The Great Gatsby and The American Dream

by dawnyday (student)

University Degree Linguistics, Classics and related subjects

20th Century Literature

Professor Sue Matheson

Dawn Cote

April 20 2011

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream

The American Dream is a reoccurring theme in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. Briefly defined the “American Dream” “is the belief that every man, whatever his origins, may pursue and attain his chosen goals, be they political, monetary, or social” (Pearson 638). Throughout the novel Fitzgerald gives examples of various characters so called “American Dream”. Some characters are able to achieve their interpretation of the “American Dream”, others are not so lucky. The novel shows how the concept of the “American Dream” is interpreted as well as corrupted by many of the characters in the story.

As Nick Carraway tells his story, we see the characters through Nick’s eyes, a young man looking for his own “American Dream”. As many people before him, Nick has moved away from the Middle-West to the East in search of something new and prosperous. What he finds is a group of individuals who have all the power, money, popularity and in some cases love, that a person would want. Do these people represent the “American Dream” that Nick is in search of?

Tom Buchanan’s “American Dream” is to be wealthy and in control. He has achieved both of these, therefore in his opinion; he has achieved the “American Dream”. Tom’s wealth is no secret, he makes sure that everyone is aware of how well off he is. He has a home in East Egg which presents an image of status and wealth. Nick says:

“His family were enormously wealthy – even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach – but now he’d left Chicago and come east in a fashion that rather took your breath away; for instance he’d brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest” (Fitzgerald 6).

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Tom’s money makes him conceited and thoughtless of others lacking in any kind of morals. He destroys Myrtle and Wilson’s marriage. “He (Wilson) had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world, and the shock make him physically sick” (Fitzgerald 124). Throughout the novel Tom’s demeanour is of a brutal, controlling man who gets what he wants. His actions prove him to a man who inflicts fear into people to maintain control. The confrontation in the city is a prime example of this. ““Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!” shouted Mrs. Wilson. “I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai-.’ Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (Fitzgerald 37). Tom does not get mad at Myrtle for saying Daisy’s name, it is just to show that he is in charge of her and she has no right to mock him.

For Daisy Buchanan, money and social image take priority over everything, even love. In her eyes the “American Dream” is wealth and accumulation of material things, whether you are happy or not. She is married to Tom because he has money and is from a prominent family. She left her true love, Gatsby, because he had no money and no social standing. Daisy is most concerned about how she is viewed by others. When Nick tells Daisy he had stopped off in Chicago all she wants to know is “Do they miss me?” (Fitzgerald 9). Even coming from the mid-west farming area that Nick came from, Daisy talks in a different way now. Nick comments “You make me feel uncivilized, Daisy. Can’t you talk about crops or something?” (Fitzgerald 12).

Another character’s “American Dream” which is illustrated is George Wilson. His dream is to obtain wealth and be able to provide for his wife. We can see from the first conversation between George and Tom that he not well off. “”Hello Wilson, old man,” said Tom, slapping him jovially on the shoulder. “How’s business?” “I can’t complain,” answered Wilson unconvincingly” (Fitzgerald 25).His love for his wife Myrtle results in him avenging her death. This action is the downfall of his dream. In the end, Wilson ended up dead as well. “It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete” (Fitzgerald 162).

To everyone that knows Gatsby, he is the perfect example of the “American Dream”. But at what cost? “To point out that Gatsby is, after all, a professional criminal on a large scale is not....to be naive or course” (Fraser 560), Fraser states. Fitzgerald never right out states to what extremes Gatsby went to attain his wealth, but we have to wonder. The article False Prophet of the American Dream, questions Gatsby’s character as well;

Some believe him to have been a double spy during the war, others that he once

killed a man, while some see him as a criminal lord of the underworld, dealing in

bootleg liquor, among other things.

Gatsby was willing to do anything to get rich so he could have his one dream, the love of Daisy. He tried to accomplish this dream throughout the book, but never succeeded. Daisy was never able to admit that she never loved Tom. “I can’t say I never loved Tom...It wouldn’t be true” (Fitzgerald 133), Daisy confirms. Even after this, he still believes that Daisy loves him enough to leave Tom and come to him. So convinced, he takes responsibility for Myrtle Wilson’s death. “Was Daisy driving? Yes...but of course I’ll say I was” (Fitzgerald 141). Gatsby states. In the end this results in Gatsby’s death. George Wilson thinks Gatsby was the one who killed his wife and in return kills Gatsby.

All of the characters in Fitzgerald’s novel live an illusion that their lives are on the correct path and that what they have is good. According to them, the “American Dream” is living the high life and if you are not doing that, you are nothing. Unfortunately, unlike most people who believe the “American Dream” is a good job, a happy family and a house with a white picket fence, the characters in The Great Gatsby went to the extreme, thus ending in misery and even death.