FREE ESSAY ON GREAT GATSBY

GREAT GATSBY

Gatsby's Pursuit of the American Dream
The Great Gatsby, a novel by Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream, and the
downfall of those who attempt to reach its impossible goals. The attempt to capture the
American Dream is used in many novels. This dream is different for different people; but,
in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire
happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old dream;
and, in order to do this, he must have wealth and power. 
The American Dream had always been based on the idea that each person no matter who he or
she is can become successful in life by his or her hard work. The dream also brought
about the idea of a self-reliant man, a hard worker, making a successful living for him
or herself. The Great Gatsby is about what happened to the American Dream in the 1920s, a
time period when the many people with newfound wealth and the need to flaunt it had
corrupted the dream. The pursuit of the American Dream is the one motivation for
accomplishing one's goals, however when combined with wealth the dream becomes nothing
more than selfishness. 
Jay Gatsby, the main character of the story, is one character that longs for the past.
Surprisingly, he spends most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies
in this pursuit. In the past, Gatsby had a love affair with the attractive young Daisy.
Knowing he could not marry her because of the difference in their social status, he
leaves her to gain wealth to reach her standards. Once he acquires wealth, he moves near
to Daisy, Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay (p83), and
throws extravagant parties, hoping by chance she might show up at one of them. He,
himself, does not attend his parties but watches them from a distance.
When this dream doesn't fall into place like he planned, he asks around if anyone knows
her. Soon, he meets Nick Carraway, a cousin of Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, He
wants to know...if you'll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come
over (p83). Gatsby's personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have
the opportunity to get what they want. Later, in the Plaza Hotel, Jay still believes that
Daisy loves him. He is convinced of this and even takes the blame for Myrtle's death. Was
Daisy driving? Yes.... But of course I'll say I was (p151). He also watches Daisy as she
returns home to make sure her husband doesn't harm her. How long are you going to wait?
All night if necessary (p152). Gatsby cannot accept that the past is gone and done with.
He believes that he acted for her and beyond his personal interest and that that should
guarantee his success. Nick attempts to show Jay that his dream is unobtainable, but
Gatsby innocently replies to Nick's comment by saying, Yes you can, old sport (p141).
This shows the confidence that Jay has in fulfilling his American Dream. 
For Jay, his American Dream is not material possessions, although it plays a big part in
the fulfillment of his true American Dream, Daisy. Gatsby does not rest until his
American Dream is finally fulfilled. However, it never comes about and he ends up paying
the ultimate price for it. Gatsby's own characteristics, especially his obsession,
contributed to his fate. Despite his attitude toward Daisy and her friends who are rich
and play polo together, he, too, has been drawn in by the lure of money and fame. Unable
to control his obsessive desire to have daisy, he cares little about the means by which
he acquires the money to marry her. He associates with known criminals, appears to be
involved with bootlegging, and is rumored to have killed a man. Finally, he lies about
himself and his family to get Nick's help for his quest. The means he uses to achieve his
goal ends up to be everything that he despises about the people who come to his parties.
He prefers the pretty illusions he thinks of rather than the harsh reality of the
obsession that he has allowed to corrupt his life and dream. The result of this
corruption is that his so-called American Dream has vanished before his eyes. 
The idea of the American Dream still holds true in today's time, no matter if it's
wealth, love, or fame. But one thing never changes about the American Dream; everyone
desires something in life, and everyone, somehow, strives to get it. Gatsby is a prime
example of pursuing the American Dream, and I think that this story would teach the
reader to be less cynical so that we try to achieve the American Dream and not leave it
as that just a dream.