Deconstructing the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby'

What is the American Dream? The American Dream is having the opportunity to be successful as well as being able to gain money and wealth. We all have different types of definitions of the American Dream some say it's money others say its health. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott FitzGerald the message about the American Dream is if you don’t cheat in life you won't be successful. Cheating your way up can cost you your own life. To FitzGerald the American Dream does not exist, he shows it by showing us a wealthy man who was once poor that became rich that ended up dead and a man that was a hard worker that was poor who also ended up dead. It did not served us well because no matter what, if you're poor or rich you will always

have trouble making your way.
People that cheat their way up in life to be someone and to gain money but there's some people that cheat and don't end up millionaires but dead.

Some people fight for what they want and work hard and they still end up poor and alone. For example in chapter 2, “When are you going to sell me that car?” “Next week; I’ve got my man working on it now.” Wilson always asked Tom to sell him the car so he can clean it up and sell it for more then he got it for. Wilson knew with that car he will be able to support his wife. Wilson started with nothing having a business and still having trouble to get money for him and his wife Myrtle. Gatsby a man who once was poor with no money for him and his family started to do dirty business to gain wealth for himself. He was a bootlegger he did business with people so he would gain money for his lover Daisy Buchanan's that left him because he couldn’t provide her with anything she wanted. It states in chapter 7 page 130, “She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!” Gatsby only gained money so he can get his lover back and make everything go back to how it use to be back then. Gatsby tried everything to get wealthy and so did George and they both ended up dead and no one

cared.
F.Scott FitzGerald does not believe in the American Dream because every character that had a dream either is dead or didn’t get their ideal dream. Every character FitzGerald created either talked about money and “love” but do they really know what either of those things are? Gatsby dream was to become a wealthy man that Daisy can appreciate and love but at the end he didn’t get Daisy. She found out how he earned his money and got her attention. It states in page 133, “He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-store here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong.” He cheated his way up by selling illegal alcohol and Daisy thought about who he really is and if she really loves him. Gatsby tried to repeat the past he believed he could but he can’t the only thing you can do is to move on. Another character is Myrtle Wilson she believed she can marry a rich man that will be able to support her. She was Tom’s mistress he cared about her but never loved her, he never had the courage to leave Daisy and go with Myrtle. Daisy marries a man whom she thinks she should of married but he isn’t what she wants. It states in page 132, “ I never loved him,” she said, with perceptible reluctance.” Daisy only married Tom because she could never marry Gatsby and Tom could support her with his money. Fitz does not believe in the American Dream because none of the character actually achieve their dreams.
The American Dream hasn’t served us well because the people who actually work hard and put all their hard work into it don’t end up millionaires.

Not everyone has a chance of being born wealthy having food in their plate some people have to get dirty just to provide for their family. For example, Wilson a man who was a mechanic all his life he always had work to do but never made enough money. No matter how hard Wilson tried he never had enough money to buy himself things and support his wife. Gatsby a man who was a bootlegger, he gain all his money from dirty business had all the money in the world and still wasn’t happy. He always complained on how he wanted Daisy and everything back to how it used to be. It doesn’t matter if you have money or don’t you still won’t be happy. It hasn’t served the characters well because every character that wanted an American Dream ended up dead. They wanted it desperately and now look at where they ended at dead and

unhappy.