English Lit- Great Gatsby
How does Gatsby represent the American dream? What does the novel have to say about the condition of the American dream in the 1920’s?
In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are a number of themes and characters that all play a part in representing the American dream which was about achieving success in spite of the odds, about rising above what we should be and instead focusing on what we could be. During the 1920’s being wealthy and knowing wealthy acquaintances was the aim of most societies. When Fitzgerald published his novel in 1925, he was in the midst of his career which he had built upon the determination to prove to his young lover that he was successful enough to marry.
Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to represent the American dream as well as using him to portray the exact experiences that Fitzgerald himself overcome in his younger years. Gatsby is very much the idol of everyone in West and East Egg, due to his success and riches; everyone knows who Gatsby is jealous of his lavish lifestyle. Going back to the fact that Gatsby represents Fitzgerald himself, Gatsby, in the novel, hosts weekly parties in an attempt to show Daisy (his love) that he is successful and very wealthy. This is very much like Fitzgerald who used his literary success to try and win over his love, Zelda. Part of the American dream for many people was to be successful in any way, to be earning a substantial amount of money and to have a young and beautiful love.
Although Fitzgerald gained his success through the popularity of his novels, Gatsby dreams of becoming more, the American dream is about success through hard work and virtue. Gatsby achieves wealth by lying and stealing and breaking the law. Any virtue he might have had is lost by the time he becomes wealthy. This is completely against the American Dream. Gatsby earned his success through “bootlegging of alcohol”. This shows that although to begin with the American dream was based
In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are a number of themes and characters that all play a part in representing the American dream which was about achieving success in spite of the odds, about rising above what we should be and instead focusing on what we could be. During the 1920’s being wealthy and knowing wealthy acquaintances was the aim of most societies. When Fitzgerald published his novel in 1925, he was in the midst of his career which he had built upon the determination to prove to his young lover that he was successful enough to marry.
Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to represent the American dream as well as using him to portray the exact experiences that Fitzgerald himself overcome in his younger years. Gatsby is very much the idol of everyone in West and East Egg, due to his success and riches; everyone knows who Gatsby is jealous of his lavish lifestyle. Going back to the fact that Gatsby represents Fitzgerald himself, Gatsby, in the novel, hosts weekly parties in an attempt to show Daisy (his love) that he is successful and very wealthy. This is very much like Fitzgerald who used his literary success to try and win over his love, Zelda. Part of the American dream for many people was to be successful in any way, to be earning a substantial amount of money and to have a young and beautiful love.
Although Fitzgerald gained his success through the popularity of his novels, Gatsby dreams of becoming more, the American dream is about success through hard work and virtue. Gatsby achieves wealth by lying and stealing and breaking the law. Any virtue he might have had is lost by the time he becomes wealthy. This is completely against the American Dream. Gatsby earned his success through “bootlegging of alcohol”. This shows that although to begin with the American dream was based