"The Great Gatsby": Repeating The Past and American Dream

Introduction

What must a man do to achieve the “American Dream?” Is it through hard work and perseverance. Or taking risks and breaking laws? It could be neither or even both. In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan demonstrate these factors throughout the novel. Each male character are presented in a variety of social class and dissimilar characteristics that each take it upon themselves to achieve their idea of  “The American Dream”. In The Great Gatsby, repeating the past becomes a haunting pursuit for Jay Gatsby, illustrating the complexities of the human desire to recapture lost moments. Yet, in doing so, unnoticeably and unintentionally they shatter other significant things that affect them and others in the novel. This only results later on, by leaving the character in struggle or to his demise.

Nick Carraway: Chasing the American Dream

Nick Carraway functions as the narrator throughout the novel. He demonstrates both the baffleed and protagonist character, but prominently resembling, the “every man” of the 1920’s. Nick had the same aspiration as every other man did during the time period. Whether it was a house, family or wealth, all is associated with the “American Dream.”  After graduating from Yale and serving his country during World War I, Nick moves to West Egg, Long Island as a salesman in the bond business. “I enjoyed the counter-raid so thoroughly that I came back restless. Instead of being the warm center of the world the middle-west now seemed like the ragged edge of the universe—so I decided to go east and learn the bond business. Everybody I knew was in the bond business so I supposed it could support one more single man.”  (Fitzgerald, 9). Nick returns to the Midwest feeling empty. He found his home no longer suited him. He explained how it did not feel warm or comfortable anymore and, in some way, frail. It is as though the momentum of war changed his perseverance. Anticipated to feel congenial again, Nick decides to move to New York. He felt that, by joining the bond business, it would help him feel vital or important, while simultaneously achieving the “American Dream.”

Unlike Jay Gatsby or Tom Buchanan, Nick is presented as a more reserved character. Observant, tolerant, and quiet. Nick tends to result within other people's affairs and secrets without purposely intending to. “You mean to say you don’t know?’ said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. ‘I thought everybody knew.’ ‘I don’t.’ ‘Why——’ she said hesitantly, ‘Tom’s got some woman in New York.’ ‘Got some woman?’ I repeated blankly. Miss Baker nodded.” (Fitzgerald 18). Jordan tells Nick about Tom’s affair with another woman, but decides not to tell Daisy. He does the same with Tom when he learns that Daisy is having an affair with Gatsby. This portrays Nick as a taciturn and reticent character. Although he is not as express compared to the other characters, Nick prefers to describe and comment on events rather than take action.

Despite Nick’s fascination with the fast-paced and luxurious lifestyle of New York, he finds it grotesque and damaging. An example is how he views Gatsby, Daisy and Tom. It also symbolizes Nick's relationship with Jordan Baker. He is attracted to her and yet turned off by her dishonesty and lack of consideration for other people. “I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride.’ ‘I’m thirty,’ I said. ‘I’m five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor.’ She didn’t answer. Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away.” (Fitzgerald 190). After witnessing the outcome of Gatsby’s funeral, Nick realizes, in disgust, how empty the morale of the people are, especially in East and West Egg society. This is juxtaposed by how only a small crowd of people appeared at Gatsby’s funeral compared to the hundreds of people that attended  his parties. Because of this, he returns to Minnesota in search of a quieter life structured by more traditional moral values.

“On the last night, with my trunk packed and my car sold to the grocer, I went over and looked at that huge incoherent failure of a house once more. On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick, stood out clearly in the moonlight and I erased it, drawing my shoe raspingly along the stone. Then I wandered down to the beach and sprawled out on the sand.” (Fitzgerald 192). Nick admired Gatsby, but despised everything he stood for, including his house. Despite this, Nick’s extends his compassion towards Gatsby and his house and, by trying to keep it clean since he knew how much the house meant to Gatsby. When Nick erased the scrawled word written on the white steps, it symbolizes the story of Nick’s loss of hope and innocence as he enters his 30s. It demonstrates a sign of “awakening” for Nick as well as the raw reality of the “American Dream.”

Jay Gatsby: Repeating the Past

As titled, The Great Gatsby is presented as “great” throughout the novel, but when looked at critically and in depth, some of the things Gatsby stood for may not be so admirable. Living in West Egg as Nick’s neighbour, Gatsby is described as a complex, mysterious character. Many people define him this way because they never met him in person, which may have caused spread rumors. “Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.’ A thrill passed over all of us. The three Mr. Mumbles bent forward and listened eagerly. ‘I don’t think it’s so much THAT,’ argued Lucille skeptically; ‘it’s more that he was a German spy during the war.’ One of the men nodded in confirmation. ‘Oh, no,’ said the first girl, ‘it couldn’t be that, because he was in the American army during the war.” (Fitzgerald 48). Many observed and listened to others about Gatsby. This proves how gossip influenced greatly on his mysterious character. “We all turned and looked around for Gatsby. It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world.” (Fitzgerald 48).

Similar to Tom Buchanan, Gatsby was described as wealthy and successful. However, unlike Tom, Gatsby believes he has not yet achieved his interpretation of  the “American Dream.” Five years before Gatsby's success, Jay Gatsby was stationed in Louisville before going to fight in WWI. In Louisville, he met Daisy, the “Golden Girl.” Gatsby fell in love with Daisy and the wealth she represents, and she with him. By the time he returned from the war, Daisy had already married Tom Buchanan. This did not discourage Gatsby's efforts to win her back. Gatsby's ambition and determination led him to Meyer Wolfsheim, where he got into bootlegging and other criminal enterprises to make enough money to finally be able to provide for Daisy.      “I wouldn’t ask too much of her,'I ventured. ‘You can’t repeat the past.’ ‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’ He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand. ‘I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,’ he said, nodding determinedly. ‘She’ll see.’ He talked a lot about the past...” (Fitzgerald 118).  By being so focused on his dream of Daisy and his belief in repeating the past, Gatsby becomes more and more delusional, moving further and further into a fantasy world. His inability to deal with reality sets him outside the “normal” state of mind and eventually, his unwillingness to let go of his dream leads to his death. This shows a destructive result when chasing the impossible “American Dream.”

“Her husband, among various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven—a national figure in a way, one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax.” (Fitzgerald 8). Nick offers this description of Tom Buchanan. Tom is traditional and comes from the East Egg of New York, which is very “old money” and different from Gatsby. Nick’s initial sense of Daisy’s husband is that he peaked too early in his life and has suffered some form of disappointment ever since. Nick goes on to imagine that Tom still longs to recapture his youth.  “I felt that Tom would drift on forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game.” (Fitzgerald 8). There is an element of melancholy as well as danger in Nick’s depiction of Tom. A foreshadowing to Tom’s violent actions that later occur in the novel. “Two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward. Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body—he seemed to fill those glistening boots until he strained the top lacing and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat. It was a body capable of enormous leverage—a cruel body.” (Fitzgerald 9). Nick continues to describe Tom, this time emphasizing Tom’s appearance. The overwhelming sense of Tom’s physical presence comes from his aura of strength, aggression, and danger. His leering eyes, combined with his hulking muscles, creates an impression of a man who seems permanently on edge and ready to fight. Nick concludes by referring to Tom’s body as “cruel,” which refers to his physical appearance, but also his character.

Many individuals in the society see Tom as the man who achieved the “American Dream.” Although he presents this image, in some ways, Tom is still not satisfied. “And what’s more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time.” (Fitzgerald 140). After confirming his own affair with Myrtle and his selfish behavior, his apology and vow to loving Daisy comes off as fake. Tom exhibits confidence in his statement, expressing as though he has nothing to be ashamed about. This was considered “normal” in the time period, but also selfish. A man who has everything and yet is still not contempt, illustrates how Tom’s character of being unsatisfied with the “American Dream” or the fact he did not achieve it.

Conclusion

The main theme of the The Great Gatsby is analyzing the “ American Dream” through the lives of Nick, Gatsby and Tom. It grasps the differences between each character and their morales that go along with their values, social class and characteristics of the 1920’s that determine what it means to achieve the“American Dream.” “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…. And one fine morning—— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (Fitzgerald, 193).

References

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925.