FREE ESSAY ON AMERICAN DREAM IN GREAT GATSBY

AMERICAN DREAM IN GREAT GATSBY

Christopher Tam 10/18/98 American Dream Great Gatsby Final DraftDREAM ON"Then wear the
gold hat…bounce for her too, Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,
I must have you"(1). This epitaph by Thomas D'Invilliers, found at the beginning of The
Great Gatsby, depicts the dream that Jay Gatsby tries to make a reality. While it
embodies characteristics of the American Dream of rags to riches, it is also a moving
dream of love and happiness. While Gatsby was a fraud, his life and death show the
greatness of the American Dream, not its bankruptcy.The story unfolds in New York during
the early 1920's, a tumultuous time for Americans. American culture was just beginning to
take on its own identity with the popularization of jazz. The 1920's was also a time of
social upheaval where opportunity was the name of the game. Prohibition was the law, thus
creating opportunities for business-minded individuals, such as Gatsby, to become
bootleggers. During these affluent years in American history, there were many parties and
affairs with the extravagance and splendor of kings. Rich individuals, like Gatsby, threw
huge parties with "buffet tables…bars with real brass rails…and orchestra[s]"
(44). The Roaring Twenties were years where a person who had the "dream" could flourish.
The American Dream, as it arose in the Colonial period, and developed in the nineteenth
century, was the belief that a person, no matter their origins, could succeed in life.
However, this success depended on a person's own skill and effort. During Gatsby's early
working years, he started from the bottom as a clam digger, dreaming the popularized
"rags to riches" dream. His next stop was the yacht of Dan Cody, where he worked and
lived for five years as a steward. Despite the monotony around him, his mind and
imagination were never at rest. "Each night he added to the pattern of his
fancies…the reveries provided an outlet for his imagination…hint of unreality
of reality"(105). After Cody, we know Gatsby joined the army during World War I. Five
years after returning from Europe, Gatsby is this incredibly wealthy man with a
gargantuan house where he throws lavish parties. The reader learns that this wealth was
accumulated through bootlegging, a highly illegal but lucrative trade during the
Prohibition Era. Thus, Gatsby achieved his "rags to riches" dream, although his methods
were unlawful. What separates Gatsby from the other characters, who are "foul dust that
floated in the wake of his dreams (6)," is that Gatsby's American dream was a means for
an end to him. His dream continued past just accumulating wealth and reputation. That was
only a phase of his "master plan." Gatsby's ultimate goal is happiness, which can only be
if Daisy is by his side. He achieved riches and success, but did not become overwhelmed
and corrupted by it, although it is relevant to note he used corrupt methods. His dream
is a romantic idealism that life can be remarkable and beautiful. Gatsby is not
interested in power for its own sake or in money or prestige, but for its ability to help
him achieve his dream. For this, Gatsby is willing to do anything and everything. He uses
his wealth as a resource to steal Daisy away from Tom. This also includes lying and
creating a false impression of himself to others. He is putting on this front to try to
become the man that Daisy desires. His extravagant parties are thrown only in hopes that
she will come to one and they can get rekindle their old feelings for each other.
Ultimately, Gatsby won't enjoy his riches until he has Daisy in his arms. Almost
everything we believe Gatsby to be is a fraud. Everything we believe gives us a favorable
impression of him though. He is a fraud for one and only one reason-to win Daisy back.
For starters, his name, Jay Gatsby, is false. It is really James Gatz, but he changed it
when he was seventeen to shed his past and start anew. For me, Jay Gatsby also sounds
youthful, invigorating, and somewhat aristocratic. James Gatz sounds too formal and
harsh, which does not convey a favorable impression of him. Another key inaccuracy of
Gatsby is his educational background, with Gatsby claiming a degree from Oxford. The
shocking and somewhat humorous truth is that he went to college for a total of five and a
half months. When he was eighteen, he spent two weeks at St. Olaf, a Lutheran college, in
Minnesota, leaving because of "its ferocious indifference to the drums of his
destiny"(105). He went to Oxford for five months because it was "an opportunity they gave
to some of the officers after the Armistice"(136). This lie further contributes to our
view of Gatsby as the perfect man. He is wealthy, educated, successful, and has overcome
extreme pain and suffering. Gatsby creates all these lies in order to win Daisy back and
to try to recreate the love they shared in the past. While Jay Gatsby is indeed a fraud,
he is not pathetic at all. Pathetic is defined as "causing or evoking pity" in Webster's
College Dictionary. I never felt pity for Gatsby at any point in the book. I actually
admired his drive and persistence in reaching his dream. He threw weekly parties where he
spent ridiculous amounts of money. He purchased enough food and drink to feed a nation,
and his entertainment was top notch. All of that just for the special woman in his heart.
Especially noteworthy is when he stood outside Daisy's house until four in the morning,
just because she wanted him to in case Tom got violent. This shows is unflinching
dedication, abundant love, and steadfast dedication to her. He is a wonderful example of
an individual who has lived the American Dream, which includes wealth, but is ultimately
about happiness. He went from being a broke, independent seventeen year old, to a rich
and successful adult. Jay Gatsby may not be the perfect example of a person who lived the
American Dream. However, neither does he show the bankruptcy of the Dream. Rather, he is
one of the many tragedies of the Dream. He was an ambitious man who was driven to achieve
success, no matter what he had to do. It was his drive that shows that the American Dream
was alive and well. He refused to become an arrogant and selfish person, as many people
did when they reached the level of success that Gatsby achieved. He pursued Daisy, who to
him represented happiness, and died trying. In dying though, Gatsby inspires readers of
the book to dream always and to dream big.