How Does Gatsby Define Happiness

In today 's society, people spend their whole life searching for happiness. It can be argued that people will never find true happiness, because as humans, we don 't know what it means to be truly happy. Many believe that achieving true happiness can only be done by achieving the American Dream first. However, once an individual achieves the American Dream, will he or she truly be happy? Is money happiness? Through characters Jay Gatsby from the novel "The Great Gatsby", and Christopher Gardner from the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness", true happiness will be compared and contrasted as it pertains to the American Dream and the two characters.

James Gatsby was man who had completed the first step in achieving the American Dream. He had money, lots of it. He also had an enormous house with a huge property. Unfortunately, he didn 't achieve his money the good old "American way". He didn 't work honestly for his money. He was a bootlegger who used Drug Stores as a front to sell liquor. His motivation in making all this money was his only love Daisy. On the outside, Gatsby was living the life and there was nothing more a man could want in life. On the inside he was lonely, and the only thing he wanted, money couldn 't buy.
Although Gatsby 's big mansion was flashy and impressed Daisy, she could never leave her husband. This goes to show that money can 't buy you happiness.

Christopher Gardner is the complete opposite of Jay Gatsby. Here is a man who never had lady luck by his side in his life. He had to work hard and honestly for his money. There was no easy street for this man. He had a wife and son who he had to support. I believe Christopher Gardner is the modern day definition of the American Dream. He had to work his way up in this world, and he started from nothing. Once his wife left, he had to work even harder. He wasn 't just doing all this for his son, he wanted to be successful and show the world and everybody who ever doubted him that they were wrong. In a world where the American Dream has been hiding, Christopher Gardner found it. He didn 't need loads of money to be happy. To be happy, he needed his son, his love, his hard work, his determination, and most of all, his success. This once again, goes to show that money can 't buy you happiness.

Christopher Gardner and Jay Gatsby are similar in ways.
Firstly, they both knew what it was like to be poor. Secondly, they both had lovers who left them for being so poor. Thirdly, both of them weren 't achieving happiness within themselves. They were trying to make other people happy, which would make them happy. Christopher Gardner was trying to make his son happy, and provide him with a good life once his wife left. Gatsby was trying to make Daisy happy by taking her away from Tom and impressing her with his riches. Lastly, both wanted more out of life. They wouldn 't settle for what they already had. Christopher wanted to be able to support a family, and make them happy. Gatsby on the other hand kept trying to relive the past. Both wanted
more.

In the end, the humble and hardworking character was the one who achieved true happiness. There is an old saying that goes, "Life is a big feces sandwich, and everybody 's gotta ' take a bite." Christopher Gardner took a big bite, chewed, almost choked, but then swallowed. Gatsby didn 't even take a bite. Like Gatsby, Christopher set almost impossible goals. Unlike Gatsby, Christopher accomplished those goals honestly. The American Dream is defined as a person who as achieved success and happiness, by working hard and honestly. That is exactly what Christopher Gardner did. No matter what obstacle stood in his way, he overcame it.

Bibliography:Novel - The Great Gatsby Movie - The pursuit of happiness