Great Gatsby Happiness

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.Set in New York in the 1920s, The Great Gatsby talks about changing moral values and the reckless lavishness of the roaring 20’s along with the rapidly evolving idea of the American Dream. The American Dream narrows down the idea of being successful in life to obtaining prosperity and riches through hard work and determination. In his book, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrays the American dream as being more than just about wealth. Through the character, Jay Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald conveys that the aspiration of happiness in life is more important than pursuing wealth.

However, they never had to work hard or strive for anything in their life due to which they never knew the true meaning of hard work and had no happiness to pursue. Daisy was raised in luxury and continued to live so by marrying Tom. She did not have any long term objectives or goals in life that she yearned for. During Nick’s first lunch at the Buchanans’ residence, he says the following of Daisy and her companion Jordan , “...their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire. They were here and, and they accepted Tom and me, making only a polite pleasant effort to entertain or to be entertained. They knew that presently dinner would be over and a little while later the evening, too, would be over and casually

However, his dream was still symbolized in the green light at the other end of the dock at the Buchanans’ residence in East Egg that he stretched out his arm towards “with his extraordinary gift of hope.”. Towards the end of the book, the narrator, Nick says “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.”(Fitzgerald 180). The light symbolized his hopes and dreams for his future which he associated with Daisy. He viewed it as a guiding light that would help him achieve his goal of getting together with Daisy. His exemplary hope is also reflected through what he says to Nick after having one of his extravagant parties which is attended by Daisy and Tom. When Nick tries telling Gatsby that he shouldn’t be expecting too much from Daisy and that ha can’t repeat the past, Gatsby says, “Can’t repeat the past?.....Why of course you can!”(Fitzgerald 110). This showed his determination and belief that he had towards achieving his dream of attaining Daisy. Hence, Gatsby though rich and accomplished still looked forward to acquiring Daisy as his ultimate