Introduction When the first settlers came to America many years ago, they found freedom and opportunity. With hard work and determination an average man or woman could be prosperous. This concept was not only revolutionary in theory, but has proven to be true for many successful individuals. This idea has come to be known as the American Dream. Its foundation was based on good ethics; however, with the passing of time it has become distorted. The American Dream no longer stands for equal opportunity and hard work, it involves wealth, false happiness, materialistic possessions and high social status. Individuals who have achieved the materialistic American Dream give the appearance of perfection. However, for many, their lives are not as ideal as what they seem. Issues such as sexual abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, adultery, greed and restlessness, affect the lives of even those who appear to live the American Dream. In F. Scott Fitzgeralds novels The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night, the characters Daisy Buchanan and Nicole Diver give the appearance of a charmed existence, but it is in fact flawed. Daisy Buchanan was raised in a wealthy American family, and had the appearance of a perfect upbringing. In reality, Daisy did live a white (p.20) childhood, pure and innocent. In fact, her childhood was so ideal that even her friend Jordan Baker commented, The largest of the banners and the largest of the lawns belonged to Daisy Fays house. She was just eighteen, two years older than me [Jordan], and by far the most popular of all the young girls in Louisville. She dressed in white, and had a little white roadster, and all day long the telephone rang in her house and excited young officers from Camp Taylor demanded the privilege of monopolizing her that night (p.75). Daisys childhood not only gave the outward appearance of being ideal, but in reality it was flawless as well. On the exterior Nicole Divers childhood fits all the requirements of a perfect upbringing as well, however, like the American Dream, it too was imperfect. Nicole was born into an affluent family and she was a perfectly normal, bright, happy child (p.126). However, after the death of Nicoles mother, her father began to have an incestuous relationship with her. Nicole maintained the appearance of being normal, but she eventually began to suffer from mental illness because of her past abuse. She had a fit or something-the things she said got crazier and crazier(p.127). Almost always about men going to attack her, men she knew or men on the street anybody (p.127). Nicole was diagnosed as having a Divided Personality(p.128) and she underwent many years of therapy to rehabilitate her from her past sexual abuse. Both Nicole and Daisys childhood have the outward appearance of being perfect, however only Daisys childhood truly was. After Daisy married Tom Buchanan, their marriage appeared to be a happy union. They traveled to many places and people commented, it was touching to see them together(p.78). Although Daisys marriage seemed idyllic, it regrettably was not. At a young age Daisy was forced to marry Tom, a wealthy businessman from Chicago. She [Daisy] wanted her life shaped now, immediately and the decision must be made by some force of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality that was close at hand(p.151). Daisy entered this marriage only for the social status and financial security that she would gain. She knew that the marriage was a mistake and that her heart truly belonged to Jay Gatsby. However, she continued with the planned marriage. The next day at five oclock she married Tom Buchanan without so much as a shiver, and started off on a three months trip to the South Seas (p.77-78). The marriage began with a bad foundation, and as a result Daisy subsequently had an affair with Gatsby. Gatsbys superficial possessions and newfound wealth impressed Daisy so greatly that she cheated on her husband. On the exterior Gatsby had everything to offer Daisy, but in reality, he was a lonely, dishonest man who was obsessed with money. Nicole, like Daisy, entered marriage for the wrong reasons. Nicole had been mentally unstable for years until Dick Diver entered her life. He not only offered her support as a doctor, but as a husband as well. He was some one she [Nicole] could rely on indefinitely (p.215). Dick was impressed with Nicoles high social status and when Nicoles sister, Baby Warren, proposed the idea of them marrying, he could not pass up the offer. However, Dick was reluctant to marry, and he often believed that he had made a mistake. But she did not know that twice Dick had come close to flinging the marriage in her face(p.159). Its possible that I [Dick] was the wrong person for Nicole . . .(p.215). Nicoles marriage, much like Daisys, was based on a weak foundation. Although the Divers gave the exterior impression of a blissful marriage, it, like the Buchanans union, was troubled. Throughout the marriage Dick engaged in affairs, while Nicole remained faithful. When Dicks career began to fall apart and he became an alcoholic, Nicole sought elsewhere for emotional support. Nicole, like Daisy, pursued an affair outside of her marriage. Nicole wanted an affair; she wanted a change(p.291). Similarly, Daisy and Nicole both pursued relationships outside of their marriages. Both women gave the outward impression that their marriages were indissoluble, however, in reality, their marriages were troubled. Daisys marriage to Tom, although troubled within, gave the outward appearance of happiness and fulfillment. The couple was very wealthy, and had acquired most of their wealth from their inheritances. Tom did not require Daisys wealth to achieve his goals in life. Their relationship was troubled in other aspects, and the desire for wealth never entered their marriage, unlike the Divers marriage. Outwardly the Divers marriage was also flawless. They lived a perfect life, or so it seemed. Their marriage, like the Buchanans, suffered in many areas, but the main reason for their problems was Dicks desire for Nicoles wealth. Dick was extremely ambitious and saw Nicoles wealth as a business opportunity. Dick married Nicole for her money, . That was his weakness you [Nicole] hinted as much yourself one night(p.240). And I [Dick] havent got that much money I havent got a tenth of it Nicole and Baby are rich as Croesus but I havent managed to get my hands on any of it yet (p.176). Dick felt that he should be the supporter of the family, and he always resented the fact that she had greater power over him because of her wealth. Youve got too much money [Nicole] Thats the crux of the matter. Dick cant beat that (p.293). The Divers have an impeccable marriage on the exterior; though realistically Dicks main reason for marrying Nicole was to fulfill his desire for wealth. The Buchanans on the other hand, did not have any problems related to money. Daisy Buchanan gives the appearance of leading an interesting, thrilling life in East Egg. She has traveled around the world, and lived the life of luxury. However, even with all her wealth and status, she still leads a dull, unfulfilling life. She is constantly complaining of boredom and is seen as being restless throughout the novel. They [Tom and Daisy] had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together(p.6). Daisys world and the people she associates with, all have achieved the American Dream, but they have no aspirations or goals and thus they all live meaningless lives. This sense of boredom and unproductiveness is seen at various points throughout the novel when Daisy complains of being bored and continues to say, Whatll we do with ourselves this afternoon?(p.118) On the exterior Daisy lives a fast-tracked, thrilling life, but in reality, her life is uninteresting and lacking sustenance. Daisys past relationships were much more fulfilling. Her love affair with Gatsby in the past brought her more happiness than with her current husband. They [Daisy and Gatsby] had never been closer in their month of love, nor communicated more profoundly with one another(p.150) Of course she [Daisy] might have loved him just for a minute, when they were first married and loved me [Gatsby] more even then, do you see?(p.152) Overall, Daisys leads an unfulfilling life, despite her vast wealth. Her past was much more rewarding then her current life. Nicole, like Daisy, gives the appearance of living a thrilling life, but in reality, she feels her life in unfulfilling as well. Despite Nicoles wealth, her life is far from exhilarating. I think we should do something spectacular. I feel that all our lives have been too restrained(p.274). She never had real goals in life; she drifted aimlessly throughout the world. She gained all her wealth from her inheritance. Daisy has achieved the American Dream in a sense, but the true ambition and spirit behind it has been lost. Nicoles past relationships have also been far happier and fulfilling. Although she did not have a past affair with another man, her relationship with Dick was much more rewarding in the past. Nicole often reminisces of the past when her life was happier. For a moment Nicole was sorry it was so; remembering the glass he had raked out of the old trash heap, remembering the sailor trunks and sweaters they had bought in a Nice back street . . .(p.281). Both Daisy and Nicoles past was more exciting and gratifying. Their current relationships are flawed and although on the exterior they live a charmed life, their lives are in reality are unrewarding. Conclusion In Fitzgeralds novels The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night, the characters Daisy Buchanan and Nicole Diver give the appearance of a charmed existence, but it is in fact flawed. Similarly, both couples have achieved the materialistic American Dream, but surprisingly are not content with their lives. Eventually both marriages are unhappy, and suffer conflicts. The American Dream with all its promises does not guarantee happiness. Even with great wealth and possessions people are not happy. True happiness comes from within, and not from the shallow possessions that are supposed to make people happy. Overall, the concept of the American Dream is truly flawed; people externally have everything, but in reality they are missing the key to life, happiness.
From the outside, Daisy seems like the demure wife of a wealthy ex-football player, Tom Buchannan. The relationship the two share is far from a perfect marriage, but it is functional for upper-class society. Daisy often speaks nonsense, putting off the impression that she lacks intelligence, but there are moments when Daisy shows her true nature. The first moment occurs when Daisy shares
Her sequence of lies leads George Wilson to believe, senselessly, that this was all Gatsby’s fault. The shame of the affair eventually compels Wilson to shoot Gatsby and then commit suicide. Daisy, could have owned up to her mistakes and saved Gatsby’s life, but for Daisy Fay Buchanan, self-preservation is far more valuable than personal merit. This in fact proves “the greatest villain in the Great Gatsby is in fact Daisy herself, for her wanton lifestyle and selfish desires eventually lead to Gatsby’s death, and she has no regards for the lives she destroys” (Rosk 47). Nevertheless, Nick Carraway sees right through her disturbing ways and reflects upon the Buchanan’s. After Nick ponders a thought he muttered “They are careless people Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they made” (Fitzgerald 170). Many people see Daisy Buchanan as a poised, pure, and elegant woman who is happily married; however, few like her cousin, Nick Carraway, suffer from knowing her true self: careless, deceptive, and selfish. Daisy is able to use money to get her out of every situation she runs
No two people are going to share the exact same goals, and while many people’s dreams run along the same pathways towards security, money, love, and companionship, the route by which to get there and the destination should be left entirely to the dreamer. By creating an institution such as the American Dream, goals become oversimplified. The American dream boils happiness down into two or three facets, which everyone seems to try desperately to conform to, but people cannot be told what to like. As conformists, though, everyone will attempt to seem perfectly happy with a lot they never chose as they live a dream they never wanted. Nothing showcases this more clearly than the rampant unhappiness of the characters in The Great Gatsby. None of the people the world would consider ‘successful’ end the novel happy; instead they are left either emotionally hollow or entirely dead. Their failure at achieving real and true happiness is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s way of criticizing the relentless pursuit of a phony American
The novel The Great Gatsby displays deceitfulness in many of its characters. The deceit brings many of the characters to their downfall. Gatsby had the greatest downfall of them all due to the fact it took his life. In The Great Gatsby , “ Gatsby goes to spectacular lengths to try to achieve what Nick calls ‘his incorruptible dream’ to recapture the past by getting Daisy Buchannan love” (Sutton). Gatsby always had an infatuation with Daisy, Jordan Baker said,”Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (Fitzgerald 83). Gatsby and Daisy did have a past together. While Jordan was golfing, “The Officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at sometime[…]His name was Jay Gatsby and I didn’t lay eyes on him for over four years-even after I’d met him in long island I didn’t realize it was the same man” (Fitzgerald 80). Daisy is now in an abusive relationship with Tom Buchannan, “Nick Carraway attends a small publicly blames Tom for the bruise on her knuckle” (Sutton). When they meet again Gatsby showers Daisy with love and affection, wanting her to leave her husband Tom, but she does not want to in their society. Tom and Gatsby get into an argument and tom tells Daisy about Gatsby’s bootlegging that brought him to his riches. Tom yelled, “He a...
These two women portray that wealth is better than everything else, and they both base their lives on it. Also, the novel shows the hardships and difficulties they have in their marriages. They are never satisfied with what they have, and are always longing for more. Daisy Buchanan is married to Tom Buchanan and cousin to Nick Carraway. During World War I, many soldiers stationed by her in Louisville, were in love with her.
Behind every sweet innocent face there are lies that come along with the perfect looks. Daisy Buchanan seemed to like the perfect wife, but her beauty disguised the secrets. Mrs. Buchanan had a secret life that she would hide from her one and only husband. Faithfulness did not come along with her marriage, she cheated on her husband and did not even care if he ever found she would act so thou...
Wealth, material possessions, and power are the core principles of The American Dream. Pursuit of a better life led countless numbers of foreign immigrants to America desiring their chance at the vast opportunity. Reaching the American Dream is not always reaching true happiness. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby achieves the American Dream, but his unrealistic faiths in money and life’s possibilities twist his dreams and life into useless life based on lies.
People from all around the world have dreamed of coming to America and building a successful life for themselves. The "American Dream" is the idea that, through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit in terms of financial success and a reliable future. While everyone has a different interpretation of the "American Dream," some people use it as an excuse to justify their own greed and selfish desires. Two respected works of modern American literature, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, give us insight into how the individual interpretation and pursuit of the "American Dream" can produce tragic results.
husband was very poor and she wanted the good life. A life where all she had to do all
Tom and Daisy Buchanan, the rich couple, seem to have everything they could possibly want. Though their lives are full of anything you could imagine, they are unhappy and seek to change, Tom drifts on "forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game"(pg. 10) and reads "deep books with long words in them"(pg. 17) just so he has something to talk about. Even though Tom is married to Daisy he has an affair with Myrtle Wilson and has apartment with her in New York.. Daisy is an empty character, someone with hardly any convictions or desires. Even before her relationships with Tom or, Gatsby are seen, Daisy does nothing but sit around all day and wonder what to do with herself and her friend Jordan. She knows that Tom is having an affair, yet she doesn't leave him even when she hears about Gatsby loving her. Daisy lets Gatsby know that she too is in love with him but cant bring herself to tell Tom goodbye except when Gatsby forces her too. Even then, once Tom begs her to stay, even then Daisy forever leaves Gatsby for her old life of comfort. Daisy and Tom are perfect examples of wealth and prosperity, and the American Dream. Yet their lives are empty, and without purpose.
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents three women in an especially bad light. Daisy Fay Buchanan, the narrator's cousin, is the most obvious. Daisy is selfish and materialistic. She married her husband, Tom, because he was wealthy when he proposed to her. She ignored her true love, Jay Gatsby, because he was poor; this fact is evident when the two meet again after years apart and Daisy sees that Gatsby is rich now. Gatsby bought the house right across the bay from Daisy so he could be near her (Fitzgerald 83). Daisy admires all of his possessions and even considers leaving her husband for him, but in the end remains with Tom. This action is evidence of Daisy's selfishness; the moment of their reunion means everything to Gatsby and nothing to Daisy, except for a game to help Daisy pass the time during her idle days (Magill 1144). The selfishness of Daisy is a detail that thrusts her into the role of a villain in the novel.
Their relationship conveys its strength as Daisy and Tom reconcile their differences. “There’s things between Daisy and me that you’ll never know, things that neither of us can forget.” Tom attempts to control the past which helps to eradicate Gatsby’s vision for the future. Tom and Daisy share the same values and this is what binds them together. Despite Gatsby attempting to pursue Daisy his idealistic view of her distorts his real perception of her. Gatsby’s devotion was never going to be enough for Daisy as he could not provide her with the life she had always destined. Tom provided her with the lifestyle she accustomed and the stability she required, something which Gatsby had the inability to do. Daisy’s feelings are not as reciprocated as Gatsby. Daisy may appear to be careless with her choices which ultimately ends up corrupting Gatsby foreshadowing his
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.
America has been labeled "The land of opportunity," a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as "The American Dream." The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisition of material has been tied together with happiness in America. Although "The American Dream" can be thought of as a positive motivation, it often causes people to strive for material perfection, rather than a spiritual one. This has been a truth since the beginnings of America, such as the setting of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, which is an example of this set in the 20’s. The characters in this novel are too fixed on material things, losing sight of what is really important.
In The Great Gatsby, it is Daisy who has a materialistic dream. She loved Gatsby. When he was a soldier, she loved him, but Gatsby knew he could never marry her, because of class. So, Daisy married Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man, a good looking man, but Daisy did not love him. In the book, Daisy is miserable. She knows Tom is having an affair, and she often cries. She wishes for her daughter to be " a beautiful little fool"( Gatsby 21) so that her daughter will not be smart enough to be unhappy. Daisy loves Gatsby, but she loves her lifestyle. And when she had the decision between the two, she chose her lifestyle, and she will regret her decision time and again.