Jay Gatsby was a poor boy that turned into a very wealthy man, but did he live the American Dream? Money is actually the only thing that Gatsby had a lot of. Jay Gatsby tries to live the life of The American Dream, but fails in his battle. Gatsby certainly lacks many of the qualities and fails many of the tests normally linked with greatness, but he redeems this by his exalted conception of himself. Today society sets their goals by planning the future
Even though it’s the most “challenging” dream that obvious impossible to reach. But Gatsby, a great man with his new money, is tried his best to conquer it with all of his life. Yet, he’s not able to reach this dream. But with a big mind, he got his big mansion in West Egg, his yellow Roll Royce, his money, his fancy clothes “a white flannel suit, silver shirt and gold colored tie” (89). With all of his accomplishments, he sure deserved to call
Gatsby, however, did not realize that with the ending of the war, his prestige would end as well. Returning to America made him realize that he would have to do everything in his power to become wealthy to be worthy of Daisy’s love. Gatsby represents the American Dream in many ways and in order to accomplish his dream he knows exactly what he desires. The existence of social class in America is very important during this time period, no rich man would marry a poor woman and no poor man would wind up marrying a rich woman. Gatsby being well aware of this tries desperately to fake his status and buy his way into a high social class.Gatsby is held at arm’s length from the people that would put him into the finest part of New York, East Egg.
Gatsby ‘s entire fortune, and his entire life, are created around his hopes in gaining back Daisy’s love. “[Gatsby] is better than the whole damn bunch put together,” Nick Carraway said. Jay’s innocence, emotional honesty, and optimism is what makes him a real human in a world where money is better than love. Eventually, Gatsby’s struggle to rekindle his love for Daisy is what leads him to his
A person like Chris McCandless who has everything in the world is still unsatisfied on what is around him. He has family, money and a great education that will soon be his great future but he thinks that everything related to wealth is sinful. Chris made a journey to search for the true meaning of life and escaped it pressures. He also tried to travel by using his instincts in life by living naturally without other's aide. Whereas he helped people suffering of hunger by donating all of his college money, he forgot to help himself.
Even when he is found out by the Inspector, Birling still believes that because of who he is he can buy or lie his way out of any blame for the death of Eva Smith. He thinks that money might be able to get him out of this situation. At the time wealth does buy a lot of power. Nearly all people in positions of power were also those who are the richest, for example the monarchy. “(Unhappily) Look, Inspector – I’d give thousands – yes thousands – “.
In this book the thing everyone strives for is based off of superficial and materialistic goals, the characters all want to just become as rich as they can and mainly care about money and power. Fitzgerald uses wealth, irresponsibility, and materialism as symbols to portray that the dream is unachievable. Throughout the story, Fitzgerald suggests that the state of the American Dream is more hallow and shallow through each person. Jay Gatsby portrays a good example of the American Dream. He was a flashy celebrity who obtained wealth to impress the girl he loved most, Daisy.
In an attempt to increase the value of their lifeless bodies, millions of people invest money every month into a life insurance policy. Consequently, we are further developing the capitalistic mindset. Perhaps Willy is correct in saying “a man is not a piece of fruit (82)” one can “eat…and throw…away (82).” The efficiency of today’s world will not allow this to occur. Humanity has become so engulfed in the goal of making money, that we have designed a method of doing so past a person’s “useful” period. Whether we choose to end our own life, or let nature take it for us, we are all like Willy Loman.
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby requires a basic understanding of the social classes; this includes their status, which pertains to their wealth, leading to their popularity among true peers. The narrator, Nick Carraway, personally realized that even with all the wealth and all the popularity in the world, discrimination and prejudice due to social status would never completely fade away. Yet, to the opposing extreme, one with all wealth and highest social status would not achieve true bonds with one another. “…I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth.” (Fitzgerald 17). In other words, basic respect and appreciation for one another is, naturally, distributed unevenly, the richer the more honored, the poorer the more prejudice.
The protagonist’s illusion of being wealthy is shattered when he realizes he has nothing in life he truly wants. Though, West Egg, East Egg and the Valley of Ashes all differ from each other, West Egg is home to the new rich who make their fortunes later on in life. West Egg is characterized by lavish displays of wealth and poor taste. West egg is considered to be the “less fashionable of the two,” (Fitzgerald, 9). Carraway lives in a modest house that is right next to Jay Gatsby’s Gothic mansion.