American Values in The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby is a novel that reflects the culture of the 1920's and the related morals and dreams of the American people. These morals and dreams are what we call today the "American Dream.” A dream of money and happiness that come with the successful economy and get rich quick schemes that formed the American upper class. By looking at each character and their situation you can see that the American dream was not limited to one social class or one type of person, but that it was everywhere and was found within everyone. From the narrator’s point of view, the reader is able to see the thoughts and feelings of Nick Carraway more than any other characters; Nick suffers greatly from his experiences in New York. His views of human decency is ruined and he leaves with his hopes demolished and a negative out look on how greediness runs out of control through out his social class, and is capable of ruining lives and dreams. Nick, as with most characters, is a believer in the American Dream, because even he moves east to work in the bond business. Later Nick is brought up to how the dreams and values held by all these people overrun their sense of behavior and how the general society caused their personalities to change their ways. The change between James Gatz and Jay Gatsby is an example of how people can transform themselves according to their desire for money and values. The use of illegal activities to gain Gatsby's wealth is pointed out in the novel; this shows the extent of how the American dream dodges the moral dissatisfaction, and pushes the people who are in poverty into crime. This will drive the moral wealthier citizens into the ground. To Gatsby, his dream was symbolized by Daisy. Gatsby even says that her voice sounds like money, a direct connection between Daisy. This is wealth and the happiness that Gatsby would apparently

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