Explain The Failure Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Failure of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby

The American Dream is defined as Life, Liberty, Equality, Hope and the Pursuit of

Happiness. Which also references The Declaration of Independence that mentions ‘’all men are equal.’’ The American Dream was originated when immigrants were looking for jobs in the early time of America. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbolism and motifs to describe The American Dream back then. Here are some examples of The American Dream in The Great Gatsby: The ‘’green light’’ at the end of Daisy’s dock, The Valley of Ashes and also Fitzgerald is focusing on how people are so acquisitive and doesn’t care about others.Throughout the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols such as Valley of Ashes to

represent The American Dream. The Valley of Ashes is ‘’a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who

move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air’’ (22,4ff) The valley of Ashes
represents something dark and hopeless. As a result of fire ashes stands for death, hopeless. The death of Myrtle Wilson in The Valley of Ashes represents The American Dream failing.
Fitzgerald represents American Dream by commenting on their decay over time through Gatsby character.

Throughout the novel, hope is one of the most significant motif. Throughout the novel, hope is one of the most significant symbol used by Fitzgerald. Gatsby is full of hope and his hope is to get his love back, Daisy. The first time the green light is seen in the novel is also the first time Nick sees Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes, “…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…” The green light is exemplified as 'minute and far away' which means impossible. This tells us that Gatsby has failed in his Dream of getting Daisy back and the society is also failing in their American Dream. Overall, Gatsby did not achieve the American Dream. The American Dream is defined as the pursuit of happiness and Gatsby did everything he could to achieve it, but

failed.
Fitzgerald talks about how no one cares about the American Dream and they all have their own dreams and they all failed in their American Dream. Wilson’s dream is to get enough money to move away with his wife and start a new life. His dream can become true if Tom helps him, but he fails in his dream and his life is nothing to him after his wife dies. Myrtle’s dream is to live a good life and because of that she’s having a relationship with Tom. The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married in and never told me about it, and the man came after it one day when he was out…” (Pg. 37). Daisy marries Tom because of Tom’s wealth and she believed that she’ll accomplish her American Dream by marrying Tom.
Overall, the American Dream is never achieved in the Great Gatsby. Myrtle and Gatsby
are so obsessed to get what they want and they even forget about real life and are engulfed in a
materialist view on life. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald presents the American Dream as a
corrupted idea because Myrtle and Gatsby dreams are too unrealistic and exist only in their imagination. They are never satisfied with a sufficient living, and they do not have control over
their life which makes it impossible to achieve the American Dream.