The American Dream In The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Independence Hall Association, 2011).” This exert from The Declaration of Independence provides a look on America and how life is meant to be lived; with all individuals having an equal right to exist. This existence includes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This beacons to one vital idea, one main vision, which creates a fundamental dream. This dream is the American Dream, and is the ideology that life should be richer, fuller, and more sustainable for the common man. The idea influences viewpoints that anything can be accomplished with the correct willpower, no matter the hill to climb. This fore mentioned dream causes much hope and opportunity, but additionally makes the weakest link plummet. The true American Dream can be chased, but exists if and only if the one trying for it can accept failure and move on. This continually presents itself in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Taking place in the height of the Great Depression, Grapes depicts the Joads, a family with no wealth that loses everything due to foreclosure and repossession. This family continually looks for both jobs and stability, which are reflected in the synopsis of the novel. This is their American Dream. But when it is only partially, and temporarily, reached, this dream crumbles to the dust, figuratively and literally. This is similar in Gatsby, as though Jay Gatsby has wealth, he cannot reconnect with his one love in the world, Daisy. Throwing lavish parties in an attempt to lure Daisy to h...

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... that the American Dream is never truly met, only falsely acclaimed, and that though the opportunity, the American Dream only creates problems. These ideas further compliment that the American Dream can be chased, but exists if and only if the one working towards it can accept failure and move on.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. S. (2011). The great gatsby, by f. Scott Fitzgerald (eBooks@adelaide), Retrieved from http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/gatsby/chapter4.html

Independence Hall Association. (2011). Declaration of independence Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Retrieved from

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document

Steinbeck, J. (2006). The grapes of wrath. New York, New York: Penguin Group.

Travelpod.com. (2011). On the road to dawson creek. Retrieved from http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bwalser/1/1245743024/tpod.html

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