Examples Of The Quest For The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

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Leah West Miss Sibbach AP English III 12 December, 2014 Quest for the American Dream The characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby strove for the American Dream each day of their lives, realizing that it was not easily attainable, however, it was possible. Each individual had a unique idea of the American Dream, and all of them had a very diverse way of securing their goal. Money and social status played a large role in the lives and ideas of many of the characters, and the initial goal that they sought. Fitzgerald shows the motives of the characters to give the audience an insight of how they justify their actions of achieving the American Dream. Not all of them acquired their standard of the American Dream, but the few who did Tom wanted to be a pure, wealthy, high class man, but acted with an opposing personality that led many people to dislike him. “His social attitudes are laced with racism and sexism, and he never even considers trying to live up to the moral standard he demands from those around him. He has no moral qualms about his own extramarital affair with Myrtle…” (SparkNotes). Tom held double standards for Daisy, as when he learned of a potential affair between her and Gatsby, he forced a confrontation with the two of them. Tom always runs away from his troubles so that he will not be caught, and becomes restless so that he will not have to be confronted with his weaknesses. “Moreover he is a rude and violent person who sometimes acts boisterously and maliciously” (Tom). Tom speaks and acts very hypocritically. His harsh words towards Daisy about the affair made many people come to know him as degrading, so they avoided speaking to him if they could. Although he failed at accomplishing his American Dream, Tom bullies the people who he thinks keep him from getting closer to achieving his idea of a perfect Her American Dream did not differentiate from most people in the roaring twenties, she wanted to be high in social status and obtain great wealth. George, her faithful, yet poor and lower class husband, treats her with very much respect and acts very prideful of her. Myrtle does not appreciate his efforts, and becomes so unsatisfied with their relationship that she has an affair with Tom. “‘I married him because I thought he was a gentleman... I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe’” (Fitzgerald 34). Myrtle speaks of George so lowly because she wants to escape the unhappiness of their relationship, only to hopefully fulfill a life in the upper class with Tom. Myrtle tries so hard to take on a different way of living, and ends up losing everything and dying with nothing

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