The Great Gatsby was centered around the ideals of the American Dream. And you might ask, what essentially is the American Dream? According to Suite 101, " The American Dream is all about finding a life less ordinary and reaching the top." It sounds pretty amazing, right? Wrong. This idea of life seems glamorous and liberating, but it reality it is centered around social status, materialistic desires and shameless wealth. "Daisy Buchanan is fickle and materialistic, but also attractive and desirable. She is the personified version of the American Dream," stated so elegantly by Suite 101. In this time era, everyone wanted to achieve the American Dream. And in reality, who wouldn't?
Gatsby embodies all men striving for this "dream." Everyone on this novel seems to have their own idea of "The American Dream" they want to achieve. Daisy is Gatsby's. James Gatz did not grow up in the best living conditions and ultimately he is trying to create a better life for himself, not only so he can have wealth, but also so that he can have Daisy. Daisy also embodies everything that is wrong with the American Dream. Wealth and materialistic things can not create a lifetime of happiness. This is what Fitzgerald is trying to exploit about the American Dream. The American Dream should embody creating a better life for oneself, but not to the extent that it consumes your thinking every sleeping and waking minute. Gatsby does not see Daisy for who she really is because he is truly enamored by her charismatic character. He is blinded by love and therefore can not find any faults within her. Gatsby symbolizes the ignorance of the American people for not realizing the mindset the American Dream was causing on the entire country.
Fitzgerald was really trying to expose the realities of what the American Dream truly was. America was founded on hard work and moral ethics and the American Dream is the exact opposite and exploits these views. It is trading these two qualities for wealth and the good life.
Gatsby embodies all men striving for this "dream." Everyone on this novel seems to have their own idea of "The American Dream" they want to achieve. Daisy is Gatsby's. James Gatz did not grow up in the best living conditions and ultimately he is trying to create a better life for himself, not only so he can have wealth, but also so that he can have Daisy. Daisy also embodies everything that is wrong with the American Dream. Wealth and materialistic things can not create a lifetime of happiness. This is what Fitzgerald is trying to exploit about the American Dream. The American Dream should embody creating a better life for oneself, but not to the extent that it consumes your thinking every sleeping and waking minute. Gatsby does not see Daisy for who she really is because he is truly enamored by her charismatic character. He is blinded by love and therefore can not find any faults within her. Gatsby symbolizes the ignorance of the American people for not realizing the mindset the American Dream was causing on the entire country.
Fitzgerald was really trying to expose the realities of what the American Dream truly was. America was founded on hard work and moral ethics and the American Dream is the exact opposite and exploits these views. It is trading these two qualities for wealth and the good life.
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