F. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby - 1290 Words

Achieving the American Dream means reaching a level of material wealth and social status to almost everyone. Although most people think they would pursue the American Dream with integrity and sincerity, the allure of material wealth often leads people to compromise.Their moral compass often becomes relative and their relational pursuits often become predatory. Throughout The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the morality of society and the pursuit of the American dream through his characters’ actions and worldviews. The pursuit and ideals of the American Dream are displayed in a manner for all to believe that once achieved they will be satisfied. However, the sinful nature of the characters lead to the corruption of these†¦show more content†¦He would never have the pedigree of those of the East Egg. The incessant drive for materialistic possessions was a significant factor in the destruction of many characters morality, thus leading to the impending downfall of the American Dream.The main character of the novel, Gatsby, had extensive material wealth that displays the illusionment of material wealth giving him true happiness. (Emin Tunc, Tanfer).His accumulation of meaningless, materialistic trophies, such as his piles of silk shirts, ostentatious car, extravagant mansion, and a library of unread books should have brought him true happiness. To Gatsby these status symbols are the American dream. (Emin Tunc, Tanfer). However, they never brought him the ultimate fulfillment he desired. Myrtle was consumed by materialism, spiritual emptiness, and elusive dreams. (Emin Tunc, Tanfer).Her drive for materialistic things was endorsed by Tom Buchanan, as she was his mistress. His old wealth and gifts were so meaningful to her she took his beatings in exchange for a glimpse of the dream. However, her lack of social graces lead her to be unsatisfied because she would never fit the mold of old money. As Myrtle died with her mouth ripped open, as if gasping for air, because her vision of the American Dream has left her suffocating in the valley of ashes. The only way out became using her body to acquire the materialism that she believedShow MoreRelatedF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby974 Words   |  4 PagesPoverty in the Valley of Ashes: The Great Gatsby â€Å"This is a valley of ashes- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and raising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air† (Fitzgerald 26). In the novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† the author F. Scott Fitzgerald, mainly depicted lives of the rich and their luxuries but also showed theRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1289 Words   |  6 Pages and many people realized their own version of the American Dream during this period. The American Dream is one that many people want to achieve. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates his true feelings about the American Dream in his classic novel, The Great Gatsby. Many characters in this story, such as Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Jay Gatsby, and Jordan Baker, found riches and happiness in materialistic things and people throughout this novel. This is the stereotypical American Dream that is associatedRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby944 Words   |  4 Pages423169 Prompt #4 No Comments Lim [f (x)] - 0 = ∞ ... The Limit as X Approaches Infinity Humans continually search for success. This success surfaces in forms such as fortune, fame, glory, et cetera. The American Dream encapsulates the ideals of the â€Å"New World,† bringing together not only the idea of limitless success, but also its newfound availability and encouragement for embracing the promise land. The Great Gatsby explores the American Dream and â€Å"the actual nature of this dream... the mannerRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1265 Words   |  6 PagesJay Gatsby and His Undying Love for Daisy Buchanan F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby in the midst of the roaring twenties, which was an age full of wealth, parties, and romance. Young people living in the 1920s were centered around wanting to find love so Fitzgerald, along with many other authors during this time period, focused his writing in The Great Gatsby on relationships and affection. Jay Gatsby, one of the main characters in the novel, is a very mysterious man, but there is oneRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1720 Words   |  7 Pagesdriving force of evolution in humanity. It allows the aspiration of being able to do astonishing things, and proffers them prosperity in life. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald delves into the American Dream and it’s demise. Fitzgerald focuses on the character of Jay Gatsby to materialize the false image that the American Dream created in the 1920’s. Gatsby is the protagonist of the novel, and is famous for throwing massive parties regardless of the s ecret life that he lives. The narrator, Nick CarrawayRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1845 Words   |  8 Pages â€Å"You don’t write to say something, you write because you have something to say.† F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the most remarkable writers of all time during the Jazz Age. He started to reach an accomplishment of success with This Side of Paradise and accomplished it with The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novels take place back in the early 1900’s; he attempts to communicate knowledge to the elocutionist, in a sophisticated, but humorous way, that making it big is not uncomplicated. FurthermoreRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1202 Words   |  5 PagesJay Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald is an acclaimed American author, popularly recognized for his novel The Great Gatsby. In addition to his literary work, Fitzgerald is noted for his unstable personal life. Originally coming from a low-income background, he could not marry the woman that he first loved. Even when he met another woman, he had to acquire wealth to marry her; this drove him to publish his first novel. He married her shortly after. However, a couple years after, heRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1258 Words   |  6 Pages What Killed Gatsby? Love or Greed? To certain people, Gatsby’s death was a cruel and surprising conclusion to The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. But there is still some mystery around the cause of Gatsby’s death. Upon meeting Gatsby for the first time, one can tell that he has an obsession centered around Daisy Buchanan, his old love, and was dead set on getting her back. Gatsby’s obsession with repeating the past is responsible for his death and Gatsby’s greed put him in a grave. FurtherRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1761 Words   |  8 Pagescould be the main focus of people who are going out on their own to create a family. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald took a different route in his most famous novel. Fitzgerald uses his book, The Great Gatsby, to show how the idea of the American Dream is slowly dying in the society he created. Although the American Dream was prevalent during the time The Great Gatsby took place in, F. Scott Fitzgerald went against the social norm of believing in this idea and revolved his novel around the idea ofRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1894 Words   |  8 Pageslife. In the case of F. Scott Fitzgerald, this statement could not be truer. In fact, much of Fitzgerald’s most famous work feature plots that closely parallel events from his life (Lathbury 10). For example, his novel This Side of Paradise includes a young man who is rejected by the love of his life on the grounds of his social status. Zelda similarly rejected Fitzgerald for his social status at first. In comparison, it is not surprising that Fitzgerald’s story The Great Gatsby takes place in the