The Great Gatsby Research Paper

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rs. Vrankic ENG4U1 March 29, 2015 The American Dream in The Great Gatsby A dream is created by desire, it is human nature to never be satisfied and to always aspire for more. A person's dream sparks hope and perseverance in oneself, however this easily entangles with delusion and unrealistic expectations that are often out of touch with reality. It is argued that the American Dream died (dies) in 1918 but the reality is that the dream itself never existed, it is the idea of it that keeps the concept alive. In the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald certain characters portray the elusivness and the irony of the American Dream. The non-existence of the American Dream can be seen through the characters Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson and Jay…show more content…
His infatuation with a lover/love from the past; Daisy Buchanan fuels his determination to strive for wealth and power. “The modesty of the demands shook me. He had waited five years and bougt a mansion where he dispensed straight to casual moths- so that he could come over some afternoon to a stranger's graden.” (76) Gatsby makes his purpose in life to win Daisy over. He is living the American Dream, built himself up from nothing into this extravagant illusion of deserved wealth, and all of this is for Daisy. He knows that winning Daisy over requires them to be of the same social class. He is the epitome of someone who achieves the American Dream but for him it is not complete without the girl and the reason he achieves it for. Gatsby sees Daisy as the reward and reason for his success. The American Dream for Gatsby is not attaining the wealth and power but what that gets him, the girl of his…show more content…
Tom exposses Gatsby's illegal business and shames him for this. Gatsby looses Daisy as Tom does this. “ But with every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave up, and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away...” (125) Gatsby sees his dream slipping further away from his as Daisy literaly draws away. Gatsby's dream can never be a reality because he can never belong as an East Egger. He does not gain acceptance from who he wants it from the most. His identity is merely an illusion and a facade however/therefore he knows and more importantly Daisy knows and understands that one cannot run away from their past and change their social standing. His association with criminals and illegal activity exposes Daisy to the truth and cost of his wealth. Jay Gatsby can never achieve his American Dream because the reality is that despite all his effortts him and Daisy will always be from two different worlds. No amount of wealth can compensate for his past and lack of social

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