Preview

The Great Gasby Essay

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1166 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Great Gasby Essay
Every day thousands of people think about what it means to live the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald is a well known American author whose most memorable book, The Great Gatsby, depicts characters with traits showing them living, which is the dream. The American Dream is a theme in this book that is essential to its plot development and several of the main characters encounter their own version of the American Dream. What is the true definition of the American Dream? It differs between many people and that it is no different in this book between the characters. Shaping the book into an interesting turn of events, Daisy, Nick, and Gatsby all stumble upon the American Dream, living their lives how each would want to. While Daisy’s life is taken over and fought over by the men in the book, Nick discovers love, Myrtle begins and ends a relationship with different people, and Gatsby finds out that life is not necessarily all about money and the woman that he loves, Daisy. Daisy is considered a beautiful girl, although to the peripheral reader she may seem a bit perplexing. Daisy has feelings for Gatsby that have altered throughout their lives. Later in her life, Daisy may only like Gatsby for his riches and because of their previous relationship. Gatsby also has lived “the American Dream,” according to some of Daisy’s beliefs. He is rich, elegant, and has made a living by working hard, or so she thinks until it becomes clear that Gatsby is a bootlegger. Daisy does not know exactly what he has done in order to make all this money, but she doesn’t argue with it or question it. Her current husband, Tom, can represent the average husband, but he is the type of man that can sweet talk his way out of anything. For this reason, he takes advantage of Daisy by having an affair, but also because he is big and just a plain bully. Like Daisy, Tom loves his spouse, but there are times when this may not be so apparent. They come together and seemingly make the perfect couple to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    She is in a relationship with Gatsby before the war, truly loves him, and promises to wait for him. But as she is part of the upper-class aristocracy, it is more ‘proper’ to marry someone in the same class as her. In the end, she allows herself to believe that having more money would be more important than true love. As a result, she did not wait for Gatsby to come back from the war but marries Tom, a man from a very wealthy family, instead. Daisy faces the consequence of her decision and shows the readers of her regret when she says, “that’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a [man]” (17). She feels even more remorseful when she sees Gatsby’s “Hotel de Ville” (11) and cries “That huge place there?” (87) because the mansion is even bigger than the house that she is living in at the moment. Daisy further shows her materialistic desire when she sees Gatsby’s shirts and sobs, “it makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before.” (89) This materialistic appetite and thirst for wealth is very evident to the aristocracy and contributes to their corruption as they never seem to have…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Once, the American Dream was a strong possibility and something that all Americans strived for; now it seems to be a lost dream that is only discussed when studying literature. The character of James Gatz, alternatively known as Jay Gatsby, is a prime example of the American Dream and could be considered an exact definition of what the American Dream represents. He starts out with his innocent dream of wanting to be worthy enough of Daisy’s love; but in doing so becomes involved in some illegal activities in order to achieve what Daisy requires of someone she loves, wealth. Gatsby goes from a young military officer, who is extremely poor and has essentially no money and works his way up to become an extremely rich man, living in a mansion and able to throw the most extravagant of parties. Gatsby achieves his fortunes, but not without losing all…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tom, her husband, commits unworthy actions that a husband should not do, but is very wealthy. Instead of being with a man who she truly desires to be with, she would rather be with a man that had more money from the beginning. In an argumentative discussion, Daisy communicates to Gatsby that she “did love [Tom] once but [she] loves him too” (140). Since Daisy is torn between the concept of money and love, she does not know who she desires to be with. However, a physical interaction between Gatsby and Daisy made Gatsby’s “heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own”(117). This shows that Daisy does have an attraction towards Gatsby, but prefers the benefits she receives by being married to Tom. If she was pure and innocent as her white colored face, she would not use her husband for…

    • 869 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is something that a person can either find success or failure. The American Dream is open for interpretations. The American Dream Gatsby is chasing consist of; wealth, social acceptance, and the love of a desirable woman. Fitzgerald, in his novel The Great Gatsby, crafts a unique style of exploring the connection between Jay Gatsby and the American Dream. Tom Buchanan is man that had already gained the social status that Gatsby wanted to acquire in the novel. Mr. Gatsby desperately tries to befriend Tom Buchanan in order to gain social status and live the American Dream. Gatsby being a socially awkward person is inhibited in discovering the dream he is chasing. Finding love is another aspect of Mr. Gatsby’s dream that is never completed. His desire to marry Tom’s wife Daisy is an endless quest. Nick’s opinion of Gatsby is another factor that contributes to the unsuccessfulness of Gatsby. The American Dream is an artificial idea that cannot be achieved by Mr. Jay Gatsby because it is merely a product of the New World.…

    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    First, Daisy Buchanan demonstrates the corrupt American dream by lying to herself and lacking sensibility. Gatsby and Daisy fell deeply in love years ago, but Daisy would not marry him because he did not have enough money. Instead, she married Tom. Daisy and Tom buy a house in East Egg and start a family. However, when Daisy and Gatsby reunite, she says to Gatsby that she still loves him. ''I love you now – isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.' She began to sob hopelessly. 'I did love him once – but I loved you too'' (Fitzgerald 132). Daisy’s life corrupts the American Dream because she cannot maintain a successful family if she still has feelings for another man. In addition, Daisy worries only about materialistic details. When Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick tour Gatsby’s house, Nick finds a picture of Gatsby and his friend Dan Cody on Gatsby’s yacht. Gatsby tells them that Dan Cody, his best friend, had passed away. Daisy shows no empathy that his friend has passed away and focuses on the yacht. ''I adore it!' exclaimed Daisy. 'The pompadour! You never told me you had a pompadour or a yacht'' (Fitzgerald 100). Daisy shows no pity for Gatsby losing his best friend because she focuses on the yacht. Daisy…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is something everyone wants to conquer in life. Something that is so hard, that not much people can say they successfully did. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald took place in the1920’s. He himself is a character in the book named Nick. The book revolves around a man named Jay Gatsby and his struggles to be with the love of his life to make it perfect. It is not complete without her and he tries to win her heart back. It’s a tragic love story. Fitzgerald uses literary devices to illustrate Gatsby’s singular dream of acquiring Daisy’s love though the symbols, faith, and irony.…

    • 763 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Differing Opinions on The American Dream In the book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of the main focuses is the American Dream. While Gatsby’s idea of the American Dream may vary from Tom’s, everyone understands what the dream is to themselves. Whether it is money, fame, family, or success, the American Dream is whatever someone wants to achieve in their lifetime. There are many ways that people view the American Dream.…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For many, The American Dream is linked to gaining wealth and achieving all in life, if one works hard enough. For others, it is a matter beyond materialism. The American Dream is one of the most recurring theme in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby, follows Jay Gatsby, a man who sculpts his life around one desire; the love of Daisy Buchanan. In this novel Daisy is the most puzzling character. Her true characteristics were revealed towards the end of the book: shallowness and selfishness, despite her charm and beauty. Gatsby’s life escalates from poverty to wealth which leads him to his love.Although Gatsby was involved in illegal parganings the hope to win over his love's heart grew even stronger. This resulted…

    • 190 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is originally about attaining happiness, but by the 1920s, this dream has changed into this want for wealth by whatever means, thinking that money will bring happiness. Fitzgerald does not use the words “American Dream” in the novel, The Great Gatsby, but it is obvious that he shows the impossibility of happiness through the American Dream. Fitzgerald demonstrates through symbols the impracticality of achieving the American Dream.…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Surrounded by wealth from a young age, Daisy leads a privileged lifestyle that has instilled in her an air of carelessness when it comes to dealing with real-life issues. After the birth of her daughter, she comments, “I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (17). This personal philosophy that it is best for a girl to be a “beautiful little fool” is one prevalent in many of her decisions throughout The Great Gatsby. Instead of facing her love for Gatsby, she marries Tom, an aristocrat with a penchant for infidelity. When she is confronted by Gatsby five years later, she plays the “beautiful little fool” yet again by blindly remaining with her unfaithful husband. Ultimately, she turns a blind eye to the reality of her poor decisions when it comes to love, and remains forever preoccupied with the hope of finding happiness in the lap of…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    At its peak, the American Dream was an extravagance of money. The American Dream was originally thought of as the happiness one can achieve from working hard. In its later years, however, people equated the American Dream to obtaining material wealth and status. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, takes place in New York during the beginning of the American Dream Era. The novel revolves around Jay Gatsby, a mysterious, young millionaire who tries to rekindle his past love with Daisy, who is the cousin of Nick Carraway, the narrator. Daisy, however, is married to Tom Buchanan, who is also rich but instead inherited his vast amount of money. As the story progresses, Gatsby’s…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of the American dream brings tremendous promise and opportunity, however it also brings heartbreaking failure. A character like Jay Gatsby seems to have achieved the American dream with his wealth, power, and lifestyle; however, he is restless and is constantly searching for something more. One is never truly happy, when they are chasing after the unattainable. In this case, Gatsby has been living his life with the hope that one day, he and Daisy could return to the times that they had been together all those years ago. The failure of Gatsby in achieving the elusive American Dream is a symbol for the difficulties in obtaining true happiness.…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Is Gatsby Selfish

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Daisy initially fell in love with Gatsby’s newfound riches than Gatsby himself. As soon as she discovered his wealth she falls back in love with him, completely disregarding her own husband. Daisy was too caught up in the wealth and attention she received from Gatsby that she even declared, “why - how could I love him [Tom] - possibly? … ‘I never loved him” (126). Buchanan is so infatuated with Gatsby's lifestyle that she announced she never loved Tom and only married him because Jay was at war. Daisy’s husband had the wealth to support her and gave her some attention, but she detached from him the moment a richer man came along, who gave her the attention she desired. Therefore Daisy’s craving for more riches causes her to cheat on her husband for the man who is supplying superior funds and…

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Initially, in The Great Gatsby Daisy’s American Dream is to achieve happiness, but she finds that she marries the wrong man and is not truly happy. Daisy ends up finding out that her husband Tom is hiding something from her. Jordan…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The American Dream is everybody’s greatest aspiration. The American Dream is the belief that each individual can, through hard work and strength of mind, achieve everything they desire. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel The Great Gatsby, chose to portray the American Dream not as the wonderful thing most people believe it is, but as corrupt and not real. All of Fitzgerald’s characters in his novel strove throughout the book to achieve their version of what they believed the American Dream to be. Using his characters, Fitzgerald conveyed a deep and unique message that the American Dream is not real, and that no matter how hard you try to reach it, it will never be obtained. On the final page of the book, Fitzgerald wrote what is now…

    • 1529 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics