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Class distinctions in the great gatsby
Analyzing the american dream
Focusing on money as the symbol of succeess in The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald
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According to dictionary.com, the American Dream is “a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S.” The American Dream is being happy and achieving one's goal, but does one ever fully achieve their goals? People will always want to do more to achieve their goals, just like the people in “The Great Gatsby”. Fitzgerald tries to show that the American Dream can never really be achieved, because people will always want to do more to achieve their dream. Tom got part of his American Dream when he inherited a lot of money, and he became a very rich man. Tom also had part of his American Dream when he married Daisy whom he loved; “He nodded sagely. ‘And what’s more I love Daisy too. Once in …show more content…
“I thought you inherited your money.” ‘I did, old sport,’ he said automatically, ‘but I lost most of it in the big panic-the panic of the war.’ I think he hardly knew what he was saying, for when I asked him what business he was in he answered: ‘That’s my affair,’ before he realized that it wasn’t an appropriate reply.” (Fitzgerald 90). One of Gatsby’s dreams was to have a lot of money and he achieved that, also part of his dream was to inherit that money like the people in the East Egg because he wanted to fit in. That part of his american dream was not achieved and another part of his dream that was not achieved is that he did not get the girl of his dreams. “‘Oh, you want too much!’ she cried to Gatsby. ‘I love you now-isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.’ she began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once-but I loved you too.’” (Fitzgerald 132). Daisy is telling Gatsby how she can not tell him that she never loved Tom, because she did and still does. Daisy also did not go to Gatsby’s funeral, because she chose Tom. “I called up Daisy half an hour after we found him, called her instinctively and without hesitation. But she and Tom had gone away early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them. ‘Left no address?’ ‘No.’ ‘Say when they’d be back?’ ‘No.’ ‘Any idea where they are? How I could reach them?’ ‘I don’t know. …show more content…
As Nick says, “Why they came East I don’t know. They spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together.” (Fitzgerald 6). Daisy achieved another part of her American dream when she married Tom the man that she loved. “I did love him once-but I love you too.” (Fitzgerald 132). Then she had a new dream, and that was to be with Gatsby the man that she fell in love with a long time ago. “His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own...Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” (Fitzgerald 111). Daisy was married to Tom but she loved Gatsby and when she kissed him she feel even more in love with him. That was Daisy’s american dream to marry the guy she truly loved but she never got that because Gatsby got killed and her and Tom went away. “...But she and Tom had gone away earlier that afternoon…” (Fitzgerald 164). “...I was sure he’d start when he saw the newspapers, just as I was sure there’d be a wire form Daisy before noon-but neither a wire nor Mr. Wolfsheim arrived…” (Fitzgerald 165). Daisy did not even go to Gatsby’s funeral because she had to go away with Tom. Daisy is another person that never achieved her american dream because she never got the man of her
All the while, Gatsby stands outside Daisy’s house to ensure her safety. He unknowingly waits as Daisy makes amends with her husband. She had no intention on running away with Gatsby anymore, because she knew Tom would always give her anything she wanted. Daisy had sunk her claws so deep into Gatsby that he never suspected that she would stay with her husband. For Gatsby, what Daisy and he shared was everything to him. For Daisy, it no longer meant anything. “So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight—watching over nothing.” (Fitzgerald
Gatsby's tragic loss of the American dream has to do with his toxic quest to fall in love with daisy “When he kissed her, She blossomed for hints like a flower and the incarnation was complete. In Daisy, Gatsby's meretricious dream was made
Gatsby’s love for daisy first went back a long time ago, and Daisy’s parents rejected of Gatsby because he wasn’t “pomp and circumstance”, like Tom Buchananand in result, Gatsby reinvents himself by becoming a financially successful man. Fitzgerald purposely has Gatsby state that Daisy’s “voice is full of money”, this illustrates that Gatsby is still trying to impress her and win her back; but on the other hand, the irony of the situation is that Gatsby can afford almost any materialistic, but can’t win Daisy. Also, when Jordan elaborates that Daisy never desired to attain love “, yet there’s something in that voice of hers”, she demonstrates not only that she is elusive, but also explains that she can manipulate her persona. This excitement and distraction, which is what Daisy provokes on Gatsby, is the what caused by the illusion of attaining Daisy, and thus fulfilling the American Dream. Daisy is personified as the American Dream throughout The Great Gatsby
and I thought I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband. If he left the room for a minute, she’d look around uneasily and say ‘Where’s Tom gone?’” (Fitzgerald 83). Gatsby tries to convince Daisy that she loves him and only him, yet Daisy actually loves them both. After Daisy was married she could think about anything except Tom, while Gatsby has spent the past five years dreaming of the day he could meet her again.
Of course she loved Tom. She married him. It should have been enough for Gatsby to know that Daisy loved him. This act of selfishness brought destruction upon Gatsby himself. “Gatsby’s eyes opened and closed.
Gatsby's belief of achieving his American Dream through Daisy lead to his failure. While the American Dream suggests that everyone can achieve the status and wealth they desire through hard work, Gatsby's newly earned wealth and lifestyle are looked down upon, due to which he desires to be married with Daisy, which can lead to him attaining his dream. The American Dream during the nineteen twenties is portrayed by the author as a dream merely restricted to the attainment of wealth and social class which had consumed many people including Jay Gatsby.
he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except for me!’” (Fitzgerald 130) Later, Gatsby continued to pursue Daisy. “‘Daisy, that’s all over now,’ he said earnestly.
The American Dream is the concept that anyone, no matter who he or she is, can become successful in his or her life through perseverance and hard work. It is commonly perceived as someone who was born and starts out as poor but ambitious, and works hard enough to achieve wealth, prosperity, happiness, and stability. Clearly, Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to personify the destruction of the American Dream. Gatsby started out as a poor farming boy, meticulously planning his progression to become a great man.
"The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity." Wikipedia: So basically the American Dream is to have money, and a family. Gatsby got his money, but what he really wanted was Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby spent his whole life striving for one thing.
...m once — but I loved you too.” (171). It is in this moment of shock that Gatsby realizes that all he has dreamt up for his future was actually his past. On the other hand, Daisy manages to face the reality of life and live in the present. Gatsby’s death is a representation of his failed dreams.
Daisy Buchanan, in reality, is unable to live up the illusory Daisy that Gatsby has invented in his fantasy. After Daisy and Tom Buchanan leave another one of Gatsby’s splendid parties, Fitzgerald gives the reader a glimpse into what Gatsby’s expectations are. Fitzgerald claims that “he wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’” (109). Here it is revealed that Gatsby’s one main desire is for Daisy to go willingly...
“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. The American Dream, a long-standing ideal, embodies the hope that one can achieve financial success, political power, and everlasting love through dedication and hard work. During the Roaring 20s, people in America put up facades to mask who they truly were. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald conveys that the American Dream is simply an illusion, that is idealist and unreal.
Knowing from their different circumstances, he could not marry her. So Gatsby left to accumulate a lot of money. Daisy, not being able to wait for Gatsby, marries a rich man named Tom. Tom believes that it is okay for a man to be unfaithful but it is not okay for the woman to be. This caused a lot of conflict in their marriage and caused Daisy to be very unhappy.
‘Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger’”(Fitzgerald 133). Within this confrontation underlies the concept of The American Dream. Currently, Gatsby is vying for Daisy’s love and trying to wrestle her away
The unhappy and careless people of both the East and West Egg represent the immorality and corruption that wealth can bring. Gatsby’s dream was ruined by his own materialistic views. His dream of success transformed into a nightmare that ultimately led to his death. Gatsby and the Buchanans are proof that wealth does not equate to happiness or success. Gatsby’s romantic idealism is so great that he does not understand how wealth cannot bring happiness or love. Fitzgerald’s novel is great reminder to those with materialistic views about the detrimental effects the “American dream” can have on society.