The Faded American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The...

The Faded American Dream in The Great Gatsby THESIS: In F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby, the American Dream faded away due to materialism, infidelity, and an imposing lack of solidarity. Hope, perseverance, hard working ambition and adventure are some of the characteristics of the American Dream. However, the American Dream didnt last forever. F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby clearly reflects how the societys life was during the roaring twenties and how it led to the American Dreams destruction. One of the American Dreams greatest causes for its death is materialism. This means that the modern values turned the American Dreams wholesome principles into materialistic ones making people†¦show more content†¦All this materialisms revolves around money; all they think of is money (Fitzgerald 35). When Tom Buchanan and Nick are at Catherines (Myrtles sister) house with the McKees, all they do is talk about money. When they first mention the word Gatsby, the first thing they say is they say hes a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelms. Thats where all his money comes from (Fitzgerald 37). In this occasion the fact about where his money comes from is out of context. On that same evening, Mrs. McKee says that she almost made a mistake (Fitzgerald 38) by almost [marrying] a little kyke whod been after [her] for years, and [she] knew he was below [her] (Fitzgerald 38). This not only shows materialism but superficiality. Mrs. McKee decides not to marry with him only because he was below her. These people do not go beyond a physical appearance or economic status. They are blind to the inner wealth: the soul. On the other hand, throughout the novel, it is evident that Gatsbys greatest desire is to gain Daisys love again. He believes that in order to make his dream come true, he must be from the high class so he chooses to become rich so wealth becomes his superficial goal overshadowing his quest for love (Website2). However, at the end he becomes aware that he is only looking for money, not love. When Gatsby says that her voice is full of money (Fitzgerald 127), he realizes that by takingShow MoreRelatedInfl uences on F. Scott Fitzgeralds writing in The Great Gatsby1658 Words   |  7 Pagesgood for most. In The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes about the fictitious life of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire (Gross 1). The setting of the novel is New York in the twenties, a time, and place, where people were jovial and carefree. In New York, more than anywhere, people did not worry about lifes downs, but focused on the highlife and partying. Prohibition made partying difficult, but it prevailed nonetheless. In the novel, Fitzgeralds description of humansRead More Failure and the Degeneration of America in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby1042 Words   |  5 Pages   The Great Gatsby is a bold and damning social commentary of America which critiques its degeneration from a nation of infinite hope and opportunity to a place of moral destitution. The novel is set during the Roaring Twenties, an era of outrageous excesses, wild lavish parties and sadly, an era of regret and lost potential. As the audience, they take us on a journey guided and influenced by the moral voice of Nick Carraway, a character who is simultaneously enchanted andRead MoreAmerican Dream Failure Essay1092 Words   |  5 PagesFailure of the American Dream The American Dream; a reality chased by Americans for centuries, based on the ideas of liberty, happiness and equal right to success for all. But, for F. Scott Fitzgerald the American Dream was a materialistic world of permanent riches and fortune. 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In this book he stated â€Å"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and once that phrase was written, The American Dream became what we truly know it as nowadays. It is the right of freedom, prosperity, equality and pursuit of happiness through hard work. However, The American Dream is an ironic concept seeing as it neverRead More Symbolism in The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald1628 Words   |  7 PagesSymbolism in The Great Gatsby , written by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby is a classic American novel, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1927 about corruption, murder and life in the 1920’s. The true purpose for a writer to compose any piece of literature is to entertain the reader, and this writer does this to the best of his ability. In this well-crafted tale, Fitzgerald presents a fast moving, exciting story, and to any typical reader it can be enjoyed; however, if the reader takes the timeRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1443 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It s over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now - J. G. Ballard In the classic American novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald exposes the harsh realities of the American Dream and its effect on society during a chaotic time in our nation’s history. This tragic but beautiful story takes place during The Jazz Age, just after