The Great Gatsby - Past Grandeur of the American Dream

The Great Gatsby is a book staged during the Jazz Age period. It was a time which was also known also as the 'roaring twenties', after World War I. America was going through a massive change and social reform. The poor and middle class had a chance to rise to be with the much higher class of the social system. It was known as the American Dream. In which where anyone could rise up to wealth. It was also romantic and innocent dream of living the morally perfect life. Unfortunately enough, although it seemingly was a wondrous thing it didn't always end positively. The rise of the middle to the upper class resulted in clashing of values, whether it was moral, ethical, social or economic. The American Dream was quickly lost and twisted under these changed corrupt values. What was known as a pure wish of happiness cascaded down into a twisted struggle of materialistic pride. However, the book, even when pointing out all of its faults, manages to continually show the past grandeur and brilliance of the showing off nature of the American Dream. It is evident throughout the book that the American Dream has corrupted. With Gatsby's rather illegal job and the nature in which romance was more about the money instead of spiritual fulfilment. However, although not as obvious, hints of the old American Dream was still in there. Especially in weekly parties held at Gatsby’s estate. The American Dream, with the rise of the middle classes economic status, meant the introduction of parties which were different to usual ones. Parties held between the West and East Egg were evidently very different, or more specifically between Gatsby and the East Egg. Gatsby’s parties were by far much more exaggerated and chaotic. People could just turn up, many of them without invitation. The only time in which we hear of an invitation existing was when Nick was invited.
“I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby’s house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. People