The Personified Dream: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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The American Dream was the ideal goal for most common people across 1920’s America. These citizens, regardless of their social status and family history, strived to become accomplished first-class socialites. Even though they struggled to grasp this materialistic dream, high class citizens- specifically those born into wealth- already reached this heavenly goal. Truly, this makes the wealthy ultimately the American Dream themselves because of their granted status that the common people desired. This concept is incorporated in Fitzgerald’s American Classic The Great Gatsby : a fiction work that describes a poor young man named Gatsby and his relationship with the rich and beautiful Daisy Fay Buchanan. Although at first glance, the plot is mainly a love story, it describes what the American Dream is. The storyline frequently mentions Daisy’s status and how she was born into money as well as her carelessness-- similar traits that the American Dream has. Due to this, Daisy’s wealthy background, her mysterious demeanor, and her irresponsible actions ultimately make her the embodiment of what the American Dream is. Daisy’s materialistic background correlates to the American Dream’s goal since the American Dream is basically “living the high life”. Her widespread popularity stems from this, which is evident when Jordan Baker finds out that “she was just eighteen, two years older than me, and by far the most popular...[and] presumably engaged to a man from New Orleans” (Fitzgerald 74-75). At such a young age, Daisy is amongst the most scandalous of rumors; how she grabbed the attention from a suitor at such a great distance exemplifies her immense fortune. In relation to the American Dream, many young males strive for a life of wea... ... middle of paper ... ...as no remorse or empathy towards him. Therefore, Daisy gives an accurate portrayal of the American Dream due to her relationship with Jay Gatsby. Works Cited Bloom, Harold, and Blake Hobby. The American Dream. New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2009. Print. Callahan, John F. "F. Scott Fitzgerald's Evolving American Dream: The "Pursuit of Happiness" in Gatsby, Tender is the Night, and The Last Tycoon." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 28 Mar. 2014 Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print. Roulston, Robert, and Helen H. Roulston. "The Great Gatsby: Fitzgerald's Opulent Synthesis (1925)." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 26 Mar. 2014 Steinbrink, Jeffery. ""Boats Against the Current": Mortality and the Myth of Renewal in The Great Gatsby." Bloom's Literature. Facts on File, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. .

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