The Great Gatsby's American Dream

1072 Words5 Pages
The Dream The American Dream a beautiful lie or a demoralizing reality? The American Dream has served as a beacon of hope and has inspired immigration for generations. Many have made their dream a reality while many more have been consumed by it. Whether people came to the Americas to seek their fortune or simply to escape their life they will always be forced to overcome their physical limitations, varied backgrounds and their altering mental states. People have control over many aspects of their life but what about the ones they can’t control? Lennie a softhearted and slow-witted brute was born mentally handicapped and with a brutish figure. Due to Lennie’s condition pursuing his dream of owning land was constantly being disrupted. But…show more content…
Gatsby’s plight is another example of an unchangeable situation. Even though Gatsby never stopped loving Daisy she had moved on and married another man that she also loved, Tom Buchanan. No matter how hard Gatsby tried he could never stop Daisy from loving Tom and his attempts he pushed he even farther out of reach. And it was with this that Gatsby’s dream remained that, a dream. Unlike Gatsby and Lennie Holden had three unchanging factors in his life he was trapped in his older brother's shadow, weighed down by his younger brother death, and constantly fighting for his sister's approval. Throughout the novel holden’s dream is slowly deteriorating as the reality of his situation begins to sink in. Several times Holden even contemplates suicide as he tries to regain control of his life.…show more content…
Mr. Gatsby or James Gatz was born the son of a poor farming family, but rejected his roots and built himself up on the back of prohibition. Gatsby’s dream was Daisy a reality that could only be obtained through wealth and class. Through Gatsby’s illegal exploits he was able to accumulate enough wealth to compete for Daisy’s hand. While ultimately Gatsby failed in his dream the concept of the American Dream remains. Holden as previously mentioned was already living the American Dream thanks to his parents success. Holden was already living the dream he was another pampered kid getting an education. But unlike George and Gatsby Holden’s actions actually tore him down as he made one bad decision after another. Then there is George and Lennie two wandering misfits with no home to return to but with a clear plan in mind. George and Lennie literally have nothing but each other and the clothes on their backs, but each are more than willing to work for their patch of land. Shortly after George and Lennie’s plan is set in motion it comes to a crashing halt after Lennie kills Curley’s wife, after this tragedy Lennie’s dream of a farm with roaming rabbits is reduced to a mere memory in George’s mind as he is forced to put him down. People's origin and background have little to do with their future as only they can move forward and overcome their pasts to
Open Document