The Nature Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The american dream was the belief that if an individual worked hard enough they could achieve success regardless of family and societal status. The 1920s took this concept and distorted its values and nature. The dream,originally driven by hope for a better life, became motivated by the want for wealth and material possessions. Illegal and immoral acts were the way to acquire the dream for many in the 1920s. Charles Ponzi was one of the wealthiest men during the 20s, who acquired his money through a number of bank schemes. F. Scott Fitzgerald comments on the corrupt nature of the American dream in the 1920s with setting and characters in his book The Great Gatsby.
The Great Gatsby explored the American dream and its destructive values through

setting. The valley of ashes represents the demise and downfall of the American dream. The valley is full of hopelessness and the people who live there, such as the Wilsons, are stuck in a “prison” unable to rise in societal status. They do not share in the prosperity of others around them, but live in a poverty stricken area. The valley shows the ugly consequences of America's growing obsession and desire for wealth and high status. The eyes of T.J. Eckelberg watch over the valley as a symbol of God. The eyes watch the failure of the American dream and conveys the fact that even God can't save it from its inevitable self-destruction.
Myrtle Wilson, the mistress of Tom Buchanan, represents the failure for people born into lower class society to reach the American Dream. Through her affair, Myrtle believes that she can reach high society. Myrtle continuously misjudged her value to Tom. She failed to grasp the fact the Tom would never leave his wife and marry her, which shows her lack of knowledge of the world she so desperately wants to be a part of. Her misunderstanding of the world Tom comes from demonstrates the failure of the dream for those born into poverty.
Jay Gatsby represents the incorruptible nature of the original dream and corruptible nature of the 1920s American Dream. His love for Daisy is placed in a hope that could never be broken. Throughout the entire book Gatsby always remain hopeful Daisy will come to him. The green light at the end of her dock symbolizes this desire for a life with Daisy that Gatsby continuously puts his hope in. Through his incorruptible love for Daisy he commits illegal crimes as a bootlegger to attain wealth and status, where upon the corruptible dream begins.. His house, car, and clothing symbolize the growing consumerism and greed of the dream. It further shows that those who came into wealth from poverty tried to create respect through showing possessions off. Gatsby’s car shows wealth and success, when it crashes it literally shows the death of the American dream. From that point on Gatsby's dreams and hopes further unravel as Daisy continues to move away from him. The fact that he fails to attain both Daisy and acceptance into West Egg shows the shortcomings of the American Dream.