The Role Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Tajmia Owens
Mr. Putnam
Language Arts 1
20 April 2013
Gatsby’s American Dream In the novel The Great Gatsby written by E. Scott Fitzgerald “ The American Dream” presents itself by showing the desperation of Jay Gatsby trying to reach his true American Dream. As we all know the American dream is unobtainable realistically speaking, but what will one person do to achieve this goal? Jay Gatsby is a rich, handsome, bachelor who seems to have it all. He’s living the life that most people now could only dream of. The luxury cars, ritzy parties every week that never seem to be unattended, and breezers’ (a convertible car) that always turns heads as it drives by. What more could a man want? Well the one thing he so desperately desires to have
Gatsby’s American dream is Daisy, Daisy is a fluttery individual and sometimes isn’t the brightest bulb in the box not to mention she is married to Tom. Gatsby knew Daisy before she was married to Tom but back then things were different much, much different. Gatsby back then was a poor individual and Daisy came from money. Gatsby being a young boy fell head over heals in love with Daisy but daisy coming from money knew she would never marry the man because “rich girls don’t marry poor boys” as stated in the movie. Gatsby was completely oblivious to this fact and then left to go the military, upon returning from duty he expected to find daisy waiting for him but instead daisy was a newlywed. Gatsby’s heart was broken, but he did not stop perusing his dream. Tom and Daisy lived a life of luxury in east egg; after Gatsby went off to collage he became rather rich and moved into the house right across the lake from them. Small world
Daisy and Gatsby finally came into contact and the tea gathering Nick had at his house. There the very socially awkward Gatsby sees Daisy for the very first time and he blurts out as Daisy is trying to remember the last time she saw him, “Five years next November”. Most would think that’s extremely creepy but Gatsby truly meant it in a sentimental way showing that it has been playing on his mind ever since the day he left. When Gatsby least expects it he loses daisy for good. The green light at the end of her dock finally faded into oblivion. “So he gave that up and only the dead dream fought on” Even though Gatsby was so close to obtaining the infamous American dream the idea that the dream has a will of its own and also the suggestion that maybe what makes Gatsby special isn’t his dream but the fact he held on to it for so long while everyone else got on excepting how the world really was. It’s tragic that all his success in life and making sure he lived a life of glitz a glam was for this one girl, the girl, Daisy but never accomplished what he set out to