Why Is The Great Gatsby The American Dream Perfect

983 Words4 Pages
The American Dream If someone is asked to state the American Dream, he or she would most likely say that it is the perfect life, having money, a nice car, nice clothes, a family, and a nice house. However, in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this American Dream is not as perfect as it seems. In this novel, the so-called American Dream is corrupt and misconstrued. Many of the characters in this novel have a dishonest view of the American Dream, especially Jay Gatsby. He did not always have this view though. He grew up in a normal family that did not have a lot of money, and was legally named as James Gatz. He went to college and had a normal life until he decided to drop out. He started working on Lake Superior, fishing…show more content…
She may seem like a good girl but she only marries Tom for his money, for “the pearls...around her neck” (76). She really loves Gatsby but is not going to wait around for him, especially since he does not have much money coming out of the war. So she finds a wealthy, handsome man and marries him instead. At this point, it may seem as though she is living the American Dream because she has a family, a lot of money, and possesses many beautiful objects. But that is not the case. Everything on the outside may look nice and put together, but the inside is a mess. She and her husband Tom may seem like they have an okay relationship, but ‘"Look!’ she complained… We all looked – the knuckle was black and blue. ‘You did it, Tom,’ she said accusingly…’That's what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a– "’(12). Tom abuses Daisy and he also cheats on her. He is a scary man, but she stays with him because he has a lot of money, and she knows that she will always be protected by it. Daisy is also at fault for having an affair, just like Tom. She does not truly love Tom anymore, and once she meets up with Gatsby again, she is ready to have a life with him now that he has money. She is just as bad as Tom, and only wants someone if they have money. Again money cannot buy ideal love. Daisy never ends up with someone who she truly loves, and is, therefore, never successful in completing the American

More about Why Is The Great Gatsby The American Dream Perfect

Open Document