How Did The American Dream Die In The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby – The Death of the American Dream the uncredited author presents the idea that Fitzgerald aimed for his novel, The Great Gatsby, to symbolise the death of the American Dream. I would however disagree with this statement, as I believe Fitzgerald wished to convey that the American Dream did not die during the 1920s: It never existed in the first place. The 1920s were just the era in which this became clear.
Decadence, luxury, and extravagance are just three of the words used to describe the immoral celebrations of the Roaring 20s. In 1919 World War I finally ended, causing a general consensus of joyfulness, and the loss of inhibitions. Whilst the article declares that ‘money is clearly identified as the main culprit in the
The residents of West Egg are people of whom have gained their money recently, as opposed to East Eggs hereditary wealth. Both vicinities are separated by a vast body of water, perhaps indicating how people with new money will never be able to live like those with old. Although on face value those with new wealth such as Gatsby’s have achieved the American Dream in the traditional sense, they have not done so ‘at the cost of dehumanisation and the selling of their souls’ as the article suggests, as they will always strive for more: it is human nature. If someone has an American Dream and achieve it, it is inevitable they will want more, and aim higher, therefore in this sense the Dream is impossible to achieve, therefore could never have existed. This is reinforced by Tom Buchanan; the epitome of someone who has achieved the American Dream. He wants for nothing from a monetary aspect, yet he is still described in chapter 1 as his eyes are described as ‘flashing about restlessly’. This could be indicative of how it is human nature never to be satisfied, always to want more. This again reinforces the idea that the American Dream doesn’t