope of having a loving wife diminish. He is infinitely busy working that he doesn’t recognize her second life. She thinks she is of a higher class than Wilson and that “he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe.”(34) This is ironic because Wilson is a hard working and loyal man, while Myrtle is neither of the two. Despite Myrtle’s assumption that George Wilson is too busy working to discern her secret relationship, he later finds
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Gatsby, one of the main characters, tries to reach his goal of getting back together with Daisy, but is unsuccessful. Other characters such as George Wilson and Myrtle Wilson are also unsuccessful in their quest for the American Dream. In Fitzgerald's novel, the American Dream challenges the values and truths of American society. One of the utmost famous American values is that anyone can go from rags to riches, but is that absolutely true? People struggle to reach their hopes and dreams, especially those with unfavorable backgrounds. In addition, the ones who fall short are often the ones who work the hardest, while the ones that become successful are sometimes born into money. Although the Valley of Ashes is just a place in New York, Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes as a critique of American capitalist society and how the poor can’t evade poverty. Even though all citizens are said to “have equal opportunity”, Gatsby, Wilson, and Myrtle are all examples of the impoverished trying to reach their dreams unsuccessfully, proving that American society is flawed. Myrtle Wilson is one …show more content…
Not only does she cheat on his with Tom Buchanan, but she also talks about Wilson behind his back. She describes him as a “little kike”(34) who had been chasing her for years. Myrtle thinks she can talk down to her husband even though he is a loyal man. As the book progresses, George’s hope of having a loving wife diminish. He is infinitely busy working that he doesn’t recognize her second life. She thinks she is of a higher class than Wilson and that “he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe.”(34) This is ironic because Wilson is a hard working and loyal man, while Myrtle is neither of the two. Despite Myrtle’s assumption that George Wilson is too busy working to discern her secret relationship, he later finds