How Is The American Dream Successful In The Great Gatsby

Gauging personal success: How the American Dream Lives on
The American Dream has been the essence of our identity, since arguably the first colonization here. It drives motivation and purpose in lives. This idea of opportunity has and still exists in America; it is possible to achieve from a personal standpoint. The dream is not in anyway impaired in modern times. This concept has been discussed and debated since its birth and is the topic of many pieces of classic American literature, such as the novel profiling wealth in the 20s, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. What makes the American Dream so unique is it’s personal identity per person, such as evident with the variety of characters and dreams in The Great Gatsby and to the music

of that time. So you must keep this in mind that, the American Dream does not provide a clear-cut definition; abstract and particular to everyone, it allows people to have purpose in life. The dream itself does not dictate behavior in order to achieve the goal, rather the person drive himself.
Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is set in the roaring twenties, a time irrefutably remembered and associated with vibrancy, and chance. This was a more empowering time and lead to thee birth of new art forms such as with Jazz, a rhythmic storytelling method. It is often reflected in the novel, it is what draws people to the party, “music from [the] neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths”(Fitzgerald 39). This attraction to the music brings the masses, but is interpreted differently by each. With various swings and notes, it is becomes exactly what people want to hear; this difference in the interpretation of jazz, reflects the concept of this vision and idealized dream.
This is where Jazz and the American Dream intersect, and can be compared in many regards. From its attraction it gives, and separate definitions. West a musical aficionado did a topical on this and of the history of Jazz where he analyzed that this musical style is often too confined and defined much like this “dream”. This classification is what “added to the mystification, bombarding us with labels to ponder” (West). These labels cause confusion, because everyone has their “own purely subjective view of Jazz” and this is why West points out that if you “ask 100 different people ‘What is Jazz?’ you’re likely to get 100 different answers” (West). Jazz is a performance, alive, breathing and moving, it takes shapes like dreams and is exclusive to the individual. This is all encapsulated in Gatsby’s parties, it is self-fulfillment and requirement that guides them, brings them to the affair, and in turns, causes them to act accordingly in order to realize their won aspirations.
Jazz allows for a guiding light to be shown, it is a conductor for people.

Its pulse is what drives much of Gatsby’s lavish parties, even his event as a whole is over shadowed by it, brighter than even the sun; “The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher”(Fitzgerald 40). This music, yellow and golden, like opportunity, gives the partygoers the feeling of success. Jazz with its improvisation and deliberate distortion speaks to people; it personifies the roaring twenties. As it evolved over time it is still today, just linked with one’s personal

objectives.
To see this repeated variation in dreams withstanding of the time you need to see how in the Gatsby nearly a decade ago it was still as it is present.

Going down the long list of characters from all walks of life you can witness a number of varying dreams, from Daisy’s hopes for family, Myrtles wish of Tom, and Nick’s craving for success in bonds. Everyone forms their own rhythm and definition of success achievable in America, but perhaps the most persuasive is Gatsby, the center piece of the novel. He is mesmerized by the thought of love. He is lead on by the green light at the end of his dock and all his actions grow fourth out of hope for this light. Gatsby like the other characters lets his goal drive him in life once meeting Daisy and establishing his everlasting love for her, he dedicated all actions proceeding to be towards her. He built a fortune, and although slightly obsessive, he would read, “a Chicago paper for years just on the chance of catching a glimpse of Daisy's name" (Fitzgerald 77). It was not just this slight mannerism and practice of reading; it was much deeper than that. Nick originally thought Gatsby whished for unobtainable heights of monetary success yet, “ it had not been merely the stars to which he had aspired on that June night… He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispended starlight to casual moths- so that he could “come over” some afternoon to a stranger’s garden”(Fitzgerald 78). This one goal, so clear to Jay Gatsby,

leads the rest of his life. Every moment was spent achieving success so that he could live near Daisy, impress Daisy, be with Daisy. Some argue it was social pressure of this American dream which leads him to corrupt measures. Such as working with Wolfshiem a part of his gambling cohort, who helped him fix the World Series in 1919. Or how he set up a chain of “drug stores” which sold over the counter grain alcohol. However, it is more so his character flaw and craving for Daisy. He could not wait for her and so he gained money and triumph in any way he could, society did not pressure him to do so. This even meant gambling, cheating, and bootlegging if he had to. This was all Gatsby’s choice lead by the light and music, which Daisy emanated.
The dream Gatsby has is held within all of us, yet today many feel this goal is no longer possible. This only comes from confining the American Dream. It no longer resembles James Breslow Adams’ original concept first coined in the 1930s and has been victim to commodification allowing for price tags and statistics. Just as with the variety of goals held by characters in The Great Gatsby still a 100 years later it is a land of diverse people and dreams. Haranysi a writer for the New York Times feels strongly about this, setting straight that just as Adams originally intended “the American Dream can encompass anything at all” (Harsanyi). That is usually forgotten with the advertisement of the missing America Dream and acceptance of Unionism, which lead to the idea where, “Americans can be judged, by pay scales and seniority rather than their ability or achievement” (Harsanyi). The person validates this achievement, which is where this individual success comes in. The American dream isn’t something, which you can have monetary value put on it. Not all want money or riches; America was not just a land for economics, but for self-improvement. This possibility of equal opportunity is sometimes refuted by some who say that there are those who do not succeed, but that has always been the case no matter the times, “Society has its struggles” and always will (Harsanyi). Just as in the 20’s with Gatsby, not everyone was victorious. Wilson was prey to this, ending up a widow, depressed to the point of self-destruction. So it is not fair to say that this is attributory of only this current time.
One must stop listening to this hype, because the people preaching of this disparity do not know you, they only, “Think they know what your dreams should look like” (Harsanyi). You must question the music you hear and where it brings you. Everyone has motivation for success, and this is not always equitable. It may be in the form of family, or love, in Gatsby’s case. It pushes people to work hard. Based on the nature of each person, behavior may be adapted to meet this dream. But this dream is still very much alive and possible; anyone has the ability to conjure up their own goals to strive for that has not changed. Just as James Breslow Adams first wrote it is achievable to all according to ability. It never went missing, people have just lost the original intent and meaning of the term American Dream, it is still realized everyday based on everyone’s own subjective fantasy.
“Jazz has always been and remains today a living art form, ever changing and ever growing… So perhaps a better question is: What do you like?” (West). Jazz just like a dream is guiding and individual so when figuring out your dreams ask, what do you like? What drives your actions, and keep you encouraged, it is modified for everyone. There is no definition of success for the American Dream, it is as personal as music, and as complex as the individuals in The Great Gatsby.