In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Fences” by August Wilson, the main characters Jay Gatsby and Troy Maxson are fantasists, who desire a particular lifestyle for themselves, but in the end their dream becomes a nightmare when they both realize that their “American Dream” is unattainable. The American dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. In Jay Gatsby’s case, he overcomes his poor past to gain an incredible amount of money and chase his dream and for him, the personification of that dream is Daisy. Troy Maxson is a baseball player who played in the negro league and is defeated by his lack of success. He is …show more content…
consumed with bitterness about being trapped in his own job without little hope of a promotion, while his son Cory is still full of hope for the prospects that the Dream can bring. Because Jay Gatsby and Troy Maxson were so focused on chasing these illusionary goals, they can not fully understand the magnitude of the acts they continue to make, which eventually leads to the death of them both. Jay Gatsby came from nothing and wanted to make his life worthwhile and successful and he did this through many manipulative acts, but in the end because of all of the lies he told, he was never able to reach his ultimate goal, Daisy.
Nick begins to describe Jay Gatsby’s life and says, “So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to his conception he was faithful to the end.” (Fitzgerald 98) Gatsby created his own reality of the life he wanted to live and he used others and this “version” of himself to manipulate people into believing that he was truly the Jay Gatsby he invented. This is only one of the many ways Gatsby tries to manipulate his way into the system to give himself the best shot at reaching his American Dream. When Gatsby meets Daisy for the first time, he takes her to a private area and, “His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” (Fitzgerald 119) This moment explicitly ties Daisy to all of Gatsby’s larger dreams for a better life, to his American Dream. Gatsby could not imagine his life without Daisy and …show more content…
because of this, he continues to do whatever it takes to make sure he does not have to live his life without her, including lying, cheating, and crime. Cincluding snetence: Troy Maxson aged out before a black man could play for the major league and his son, Cory has a chance to play football on a college scholarship, but the idea of his son possibly being able to do something he never could, bring out an anger and ugliness in Troy.
Cory starts to talk to Troy about collge recruits coming to watch him play and Troy says, “I don’t care where he coming from. The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football no way. You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in that A&P or learn how to fix cars or build houses or something, get you a trade. That way you have something can’t nobody take away from you. You go on and learn how to put your hands to some good use. Besides hauling people’s garbage.” (Wilson 50) Troy tells Cory that his dream of becoming of becoming a football player is not reality and he needs to focus on real goals like maintaining a steady job. Instead of encouraging his son and realizing that there are a lot of colored boys playing ball now, he holds Cory back and does not let him pursue his dream. Troy and Cory get in a very heated argument and when Troy tells Cory that he has given him everything Cory says, “You ain’t never gave me nothing! You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you. I used to tremble every time you called my name. Every time I heard your footsteps in the house. Wondering all the time .
. . what’s Papa gonna say if I do this? . . . What’s he gonna say if I do that? . . . What’s Papa gonna say if I turn on the radio? And Mama, too . . . she tries . . . but she’s scared of you.” (Wilson 124) Cory justifies that fact that his father, Troy, does not want him to succeed and continues to hold him back when he can achieve so much more. Troy could have given his son the chance to do something he never could and live out his dream through Cory, but he chooses not to that and dies before he can see what his son has become. Troy Maxson is a great example of the American Dream unachieved and he lets his jealousy get in the way of his son possibly being able to do something he never could.
Gatsby’s explanation of this dream focused on money and social status. He has always yearned for this, even when he was a child. Fitzgerald frequently emphasises Gatsby’s desire, throughout the entirety of this novel. Though, Fitzgerald accentuates this desire when Nick discovers the truth of Gatsby’s past. During this elucidation, Nick explains that “his [Gatsby’s] parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people-his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all.” (Fitzgerald, 98) This shows the reader Gatsby’s lifelong determination for wealth and power. Even in his adult life, he strives for more than what he has. In John Steinbeck’s essay, he explains that “we [Americans] go mad with dissatisfaction in the face of success” (Steinbeck, 1) This is exactly how Gatsby feels, he is not content with his success, the amount of money he has, or the height of his social status and is constantly wishing for more than he has. Though, once he meets Daisy he no longer strives for wealth, but rather for her. As shown in this novel, even though Gatsby has achieved all he had wanted when he was growing up, he will not be content until he is able to call Daisy his
“ Its attitude is one of disillusionment and detachment; Fitzgerald is still able to evoke the glitter of the 1920s but he is no longer dazzled by it; he sees its underlying emptiness and impoverishment” (Trendell 23)The story is narrated from the point of view of Nick, one of Gatsby’s friends. The problematic and hopeless romantic, Gatsby, sets out to fulfill his dream in acquiring Daisy, his lifelong love, through his many tactics and ideas. Gatsby is introduced extending his arms mysteriously toward a green light in the direction of the water. Later, Gatsby is shown to be the host of many parties for the rich and Nick is invited to one of these parties where Gatsby and Nick meet. When Gatsby later confesses his love for Daisy he explains she was a loved one who was separated from him and hopes to get her again explained when he says, “I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool”(Fitzgerald 56). There are several obstacles that Gatsby must overcome and the biggest one that is Daisy’s current fiancé but that still does not get in the way of him trying to recover Daisy’s old feelings. His attempts are made through money and wealth because he tries to buy her love back instead of letting it happen naturally.
The two were young lovers who were unable to be together because of differences in social status. Gatsby spends his life after Daisy acquiring material wealth and social standing to try and reestablish a place in Daisy’s life. Once Gatsby gains material wealth he moves to the West Egg where the only thing separating he and Daisy is a body of water. It is through the eyes of Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel, that the reader gains insight into the mysterious Jay Gatsby. In Nick’s description of his first encounter with Gatsby he says, “But I didn't call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone—he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.” The reader soon discovers that the green light is at the end of Daisy’s dock, signifying Gatsby’s desperation and desire to get her back. Gatsby’s obsessive nature drives him to throw parties in hopes that his belonged love will attend. The parties further reveal the ungrasping mysteriousness of Gatsby that lead to speculations about his past. Although the suspicions are there, Gatsby himself never denies the rumors told about him. In Nick’s examination of Gatsby he says, “He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself.” This persona Gatsby portrays shows how he is viewed by others, and further signifies his hope and imagination
Troy's wife Rose tries to explain that, "They got lots of colored boys playing ball now. Baseball and football." Even Bono tries to convey the same thing to him, "Times have changed, Troy, you just come along too early." Cory names some current black baseball players to his father, like Hank Aaron. Troy ignores this and says to Cory, "The white man ain't gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway." Cory blames his father of doing this out of resentment, saying, "You just scared I'm gonna be better than you, that's all." But Troy says to Rose, "I got sense enough not to let my boy get hurt playing no sports." It seems that Troy puts an end to Cory's football dream out of both his own disappointment and his desire to protect his boy. It's these wrestling of movies inside Troy that make him a complex and tragic
Gatsby’s quest to acquire Daisy was enlarged by his colossal obsession with the idea of being reunited with her, until the time actually came in which something so simple as a tea date was all he asked for in order to meet her. The purpose of acquiring such wealth and an extravagant home seems so pointless when Gatsby decides to meet with Daisy in Nick’s underwhelming cabin. The extravagancy of his vision deeply contrasts the modesty of the acquisition of his goal in this case. This shows a different side of Gatsby and his visions on what he thought would happen when he reached his goal and what actually occurred. Gatsby starts to panic when his visions do not occur when Nick and Gatsby are sat in Nick’s home, waiting for Daisy, Gatsby argues “Nobody’s coming to tea. It’s too late...I can’t wait all day” Fitzgerald 85). Gatsby is clearly very antsy and nervous about seeing Daisy again. He was very deeply in love with her and after 5 long years of waiting to see her again and they are finally reunited. All of his plans will be put into action and all of this planning will make him terribly self conscious
Upon first meeting Gatsby we find him staring at the green light at the end of the dock owned by Daisy. The exact wording of this moment is “But A I didn’t call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone-he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling” (Fitzgerald, 19-20). This instance alone shows nothing, save a longing, but when combined with the next few chapters it shows Gatsby obsession with all things related to Daisy. Another instance of Gatsby's longing for Daisy is showed in that his parties are meant to be for her. This conversation between Nick and Gatsby from late in the book shows Gatsby's concern when Daisy is actually at his party ““She didn’t like it,” he said immediately. “Of course she did.” “She didn’t like it,” he insisted. “She didn’t have a good time.” He was silent, and I guessed at his unutterable depression” (108-109). The major flaw in Gatsby's plan is that Daisy is old money, and old money and new money...
American clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger once said “The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it is possible to achieve the American dream.” This idea of the “American dream” has been around since the founding and has become a prominent part of American culture and identity. This same idea is what the raved about novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is based around. Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, pursues this American dream through his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan and his need to be insanely rich.
Jay Gatsby is an enormously rich man, and in the flashy years of the jazz age, wealth defined importance. Gatsby has endless wealth, power and influence but never uses material objects selfishly. Everything he owns exists only to attain his vision. Nick feels "inclined to reserve all judgements" (1), but despite his disapproval of Gatsby's vulgarity, Nick respects him for the strength and unselfishness of his idealism. Gatsby is a romantic dreamer who wishes to fulfill his ideal by gaining wealth in hopes of impressing and eventually winning the heart of the materialistic, superficial Daisy. She is, however, completely undeserving of his worship. "Then it had been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor" (79). Nick realizes Gatsby's estate, parties, shirts and other seemingly "purposeless" possessions are not purposeless. Everything Gatsby does, every move he makes and every decision he conceives is for a reason. He wants to achieve his ideal, Daisy. Gatsby's "purposeless splendor" is all for the woman he loves and wishes to represent his ideal. Furthermore, Gatsby believes he can win his woman with riches, and that his woman can achieve the ideal she sta...
The American dream today is very different from Gatsby's. The dream today is to have our necessities and to have fun. Many people would like to have a house to call your own, a job you like that pays the bills, and a healthy family. Gatsby's dream was to be wealthy and to find love, which was Daisy. He wanted to be an important person that people remembered. Gatsby thought that his wealth would buy Daisy's love, He tried to buy happiness and become something he wasn't. Even with all of his money he was not ever truly happy until he got Daisy. Gatsby lived his whole life with money and class but in the end he ended up dying because of
His desire for Daisy made Gatsby willing to do whatever was necessary to earn the money that would in turn lead to Daisy’s love, even if it meant participating in actions that were not completely legal.... ... middle of paper ... ... When reflecting on his memories of the man he knew as Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway recalls the unique individual’s finest quality: “It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again” (Fitzgerald 2). Although Gatsby occasionally stepped off the straight and narrow, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal: Daisy’s love.
When Gatsby was growing up he had imagined becoming a millionaire and while he had been working for a millionaire he decided that he wanted to achieve afflation. In addition, in the past when Gatsby was with Daisy, Gatsby left her because he was in a low income social class and he thought that he wasn’t good enough for her; he thought that she didn’t want to settle for a man without money. For example, when Gatsby and Daisy were young, Nick Carraway explained the life of Gatsby as “ A son of god--a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that--and he must be about his father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end” (98). Carraway describes Gatsby as a person who was dedicated to his dream and his dream was to become rich and to get Daisy back. Moreover, Carraway explained “Faithful to the end” (98), in a way that meant to imply that Gatsby pursued his idea of being wealthy. In addition, Gatsby not only becomes wealthy to obtain Daisy but she also represents a trophy to him. If he has Daisy he can show everyone that he was able to have her back into his
The Great Gatsby is a story of the American Dream. The Great Gatsby is a view into the society of the 1920's masterfully created by Fitzgerald. In this society, the one and only Gatsby falls right into the middle. Gatsby is an exemplary example of one trying to live out the American Dream.
Nick describes Gatsby as “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life(Ch.3).” Such description unifies the appearance of Gatsby with people’s expectation of a man who accomplished the American dream. The obsession with wealth often blinds people from the potential crisis. The crisis of having everything they worked and struggled for redefined if the reality fails them. Just like strivers who chase the American dream, Gatsby also spent his whole life in pursuit of his American dream, which Daisy was a major component of.
The American Dream, “a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S.” (Dictionary.com) In both the Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, the American dream is a key concept throughout the book. Although the American dream is not the same for everyone, it still has the same result every time. It is truly just a dream. It is unrealistic and clouds your judgment, yet some still try to achieve it.
In the beginning, Gatsby was a poor army boy who fell in love with a rich girl named Daisy. Knowing from their different circumstances, he could not marry her. So Gatsby left to accumulate a lot of money. Daisy, not being able to wait for Gatsby, marries a rich man named Tom. Tom believes that it is okay for a man to be unfaithful but it is not okay for the woman to be. This caused a lot of conflict in their marriage and caused Daisy to be very unhappy. Gatsby’s dream is to be with Daisy, and since he has accumulated a lot of money, he had his mind set on getting her back. Throughout the novel, Gatsby shows his need to attain The American Dream of love and shows his determination to achieve it. You can tell that Gatsby has a clear vision of what he wants when Nick says, “..he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I gla...