Fitzgeralds Exploration of the American Dream in The...

Fitzgeralds Exploration of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is a one of the best stories written during a chaotic period in our nation’s history, The Jazz Age. The Twenties were a time of social experiments, self-indulgence, and dissatisfaction for majority of Americans. Fitzgerald depicts all these characteristics throughout the novel with his interesting themes, settings, and characters. The most elaborate and symbolic character Fitzgerald presents to his readers is Jay Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby as a vehicle to explore the idea of The American Dream, which was a key element in shaping American society and it’s citizens. Fitzgerald does not sugar-coat his definition of the†¦show more content†¦Gatsby’s love and longing for Daisy then became his motivation to become wealthy, high classed, and successful. Gatsby does reach the element of gaining wealth and success, but his ambition is only half met. It is the full achievement of his goal which will soon le ad to the destruction of his life. Gatsby refuses to not meet his aspirations and will fulfill his dream by any means necessary. Although Gatsby’s intentions and motivation to become successful are pure, the way he obtains his status is extremely foul and criminal. Gatsby participates in organized crime, trades stolen securities, and bootlegs illegal alcohol. Instead of Gatsby using his wit and intelligence in an honest hard working way, he participates in corrupt acts, which will guarantee him his wealth and status. It is this aspect of Gatsby’s life where Fitzgerald expresses the decline of The American Dream. He tries to show his readers the demoralization of our society and how greed and power are a form of empty success that a lot of Americans buy in to. Gatsby’s aspirations are destroyed when he comes to the realization that certain dreams can never be converted into reality. When Gatsby and Daisy re-meet for the first time in years, he still refuses to se e how self-absorbed, shallow, and greedy she truly is. As more events occur, he becomes aware of her intentions and can finally see how blinded he was by her charm and beauty so many years ago. Even though Gatsby has come to thisShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby And America s Tragedy1502 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby and America’s Tragedy The 1920’s resemble an epoch of the most significant economic prosperity that the Western world has ever seen. The Roaring Twenties, or the Jazz Age, was a period of immense change for all people after The Great War. Women could vote, cars and telephones were immensely popular, jazz music peaked, and airplanes became widely used, all things never before witnessed in world history. In the heat of this era, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby emerged, highlightingRead More1) How Does Gatsby Represent the American Dream? and What Does the Novel Have to Say About the Condition of the Amrican Dream in 1920s?1110 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough The Great Gatsby is filled with multiple themes such as love, money, order, reality, illusion and immorality, no one would probably deny that the predominate one focuses on the American Dream and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its illusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is the central of this novel. T his can be explained by how Gatsby came to get his fortune. 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