The Great Gatsby Essay
Content
Success: The American Dream
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is described as an “exemplary novel of the Jazz Age. Indeed, the Jazz Age was the ideal setting for the novel and its characters. This time period was linked with the newly rich and declining moral values. After the end of World War I, the young generation rebelled against the older and more conservative generation. Fueled with economic prosperity the society dramatically changed. In the past ,the Victorian Era, wealth was an indication of high breeding and the feeling of belonging to a select group. During the Jazz Age, the stock market, as well as “prohibition” a law that banned alcohol, added to the growth of the economy. Middle Class citizens who invested in the Stock Market saw a rise in their profit and criminals saw a high demand for black market liquor which earned them money. This new turn in the order of society created the newly rich, who tried to fit themselves in the older more respected “old money”. Gatsby was one of the new rich who profited from prohibition and made all his money in pursuit of the American Dream. The American Dream is a prevalent theme in the novel, but what place does it have in our society today? The definition of the American Dream is the word success. The taste of Success is what drives everyone to live, to achieve something. Is success really the American Dream? Thousands of immigrants flock to the U.S everyday in search of this same dream, they call it opportunity. The opportunity to be something big, but success is the real dream because Opportunity is only half the battle. Opportunity drives success, because people don’t just want favorable circumstances, they want
something out of it. Money, fame, any other names, they are all just different names of success. Chinese immigrants were the first immigrants from Asia to migrate in large numbers. They came because of the California gold rush, because of the economic opportunities. After the decline of the gold rush, most started worked in the fields of mining or railroad related construction. All of the workers had a better life in the United States compared to their counterparts in China. Although they went through many hurdles, such as racism: the “Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, they are now regarded as hardworking people. In this generation, the importance of education is stressed within many Asian families; Many people of Chinese descent have been very successful. And, isn’t Success the American Dream? In contrast to the first generation of Chinese immigrants, the generation of today has life easy. There are few to none instances of racial discrimination, and opportunities are easily accessible. Second generation Asian immigrants feel out of place though. They are caught between two identities, two cultures. Although they have gotten success, it came at a price. The American Dream is unattainable Gatsby is one character who thought that the American Dream, his dream was attainable. His dream was the past, the past he spent with Daisy. His first taste of the American Dream was in Louisiana with Daisy, “ “ ( Fitzgerald), and from then on he was hooked. Money was the way to his dream so, he set about attaining it. Gatsby worked in the black market, selling bootleg liquor and making huge amounts of money. With money he bought himself all the luxuries that he needed to impress Daisy. He finally meets Daisy, but she isn’t what he expects. He struggles between the past and the future,
trying hard to like the new Daisy, while his mind keeps on bringing memories of the past. He wills himself to be content with Daisy, but only in the end does his view change, “ I feel far away from her…” (109 Fitzgerald) and “She used to be able to understand.” (109 Fitzgerald). His dream is unattainable because he just wants the past,” ‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’” (110 Fitzgerald). In the end, neither does he repeat the past nor is he with Daisy.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is described as an “exemplary novel of the Jazz Age. Indeed, the Jazz Age was the ideal setting for the novel and its characters. This time period was linked with the newly rich and declining moral values. After the end of World War I, the young generation rebelled against the older and more conservative generation. Fueled with economic prosperity the society dramatically changed. In the past ,the Victorian Era, wealth was an indication of high breeding and the feeling of belonging to a select group. During the Jazz Age, the stock market, as well as “prohibition” a law that banned alcohol, added to the growth of the economy. Middle Class citizens who invested in the Stock Market saw a rise in their profit and criminals saw a high demand for black market liquor which earned them money. This new turn in the order of society created the newly rich, who tried to fit themselves in the older more respected “old money”. Gatsby was one of the new rich who profited from prohibition and made all his money in pursuit of the American Dream. The American Dream is a prevalent theme in the novel, but what place does it have in our society today? The definition of the American Dream is the word success. The taste of Success is what drives everyone to live, to achieve something. Is success really the American Dream? Thousands of immigrants flock to the U.S everyday in search of this same dream, they call it opportunity. The opportunity to be something big, but success is the real dream because Opportunity is only half the battle. Opportunity drives success, because people don’t just want favorable circumstances, they want
something out of it. Money, fame, any other names, they are all just different names of success. Chinese immigrants were the first immigrants from Asia to migrate in large numbers. They came because of the California gold rush, because of the economic opportunities. After the decline of the gold rush, most started worked in the fields of mining or railroad related construction. All of the workers had a better life in the United States compared to their counterparts in China. Although they went through many hurdles, such as racism: the “Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, they are now regarded as hardworking people. In this generation, the importance of education is stressed within many Asian families; Many people of Chinese descent have been very successful. And, isn’t Success the American Dream? In contrast to the first generation of Chinese immigrants, the generation of today has life easy. There are few to none instances of racial discrimination, and opportunities are easily accessible. Second generation Asian immigrants feel out of place though. They are caught between two identities, two cultures. Although they have gotten success, it came at a price. The American Dream is unattainable Gatsby is one character who thought that the American Dream, his dream was attainable. His dream was the past, the past he spent with Daisy. His first taste of the American Dream was in Louisiana with Daisy, “ “ ( Fitzgerald), and from then on he was hooked. Money was the way to his dream so, he set about attaining it. Gatsby worked in the black market, selling bootleg liquor and making huge amounts of money. With money he bought himself all the luxuries that he needed to impress Daisy. He finally meets Daisy, but she isn’t what he expects. He struggles between the past and the future,
trying hard to like the new Daisy, while his mind keeps on bringing memories of the past. He wills himself to be content with Daisy, but only in the end does his view change, “ I feel far away from her…” (109 Fitzgerald) and “She used to be able to understand.” (109 Fitzgerald). His dream is unattainable because he just wants the past,” ‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’” (110 Fitzgerald). In the end, neither does he repeat the past nor is he with Daisy.
