The American dream in The Great Gatsby seems at first to be just about money and material things, but the meaning becomes deeper when the clear meaning is the love that Gatsby has for Daisy and his quest to get her back. Gatsby has the life that most people would dream of, but he doesn’t have the only true thing that he wants. He uses material things and wealth to hopefully win his way back into daisy’s heart as he did once before.
Gatsby has a house in West Egg. Jordan says “Anyhow, he gives large parties.” (Fitzgerald 43). He bought a large house right across the island from Daisy and even has a yellow car to impress her. Gatsby has lavish and exquisite parties, but doesn’t give out invitations because he wants Daisy to come to one of the parties. Gatsby and Daisy have had a previous relationship and Gatsby is trying to win her back. Daisy is now married to Tom and they have a daughter together. Gatsby makes money by bootlegging, or selling alcohol in drug stores. Gatsby uses the typical version of the American dream which is wealth to achieve his own version of the American dream which is true love. Gatsby says “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before, you’ll see.” (Fitzgerald 117) as a way to describe rekindling the love that he and Daisy once had. Later in the novel when it becomes evident that Daisy still loves Gatsby as well and she is close to choosing to spend the rest of her life with him but instead for safety precautions chooses to stay with her husband Tom. When Myrtle is killed Daisy and Tom hatch a plan in the middle of the night to blame Gatsby and skip town. Gatsby sits outside of the window and waits for Daisy to give the signal to rescue her. Nick discovers Gatsby at the window and says “He won’t touch her, He’s not thinking about her.”(Fitzgerald 144). Daisy never gives a signal. The next day Daisy and Tom are gone and Gatsby is killed by Myrtle’s husband, George. There is a green night