The Role Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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Many people have an ideal American dream they want to accomplish during their lifetime. Setting as a goal to achieve in America, people overcome many hardships. Depending on each person, an American dream can be defined as freedom or self-accomplishments. The view of an American dream has evolved since the Great Depression as each person comprehends the American dream in various forms and in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, he portrays the American Dream by using imagery and symbols. The term ‘American dream’ became popular in the 1930’s through a novel written by James Truslow Adams. In The Epic of America, Adams described an American dream as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity…show more content…
This quote was based on ideas of equality, liberty, and justice, which attracted many people from across the world to pursuit this particular dream. Innumerable immigrants migrated to America for their freedom without having to be governed again. While people suffered from the Great Depression, they were desperate to earn money and live a better life. However, as time passed, the perspective of an American dream changed along with the society. After World War II ended, the nation’s economy improved greatly, which changed numerous American’s views on their dreams and goals. “Some say, that the American Dream has become the pursuit of material prosperity - that people work more hours to get bigger cars…grasp of the working poor who must work two jobs to insure their family’s survival” (Library of Congress). Abundance of Americans began to alternate their dreams with economic goals to support their family needs or to gain higher status in the society while others try to live a simpler life. One interviewer stated: “When I think of an American dream,…show more content…
This novel primarily divides into two types of people: ‘new money’ and ‘old money’. Gatsby, who lives in the West Egg, inaugurates parties every Saturday waiting for Daisy to appear. His insurmountable dream is to meet Daisy again and hoping to run away with her as he says to Tom: “...She’s never loved you. She loves me” (Fitzgerald 130). Gatsby had always believed Daisy would turn away from Tom and leave with him. He constantly stares at the green light, which exists in front of Daisy’s dock as the narrator states: “he was trembling...I glanced seaward--and distinguished nothing except a single green light…” (Fitzgerald 21). This particular green light symbolizes Gatsby’s goal to win Daisy. Eventually, he fails completely as Daisy repeatedly goes back to Tom. Daisy, on the other hand, accomplishes her dream by marrying Tom, a rich man: “He came down with a hundred people in four private cars...gave her a string of pearls” (Fitzgerald 76). She continues to live her American dream with a luxury life throughout the novel. Tom, who sees Daisy as a part of his possessions, also lives a luxury life from the day he was born. He has many affairs throughout, especially with women lower than his own class as he says “...I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back” (Fitzgerald 131). These affairs eventually let Daisy down, who had trusted him once. George and Myrtle, who
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