Essay on The Corruption of the American Dream in The Great...

On April 10, 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, a novel that would later become one of the best known pieces of classic literature in history. However, at the time of its publication, Gatsby was fairly unpopular ad the reviews were never consistent. As shocking as it may seem, I believe it is because Fitzgerald’s intelligence and creativity levels were way ahead of his time, which is evident when one pays close attention to the themes of the novel. Forgiveness, love, and memory of the past are just a few themes you will come across in this story. Aside from these, there is one other theme that is much more dominant and could possibly have been the cause of The Great Gatsby’s slight lack of initial†¦show more content†¦If you were, or are, one of those who feel this way you believe that if one does not own the fanciest clothes, the fastest cars, or the most extravagant house then they simply are not living the American dream. This materialistic aspect completely disregards happiness, family, and moral values. It is also the aspect that Fitzgerald seems to focus on the most with The Great Gatsby. In the novel, the main character, Jay Gatsby is most definitely living the American dream in the sense of materialism. He was never seen wearing less than the best of suits, and even seeing his shirts drove his love interest, Daisy to tears. â€Å"They’re such beautiful shirts†¦I’ve never seen such beautiful shirts† (Fitzgerald, p. 98). His mansion was described as looking like the World’s fair when he was throwing one of his thrilling parties. Although the only information Fitzgerald gives us about Gatsby’s car is that it was a Rolls Royce (pg. 35), that is enough to tell us he was not lacking in the â€Å"fastest cars† area. As for the fundamentally based ideas of the American dream, Jay Gatsby has only a few of them covered. He is certainly wealthy and prosperous. And if the fact t hat he can host a party, have the entire town attend, and repeat every weekend without ever showing his face does not scream â€Å"high social status†, I don’t know what does! The part of this fundamental aspect that Mr. Gatsby is lacking is a family and happiness.Show MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby : The Corruption Of The American Dream1771 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream The Great Gatsby may appear as a novel containing dramatic, twisted relationships; however, the main theme has to do with the culture of the 1920s, and how it leads to the downfall of the American Dream. The 1920s were an age of change: politically and socially. The nation’s wealth nearly doubled, leading many Americans into a prosperous society, while others experienced extreme poverty (The Roaring). People began performing, women wore flapperRead MoreThe Corruption of the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby1345 Words   |  6 PagesFitzgerald portrays the American Dream, originally a set of goals that included freedom, settlement, and an honest life with the possibility of upward social and economic mobility earned through hard work, as corrupted and debased by the egotistic materialism of the 1920s, an era which Fitzgerald characterizes chiefly by its greed and lavish hedonism, in his celebrated novel The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald, in The Great Gatsby, s eeks to discredit the supposed purity of the American Dream and belief that anyoneRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Displaying the Corruption of the American Dream742 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream In the 1920’s many people left their countries to come to America seeking for the American dream. The American Dream meant being successful and happy. Many people started to learn that they couldn’t find that happiness without the money. In Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the characters based their lives off of wealth and materialism, forgetting what the real idea of the American dream was. Throughout the story, Daisy, Gatsby and MyrtleRead MoreThe Great Gatsby - Corruption of the American Dream Essay1913 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Gatsby is a novel about the corruption of the American Dream. How far would you agree with this statement? The American Dream is fundamentally the idea that anyone in America can accomplish through hard work and can achieve success and happiness. It has been expanded on through the years and now incorporates ideas of attaining freedom, wealth and power. In the 1920s when The Great Gatsby was written the Jazz Age was taking hold and the American Dream became more about material possessionsRead MoreEssay on The Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream1010 Words   |  5 Pageswhich he popularized the concept of The American Dream. In this book he stated â€Å"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and once that phrase was written, The American Dream became what we truly know it as nowadays. It is the right of freedom, prosperity, equality and pursuit of happiness through hard work. However, The American Dream is an ironic concept seei ng as it neverRead MoreBroken Dreams and Fallen Themes: the Corruption of the American Dream in the Great Gatsby1477 Words   |  6 PagesBroken Dreams and Fallen Themes In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald employs the use of characters, themes, and symbolism to convey the idea of the American Dream and its corruption through the aspects of wealth, family, and status. In regards to wealth and success, Fitzgerald makes clear the growing corruption of the American Dream by using Gatsby himself as a symbol for the corrupted dream throughout the text. In addition, when portraying the family the characters in Great Gatsby are used to exposeRead More Corruption of the American Dream in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1438 Words   |  6 Pages Broken Dreams and Fallen Themes In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald employs the use of characters, themes, and symbolism to convey the idea of the American Dream and its corruption through the aspects of wealth, family, and status. In regards to wealth and success, Fitzgerald makes clear the growing corruption of the American Dream by using Gatsby himself as a symbol for the corrupted dream throughout the text. In addition, when portraying the family the characters in Great Gatsby are used to exposeRead MoreCorruption of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald855 Words   |  4 Pages In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives the reader a glimpse into the life of the high class during the 1920’s through the eyes of a man named Nick Carraway. Through the narrators dealings with high society, Fitzgerald demonstrates how modern values have transformed the American dreams ideas into a scheme for materialistic power and he reveals how the world of high society lacks any sense of morals or consequence. In order to support his message, Fitzgerald presents the originalRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Corruption of the American Dream1488 Words   |  6 PagesJay Gatsby is a man with a dream and will stop at nothing to attain it.   When he loses the love of his life to a wealthy, sophisticated and bigoted socialite, his mind is set.   Born a poor farm boy, he centers his life around achieving extraordinarily vast amounts of wealth and great social status.   The poor man never gets the girl; in fact, he never gets anything in Gatsbys eyes.   Gatsby is determined not only to be rich, but become the richest man who ever lived.   When he does become the richestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1707 Words   |  7 Pagesthe main principle and guideline of life. Labeled as the American Dream, Americans are pressed to work hard and honest under the idea that they will have an equal opportunity to obtain riches and glory . But is the pursuit of wealth really as pure and honest as it may seem? Holding this same idea and question, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, a young man by the name of Nick Carraway begins his pursuit towards the American Dream. The novel begins with Nick arriving at his new yet shabby