The Great American Dream
Compare and Contrast The Great Gatsby with the American Dream. Discuss how Gatsby's extravagances compare to the American Dream's ideals. There is no strict definition of the 'American Dream' though early in the twentieth century and in many ways still today it has become the term which describes an inherent faith in the promise of the new world. As a country, America has no far stretching history to forge and enrich its culture. Instead a nation's character was flavoured with hopes and anticipation of the future, of a better life of more opportunity and purpose. People fledged to the Americas to start afresh, to experience modern luxuries and new technology. To become a part of the rat race and exploit the age of capitalism and materialism - overall to become rich through one's own means. To realise the great American Dream therefore was an extension of Benjamin Franklin's maxim of the 'perfectibility of man'. Franklin was a great emblem of American ideology and a founder of much of its deepest held attitudes and beliefs. Franklin was one of the first self-confessed entrepreneurs and his many written works became great incentives for Americans to become pro-active and to try and be the best one could be. He founded his ideas on the prevailing optimism that with the right motivation and activity anyone could become a solvent, well-respected individual. Perhaps no time in
"How do the values and attitudes of the Great Gatsby reflect the American Dream".
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald A-Level English Literature : Ed Gillett - October 13, 1997 "How do the values and attitudes of the Great Gatsby reflect the American Dream" "Out of a misty dream, our path emerges for a while, then closes within a dream" - Norman Douglas (1862-1958) In "The Great Gatsby" F. Scott Fitzgerald has created a social satire of America in the 1920's in which he exposes the American Dream as being inherently flawed and merely an illusion produced by idealism. This American Dream has been traditionally associated with the pursuit of freedom and equality. It can be traced back to the original settlers and the hope which the New World brought to them, away from the persecution inflicted by their religion. Essentially it offered the fulfilment of human desire for spiritual and material improvement. However, what became quickly apparent was that the materialistic side of the dream was achieved to quickly and easily and outpaced the spiritualistic development. A state of materialistic well being emerged, but lacking in spiritual life or purpose. Throughout "The Great Gatsby" we, the audience, are made aware of the flaws of the American Dream through the values and attitudes of the western society. Although the dream has established progress, prosperity and democratic principles, there is still rife class conflicts, corruption and exploitation.
The Great Gatsby, so, is a perfect example of the decay of the American Dream.
Anna Paola Soliani IB Oral Presentation The 1920's were a decade of renaissance characterized by the establishment of the "American Dream" that is, the belief that anyone can, and should, achieve material success. F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, contains themes and morals that continue to be relevant today. In his novel, Fitzgerald criticizes the American Dream by describing its negative characteristics: class struggles between the rich and the poor, the superficiality of the rich, and the false relationship between money and happiness. Furthermore, the main character also serves as a metaphor for the inevitable downfall of American Dream. The Great Gatsby, so, is a perfect example of the decay of the American Dream. In the novel, Fitzgerald gives us a glimpse into the life of the high class during the roaring twenties through the eyes of a credible young man named Nick Carraway, who is the first person narrator. It is, in fact, through the narrator's dealings with high society that the reader is shown how modern values have transformed the American Dream's pure ideals into a scheme for materialistic power and even more, how the world of high society lacks any sense of morals or consequence. The main qualities of the American Dream presented in The Great Gatsby are perseverance and hope. All of this is shown through the life of James Gatz, later called Jay
The Dream is Dead - The Great Gatsby
Edgard Navarrete 10/19/02 P.3 The Dream is Dead What does the American Dream mean to you ? To F. Scott Fitzgerald the author of The Great Gatsby , the American dream has been corrupted. The dream has been transformed from security and happiness into a state of materialistic power and immorality. Fitzgerald's tragic story of a young dreamer, is modeled after the way the American dream is now lost forever to the American people. As David Trask asserts in his essay "the American dream consists of the belief sometimes thought as a promise that people of talent in this land of opportunity and plenty could reasonably aspire to material success if they adhered to a fairly well defined set of behavioral rules" (Trask essay) Ever since Jay Gatsby was young he was determined to work hard and reach his dreams. This determination is documented in his "Hopalong Cassidy" journal. Gatsby's father shows Nick this book and tells him, "Jimmy was bound to get ahead , do you notice what he's got about improving his mind" (Fitzgerald 182). This journal and Gatsby's everlasting quest for self-improvement is an example of the American Dream. Gatsby's long life dream was to relive the love he had once shared with Daisy Buchanan. Daisy in reality has become a person whose only passion in life is money and keeping her upper
"Gatsby turned alright in the end" - Can Gatsby be seen as different to the other characters in The Great Gatsby in their pursuit of the American Dream?
"Gatsby turned alright in the end" Can Gatsby be seen as different to the other characters in The Great Gatsby in their pursuit of the American Dream? Gatsby pursued the American Dream, as all the other characters pursued the American Dream, though he went to greater lengths to achieve his own personalized version of the American Dream. Gatsby however did not turn out alright in the end. Gatsby realized that what he had always dreamed of, was unrealistic and not what he wanted, when he achieved it. The American Dream is defined as an American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire, and that everyone in the United States has the chance to achieve success and prosperity. Gatsby's dream was to be with Daisy and to do this he knew he had to impress her materialistically. Daisy is a material-girl, who was with Jay Gatsby before the war, however during the war she married to a wealthy man whose wealth is "old money". Old money is the term, that is used to describe the inherited wealth of established upper-class families. Gatsby makes his money through the underworld and his dealings with Meyer Wolfshiem. His fortune symbolizes the rise of organized crime and bootlegging. Gatsby rose from an impoverish childhood in rural North Dakota to become wealthy. As a youth, Gatsby despised poverty and longed for wealth and sophistication.
The 'Great Gatsby' can be regarded as a social satire and an observation of The American Dream - Discuss
The 'Great Gatsby' can be regarded as a social satire and an observation of The American Dream Navina Kurup IBS-1 English November 11,2004 The Great Gatsby is observed as a social satire of the United States in the roaring twenties, where Fitzgerald exposes the American Dream as a flawed fantasy merely generated by over-indulgence. America was established in the conception of equality, where any individual could have equal opportunities and success on the substratum of their abilities and effort, which can be described as the American Dream. The former president Abraham Lincoln confirmed this surmise, as he himself was an impoverished, disadvantaged little boy who became president through his efforts. The Great Gatsby is set in the twenties, which was a period of contradictions and inquietude. The ghastly shock of the war was just ended, and it was now time for people to forget their wretchedness and have fun. This created a society obsessed with materialism and prodigality which eliminated moral values and traditional beliefs, and became engaged in a life of pointless extravagance and indulgence. The 'Great Gatsby' can be regarded as a social satire and remarks on the downfall of moral values and excessive indulgence of society. When different characters in the novel are viewed, it is obvious that not all have the same social standings in society. Nick's father comments
"The character of Jay Gatsby symbolises the corruption of the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby.'"- To what extent do you agree with this statement?
"The character of Jay Gatsby symbolises the corruption of the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby.'" - To what extent do you agree with this statement? "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by God, Creator, with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. This is a dream. It's a great dream." Martin Luther King, Jr As evident in the words of Martin Luther King Jr, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are key aspects of the life of any human being. This American dream is a major preoccupation throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, 'The Great Gatsby', and is no more apparent in any feature than in the character of Jay Gatsby. When studying literature, we often search for an extraordinary character. Jay Gatsby, has such a unique personality that narrator Nick Carraway, feels he may never again find a person similar to Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Gatsby remains determined in his goal to reunite with Daisy. His love and passion for the pursuit of a dream never subside, and his true dedication to Daisy and eventual self sacrifice highlight the strength of his character. In a time when the economy was thriving, and lifestyles were extreme, the contemporary scene, the extravagance of Gatsby's parties, the superficiality of the guests, and the hint of Gatsby's
The settings of The Great Gatsby represent aspects of the American Dream. How far and in what ways do you agree with this view of The Great Gatsby?
"The settings of The Great Gatsby represent aspects of the American Dream." How far and in what ways do you agree with this view of The Great Gatsby? When reading F.Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" for the first time, it may seem as a straightforward novel about all-consuming characters and symbolic themes. Settings appear to be unimportant. However they play a valuable part in the story. The settings are used by the author to emphasise the characters and themes. The places Fitzgerald used in his novel epitomize various aspects of the American society in 1920's. East Egg represents the old aristocracy - Tom and Daisy, whose families were "enormously wealthy" even before the war. The West Egg represents the newly rich - Gatsby. After the war Gatsby remained a poor soldier. He wanted to fulfil his dream and in order to achieve this, he had to become wealthy and have a high status in society. He became rich through bootlegging. Most newly rich earned money this way, as there was a big demand for alcohol because of The Prohibition. Through settings Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being rude, gaudy and lacking in social taste, while the old aristocracy were people who possessed taste, elegance and grace. Gatsby wore pink suits, lived in an ornament mansion and organized loud parties. Tom, on the other hand had a tasteful house with "a sunken Italian garden" and Daisy
Death of the American - Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman
Karen Haight 5.14.02 Hon. English 11 Block 7 Death of the American Dream "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Inscribed in the base of the Statue of Liberty, this poem by Emma Lazarus defines the glorified, insatiable drive for wealth that is the American Dream. This dream, based in the belief that every person possesses the capacity to work hard and subsequently achieve fiscal success, has been a part of the American experience since its beginning. From the time of the discovery of the New World, millions of individuals have flocked to the United States in the hopes of capitalizing on the opportunities that accompany the freedom available to American citizens. Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman are two such individuals; people whose lives revolve around the belief that accumulating friends and material possessions will bring them happiness. The nobility and viability of the modern version of this quest, historically lauded as an American ideal, is examined in both Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and in Miller's "Death of a Salesman." Through the characters of Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, the authors portray the American Dream as an unattainable, misguided quest for monetary success that never brings satisfaction
"Gatsby is a Victim of the American Dream." Discuss Scott Fitzgerald's Portrayal of Gatsby in the light of this Statement.
A history of American literature - Richard gray Lois Tyson- critical theory today "Gatsby is a Victim of the American Dream." Discuss Scott Fitzgerald's Portrayal of Gatsby in the light of this Statement. Victim (n) . One who is harmed or killed by another: a victim of a mugging. 2. A living creature slain and offered as a sacrifice during a religious rite. 3. One who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition: victims of war. 4. A person who suffers injury, loss, or death as a result of a voluntary undertaking: You are a victim of your own scheming. 5. A person who is tricked, swindled, or taken advantage of: the victim of a cruel hoax (dictionary.com) The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald illustrates many themes, however the most significant one relates to the American Dream and the corruption of this. Throughout this novel we see how the dream has been corrupted by the greedy pursuit of wealth. The American dream is great motivation for accomplishing goals and producing achievements, however when tainted with wealth, the dream becomes worthless and hollow. In the Great Gatsby we see Jay Gatsby's attempt at trying to live the life of the American dream, we see his victimization, and his battle. Yet the American Dream involves more than the social and economical standings of an individual, the dream involves a large
