Attainability of the American Dream: A Literary Perspective

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The American Dream, is it attainable or not? Is it a fantasy? Is it reality?
The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald and the novel, Of Mice and Men by, John Steinbeck explore the fantasy and reality of the American Dream.

In The Great Gatsby the American Dream is more of a fantasy than a reality. The character Jay Gatsby was in love with the character Daisy Buchanan. He sought for their love to prevail but it was never attained because while Daisy loved Gatsby it was not enough to leave the life that she's attained with Tom Buchanan. The following quote was heated in the hotel room Tom and Gatsby battled for Daisy's love but in the end Tom won: "Of course it matters. I'm going to take better care of you from now on." "You don't understand," said Gatsby, with a touch of panic. "You're not going to take care of her anymore." "I'm not?" Tom opened his eyes wide and laughed. He could afford to control himself now. "Whys that?" "Daisy's leaving you." "Nonsense" "I am, though," she said with a visible effort. ( Fitzgerald 133).
This scene shows Gatsby's love for Daisy and Daisy's reluctance to leave Tom. Gatsby's American Dream wasn't meant to be attainable. …show more content…

The characters George Milton and Lennie smalls dreamed of having a farm but their dream was not achieved. Lennie asked George " How long's it gonna be till we get the little place an' live off the fatta the lan' -an the rabbits?"(Steinbeck 56). Unfortunately, George and Lennie did not get to "live off the fatta the lan'" because Lennie accidentally killed Curley's wife. George did not want Curley and the other farmers to torture Lennie, so George killed Lennie himself because of this tragedy George felt there was no need to continue on with their dream. Therefore, the American Dream is only a

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