Role Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby
The Corrupted American Dream
The 1920’s could be described as “a great time to be rich” in America. It was a time where the rich got richer, and the poor worked to better their lives. It was a time of hope; when people strived to achieve the American dream of money, family, and happiness. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, attempts to uncover the truth of the American Dream. It follows the experience of Nick Carraway and his meeting with the one and only Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is perceived as one trying to live out the American Dream - a man with great ideals determined to achieve the unachievable. It is through his pursuit of Daisy that Fitzgerald is able to show that the Dream itself is truly indeed unrealistic and corrupted by materialism.
Jay Gatsby embodies the idea of the American Dream in the sense that he has spent his whole life trying to achieve it. What Gatsby longs for is not wealth, as he has already achieved prosperity, but love. In the novel, Fitzgerald depicts Gatsby standing alone on the dock, reaching out toward a green light that can never be reached. Nick says, “. . . [Gatsby] he stretched out his arm toward the dark water in a curious way, and . . . involuntarily, I glanced seaward and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away” (Fitzgerald 20-21). The green light is a symbol of hope, representing Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy …show more content…
He is unable to determine the difference between idealism and realism. Would Daisy, a greedy girl who married Tom for his money, leave such materialistic wealth for Gatsby? Gatsby’s dream is built on lies and questions arise over whether or not Daisy truly loved Gatsby or if it was all an illusion of the past. Fitzgerald shows that the destruction of Gatsby’s dream represents the ultimate downfall of the American Dream - the idealistic dream itself has been
The 1920’s could be described as “a great time to be rich” in America. It was a time where the rich got richer, and the poor worked to better their lives. It was a time of hope; when people strived to achieve the American dream of money, family, and happiness. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, attempts to uncover the truth of the American Dream. It follows the experience of Nick Carraway and his meeting with the one and only Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is perceived as one trying to live out the American Dream - a man with great ideals determined to achieve the unachievable. It is through his pursuit of Daisy that Fitzgerald is able to show that the Dream itself is truly indeed unrealistic and corrupted by materialism.
Jay Gatsby embodies the idea of the American Dream in the sense that he has spent his whole life trying to achieve it. What Gatsby longs for is not wealth, as he has already achieved prosperity, but love. In the novel, Fitzgerald depicts Gatsby standing alone on the dock, reaching out toward a green light that can never be reached. Nick says, “. . . [Gatsby] he stretched out his arm toward the dark water in a curious way, and . . . involuntarily, I glanced seaward and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away” (Fitzgerald 20-21). The green light is a symbol of hope, representing Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy …show more content…
He is unable to determine the difference between idealism and realism. Would Daisy, a greedy girl who married Tom for his money, leave such materialistic wealth for Gatsby? Gatsby’s dream is built on lies and questions arise over whether or not Daisy truly loved Gatsby or if it was all an illusion of the past. Fitzgerald shows that the destruction of Gatsby’s dream represents the ultimate downfall of the American Dream - the idealistic dream itself has been