The Death of American Dream in the Great Gatsby - Essay Sample

Introduction

The American Dream was and is still one of the essential problems that have and is drawing the attention in the historical and literal compositions, analysis, and debates. Moreover, Hodo supports the importance in dressing the issue of the American dream since it "represents the ideals of a nation: equity, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and democracy; ideas that have been understood in different ways by people" (299). Ideally, one of the greatest compositions that covered the American Dream theme was The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald. The book was composed to enhance romanticism between a woman and a man, but in great context, it covered the entire American society; thus, the American dream experienced in the 1920s. Additionally, Fitzgerald covered the real values associated with a large deviation of desire and greed towards achieving "wealth and power" (Hodo 299). In support of Hodo's idea and research claims on the values of the American dream, Daier and Ibrahim enhance much more on the reign of declined and decayed social and ethical values that led to greed and unachieved goals towards the pursuit of pleasure during the 1920s (344). Therefore, the research paper will analyze the decline of the American dream as the central theme by analyzing topics such as class and love and marriage.

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The Decline of the American Dream: Historical Context

Also, Fitzgerald covers the historical context that occurred after the First World War; thus, the introduction towards the corruption of the American dreams. Next, after the world war, Fitzgerald explores the U.S community as an embodiment of loneliness, ad provincialism among the youths, since during the period there was room for unobstructed means of making money through the influence of corruption. Besides, Lucic states that:

Fitzgerald's works symbolize an epoch in American history and a new generation that was rapidly emancipated after the war which started to reveal beauties forbidden until then. His actions paint the picture that America has of itself as a civilization that had been dreaming of a vast, glittering future, which was broken by the blows caused by its naivety and the lack of ability to maintain the illusion of glory (68).

In other words, Lucic's analysis enhances the period where all the young soldiers that had served in the war returned home disillusioned. The disillusion was as a result of the risen stock market that promoted the increase of national treasure and newly acquired wealth (Lucic 68). With such disappointments the livelihood and societal expenses rose; thus, promoting property of social segregation and discrimination between families with old wealth and those with the newly acquired riches.

Additionally, Daier and Ibrahim (345) and Hodo (301) believe that the essence of the American dream was to ensure a better, more productive and fuller life for all the citizens, with chances for each as per their ability or achievement. In other terms, the American dream was an opportunity to be successful without implementing fraudulent means of acquiring wealth. Moreover, Levitt states that:

Ironically, in an America that tirelessly promoted that Horatio Alger myth-start at the bottom, work hard, rise, meet your employer's daughter, marry her, and succeed to the helm of the business-Gatsby returns from the war and finally meets the right person, the man who can make him rich. (More important than the Alger myth is the truism that what matters is not what you know but who you know.) Wolfshiem introduces Gatsby to a get-rich-quick scheme, namely criminal capitalism and gangster economic. The classless and even-handed society advertised in the handbills inducing immigrants to come to America proves to be a lie. A person ultimately needs "gonnegtions" (260).

Corruption and the Unachieved American Dream

In simple terms, the Gatsby scheme of getting rich quick embraces the elements of corruption and illegal influence towards achieving the American dream; thus, not providing equal opportunities to each person. Nonetheless, Levitt (260) analyzes the facts that with the norms of relying on connections to achieve success, most of the people with the aim of earning an honest living and striving in the future drop than those with connections. Also, with the identification of diverse social classes that lived in the East Egg and the West Egg it was difficult for individuals with the interest of earning a honest living prosper since while some other inherited wealth from their parents (old wealth) others (new wealth) are left with no chances of surviving unless they had to use illegal means.

Love and Marriage: Distorted Ideals

Majorly, the pursuit of the American dream has been addressed for decades, and one of its norms is the liberty of establishing an American family, but the standards altered its forms in the 1920s (Lucic 70). Moreover, The Great Gatsby explores the love and marriages to unfold the identity of the American dream during the 1920s (Hodo 300). The norms of love as earlier indicated are shown on Jay Gatsby's interest in courting the married Daisy Buchanan. Nonetheless, his ambition and scheme towards pursuing Mrs. Buchanan directly relate to materialistic intentions; thus, omitting the genuine reasons for marriage standards; which is love and procreation (Lucic 73). Moreover, Fitzgerald attained the confidence of the audience by introducing the influence of power, money, and social structure towards achieving the American dream. Besides, the Great Gatsby fails to state how these properties are barriers to achieving the American dream but research illustrate that by interfering with marriages the idea becomes corrupted since it is not attained using the proper channels (Daier and Ibrahim 345). Also, desperation comes with the norms of love and unions since Myrtle got married to George to ensure that she achieved her American dream which was a lavishing social status.

Also, the American dream is mention as purity in terms of establishing a new future; thus, people exploring all their resources as a means of ensuring they pursue their happiness; therefore, eliminating any element of corrosion (Levitt 261). First, Fitzgerald uses symbolism to illustrate the meaning of unions within the 1920s. For example, as earlier established aristocracy explored the purity of the American dream by their white and green attire. In other words, green and white symbolized productivity and purity in all the actions of these individuals (Hodo 302). Unfortunately, with the introduction of the new millionaires Gatsby their dressing styles, for example, his pink suits symbolize a compromised era that lacks respect and accountability towards societal norms that enhance the American dream (Daier and Ibrahim 347). Moreover, it is due to the unachievable models of the new millionaires that Gatsby takes the blame for the death of Myrtle; therefore, rescuing Daisy for the consequences of her actions.

Social Class: Barriers to the American Dream

Nonetheless, marriage and love denote three levels of social class, for example, old money, new money and the absence of money (Daier and Ibrahim 344). The connection between the three categories is featured on the intentions of the perpetrators towards achieving their happiness. Old money also represented by Daisy and Tom denotes a family bred in the high-class family, those with all the financial abilities and capabilities to bend the norms (Hodo 300). Moreover, due to the stability of marriage and love, the union survives towards the end of the novel. Next, is the new money family that is represented by Gatsby who is single and believes that for one to dine with the rich, he/she needs to be rich; thus, he gets involved in illegal activities to show interest to Daisy (Lucic 71). Unfortunately, new money does not survive since Gatsby is killed in the long run; thus, establish the end of the American dream. Finally, no money class is represented by the union of George and Myrtle Wilson (Levitt 264). Myrtle gets married for the wrong reason, riches, but the husband turns out to be poor, hence establishing the problems within their union and the marriage fails after her death.

Conclusion

To sum it up, it is clear that the central theme of The Great Gatsby is the decline or death of the American dream. It is indicated that the book enhances much more than just the American dream, but it also touches on the topics of social class and romanticism. Ideally, the death of the American dream is portrayed by the absence of cash (poor) and the new money generation who indulge in illegal activities to raise money aimed to please the old money community. Moreover, social class is a barrier since it is accompanied by social segregation. Next, marriage and love contribute to the death of the American dream since it adds to the disruption of friendships and the corruption of healthy growth and development.

Works Cited

Daier, Ibrahim Adam Said and Abdul Mahmoud Idrees Ibrahim. "The American dream corruption in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research (2017): 344-348.

Hodo, Zamira. "The failure of the American dream in "The Great Gatsby"- Fitzgerald." European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (2017): 299-305.

Levitt, P. M. "The Great Gatsby and revolution, in theme and style." International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (2011): 260-266.

Lucic, Ivana Nakic. "The American dream in "The Great Gatsby" by F. S. Fitzgerald." International Journal of Languages and Literatures (2014): 67-76.