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How Does Gatsby Represent The American Dream in "The Great Gatsby"

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Words: 720 |

Pages: 2|

4 min read

Published: Feb 9, 2023

Words: 720|Pages: 2|4 min read

Published: Feb 9, 2023

F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American Dream in the character of Jay Gatsby in his masterpiece, ‘The Great Gatsby’. So how exactly does gatsby represent the American Dream? Gatsby Succeeds in changing his lifestyles as he goes from having nothing to being very wealthy. His success, however, comes all through corruption. Exactly how Gatsby made his fortune is no longer clear however it is clear that he is or was once involved in some illegal business.

According to Merriam- Webster, the definition of the American dream is ‘a way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be completed by way of each person in America particularly by working hard and becoming successful.’

Through Gatsby's life, Fitzgerald critiques the idea that America is a meritocracy where anybody can upward to the top with doing hard work. Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is achievable but by means of including the illegal thing to Gatsby's success, he additionally problematizes the American Dream. Gatsby's success is structured on the fact that he did not follow the policies of society. ‘In stressing the corruption at the heart of Gatsby’s dream, as well as exposing, in the revelation of Daisy's character, the tawdriness of what the dream aspires to, Fitzgerald simply supposed a crucial criticism of the ‘American Dream’ (Gatsby, p:76). As Gatsby turns to an unlawful business to obtain his American Dream, it is a fact that all of us does not have the equal opportunities to succeed, proven by way of Fitzgerald.

Gatsby is truly a nice personality for writing American Dream. Though he's the son of a poor farmer rises to be notoriously wealthy. Many humans additionally include Daisy into their evaluation as the physical representation of Gatsby's dream. However, American Dream is carried out through people's goals through sincere challenging work, but in Gatsby's case, he very quickly acquires a giant quantity of money doing crime. Gatsby tries to do the hard work through approaching Dan Cody, but that would not work out. So rather he turns to crime, and only then does he manipulate to achieve his favored wealth.

Gatsby has a romantic view of wealth and is unaware of the realities of American Society where wealth is now not the sole thing when it comes to social class. There is a bond more desirable than cash between people like Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Even though Gatsby has made a super fortune, it does now not belong to the same social class as Tom and Daisy. Tom and Daisy's contempt in opposition to human beings like Gatsby, rich humans however with a distinct socioeconomic background, is proven with the aid of Daisy's desire of West Egg, where Gatsby lives (Fitzgerald 102).

This contempt as well as the bond between Tom and Daisy Buchanan can be explained, According to Weber's theory, with their comparable upbringing and education. That is additional evidence that no matter how hard Gatsby tries, he cannot change his past and he can't change other people's past. The trouble he faces comes when he is faced with a society that is filled with decadence and expectation of sure matters from the top class. Since popularity is more than social class, established on matters from the past, such as upbringing, it is also more difficult to change.

So while Gatsby's story resembles an ordinary rags-to-riches tale, the reality that he gained his money immorally complicates the concept that he is a perfect avatar for the American Dream. Furthermore, his success needless to say does not last ‘he nevertheless craves for Daisy and loses the whole thing in his try to get her back. In different words, Gatsby’s massive dreams, all precariously wedded to Daisy ‘He knew that when he kissed this girl and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his thinking would in no way romp again like the thinking of God’ (Gatsby, 134) are as flimsy and flight as Daisy herself.

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To conclude, it can be said that Gatsby's death at the end of the novel is intended to portray the futile nature of the pursuit the American Dream possesses. F. Scott Fitzgerald believed, due to his own private experiences, that the American dream used to be a cruel mistress whom presented all people with opportunity, yet even with success made happiness continuously out of reach.

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Dr. Charlotte Jacobson

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How Does Gatsby Represent The American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”. (2023, February 09). GradesFixer. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/how-does-gatsby-represent-the-american-dream-in-scott-fitzgeralds-book/
“How Does Gatsby Represent The American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”.” GradesFixer, 09 Feb. 2023, gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/how-does-gatsby-represent-the-american-dream-in-scott-fitzgeralds-book/
How Does Gatsby Represent The American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”. [online]. Available at: <https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/how-does-gatsby-represent-the-american-dream-in-scott-fitzgeralds-book/> [Accessed 4 Nov. 2024].
How Does Gatsby Represent The American Dream in “The Great Gatsby” [Internet]. GradesFixer. 2023 Feb 09 [cited 2024 Nov 4]. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/how-does-gatsby-represent-the-american-dream-in-scott-fitzgeralds-book/
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