Great Gatsby: The American Dream

The Gatsby Dream The American Dream. A goal that is hidden within all people, young and old. It is inspiration for people to get everything that they could have ever wanted. A popular saying, created in the 21st century by people describing the American Dream, is “Work hard, play hard,” essentially stating that in order to have fun and enjoy life, one must work hard to get to the point where having fun is possible. Gatsby, from the novel The Great Gatsby, by Scott F. Fitzgerald, is a perfect example of that. Jay Gatsby represents the American Dream from when he was just a little boy, through his adult life, to the time of his death. When Gatsby was just a small lad, he was already wanting to have more. He was raised in a dirt poor family in rural North Dakota. Gatsby was known in that time as James Gatz, but he later “had changed it at the age of seventeen.” (Fitzgerald 111) Gatsby hated the poverty-filled life. He longed desperately to become wealthy. He once dropped out of St. Olaf after only two weeks because he was “dismayed at its ferocious indifference to the drums of his destiny”. (Fitzgerald 110) When he was seventeen, Gatsby took a trip to Lake Superior, where he saw his future mentor, Dan Cody’s “yacht drop anchor over the most insidious flat on Lake Superior.” (Fitzgerald 111) Dan Cody taught Gatsby the ways of the wealthy as Gatsby joined Cody on his ten year yacht adventure to the West Indies and the Barbary Coast. After Gatsby and Cody had circled the
continent three times and five years had passed, a newspaper woman by the name of Ella Kaye “came on board one night in Boston and a week later Dan Cody inhospitably died.” (Fitzgerald 113) Gatsby was hurt by the loss of his mentor and best friend, and irritated for Ella Kaye had used legal systems to swindle Gatsby out of the twenty-five thousand dollars, which was all the inheritance money that he had received from the passing of Dan Cody, leaving Gatsby with only “his singularly appropriate education” (Fitzgerald 113) However, the intelligence that Gatsby had gained from all his years with Dan Cody taught him how to work hard, which aided Gatsby when he journeyed into the American army. However, before Gatsby went and discovered Daisy, the love of his life and his main reason for becoming rich, for he wanted to be able to take care of her. So, Gatsby had to leave Daisy behind to fulfill his dream of becoming wealthy, with the promise that he would return to her. Whilst Gatsby was in the army, he did very well, earning multiple medals at a very young age, “‘A young major just out of the army and covered over with medals he got in the war.’” (Fitzgerald 200) After he got back from the war, Gatsby’s life became devoted to becoming wealthy and no longer living the impoverished lifestyle. In his adult life up until his untimely demise, Gatsby participated in some sketchy business in order to achieve the American Dream of having everything he wanted, and Gatsby did not want much. He simply wanted to be rich, and have the girl of his dreams. So, Gatsby became a bootlegger, which was highly illegal at the time, considering alcohol was illegal. However, everyone wanted alcohol, so it was a very profitable business to be in, which is how Gatsby acquired his fortune. It was not sudden though. Gatsby spent years building his underground empire, with the help of Gatsby’s friend, Mr. Wolfsheim, all the while keeping under the radar so he would not get arrested, and spending his money on lavish parties in hope that one night his love, Daisy, would show up to one of the parties, “‘I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night.’” (Fitzgerald 90) Once Gattsby figured out that Nick knew Daisy, he asked for Nick to get Daisy to meet him. From that point on, Gatsby was obsessed with Daisy, in an unhealthy way. He did everything for her, such as giving her anything she wanted. Gatsby spent the rest of his life chasing after Daisy, wanting nothing more than to capture his lifelong dream of spending the rest of his life with her. In the end, Gatsby could not capture Daisy with his affections, for she loved another man. Gatsby went to his grave giving her everything he had, including his life by taking a bullet for her, by taking the blame for a murder that Daisy had committed. There was a possibility that he might have won Daisy back for good, might have made her want to leave her husband for him, but he never got the chance. Gatsby was killed before he got everything he wanted, “The chauffeur… heard the shots.” (Fitzgerald 189) “‘Look here- this isn’t Mr. Gatsby. Mr. Gatsby’s dead.’” (Fitzgerald 194) From the beginning of his life to the bitter end, Gatsby chased his dreams.
He spent his entire life only wanting two things, money and Daisy. Unfortunately, Gatsby only got to have one of those things. He spent his entire life working as hard as he could, for something that was only a dream. Sometimes, dreams outstretch what can actually become reality. But that is why they are called dreams, because they do not have to be realistic. But there is one dream that unites everyone. The American
Dream.