The Failure of the American Dream
English Essay
The American Dream is an idea and a fallacy that people strive for but can never be obtained. It cannot be attained because it is a never ending race for perfection, for some the dream might be incalculable wealth, unlimited physical strength, or in this case personal and moral satisfaction. Humans have always remained still in time whilst living in a society where perfection is ideal and flaws are hidden. F. Scotts Fitzgerald uses a detailed narrator named Nick Carraway in “The Great Gatsby” to shine light upon the hidden flaws of the American Dream and upon the main characters, Tom and Daisy Buchanan and the “great” Jay Gatsby, all of whom succeed in the failure to pursue the American Dream. The three things that define the failure of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby are Gatsby’s inability to legally obtain the American Dream, Tom and Daisy’s failure to live faithful and morally correct lives, and finally the motif of geography, specifically East and West Egg, to illustrate and condemn the excessive materialism which was the result of pursuing the American Dream. The Great Gatsby illustrates the story of the roaring 20’s, also called the Jazz Age through these characters, and how they are corrupted by the potential of the seemingly limitless freedom that comes with the American Dream, a dream succeeded by no one.
Jay Gatsby had been alone all his life by choice because of the life given to him by money. Gatsby threw eloquent banquets that attracted thousands of people each time, because of his futile attempt to attract the love of his life, Daisy, however he usually remained out of the parties because of his personal shyness. There has been a veil between him and the real world for his entire life because of his several identities and because of the fact that Gatsby was born to a “dirt poor” family in North Dakota. Gaining wealth after living a life of struggle is what most pro Gatsby writers’ debate is proof to the success of the American Dream, however because of one fact, the proof is inadmissible, the fact that Jay Gatsby “has been in racketeering for as long as anyone has known him”, therefore this means all of his “new” money was made illicitly. He also has none of the signature trademarks of the American Dream, such as the kids, the wife, and the honest and yet successful living.
Tom and Daisy Buchanan are not humble people. They openly broadcast their wealth around as an excuse to their immoral actions. Wealth has taken over their lives, causing them to become inhumane and care little about anyone of lower class than themselves, for instance, when Myrtle was hit and killed by Daisy, Daisy didn’t stop or reconcile the consequences of her actions, instead she takes advantage of Gatsby’s never ending love and convinces him to take the blame, ensuring that she is safe whilst Gatsby suffers the consequences, resulting in his death. Later on during Gatsby’s funeral, instead of attending it they fly off to their new location at without paying their respects. All this correlates with the fact that Myrtle meant nothing to Tom and Gatsby meant little to Daisy. The Buchanan’s are living the American Dream of excessive and materialistic wealth, power and corruption, they represent the 1% of the wealthiest and most corrupt families in the world.
F. Scotts Fitzgerald uses the motif of geography, specifically East and West Egg to illustrate and clearly condemn the excessive materialism which was the result of chasing the American Dream. West Egg is where the “new rich” people live, those who have made a lot of wealth by being entrepreneurial (or a criminal) in the years after the devastating Great War. The people of West Egg are usually excessive and flashy in the use of their wealth, for example, when speaking about Gatsby’s yellow Rolls Royce, Nick describes the excessiveness of the car, specifically because its sole purpose is to attract daisy, stating, “It was a rich cream color, bright and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns,” this is proof that most West Eggers are excessive and flashy when it comes to broadcasting their wealth, with little care about the costs. Also Gatsby throws eloquent banquets that attend to the needs of thousands of people with no intention of slowing down and consuming any less money, Gatsby eventually wastes his fortune in his futile attempt to attract Daisy and reconnect with her, this correlates with the fact that the majority of West Eggers are excessive with their “new” or illegal wealth.