Gatsby and the American Dream
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a glimpse into the elite social circles of Long Island society during the prosperous period of the 1920's. In this decade a class of "new rich" was born, and the class of "old rich" enjoyed continued prosperity. Gatsby showcases the conflict between the two groups, as the newly rich tried to carve a place for themselves in the exclusive social circles of those who inherited their wealth. The book concerns itself with Jay Gatsby's attempt to transcend social boundaries and enter this exclusive circle, to live the American dream of betterment. Fitzgerald shows that this dream has been made corrupt and unattainable by the hunger for power and insecurities of the often immoral old rich. Despite living in such a prosperous time, it is impossible for Gatsby, originally a poor man from North Dakota, to be accepted in privileged society. In the first chapter of the novel the reader is introduced to the narrator Nick Carraway and to many of the story's central characters, all of which come from privileged backgrounds. It is only at the end of the chapter that we meet Jay Gatsby. Nick observes him walking alone in the early evening:
Daisy and her husband Tom are both from privileged families, much like Nick. It is clear that though Gatsby is popular with much of the class he aspires to be part of, he will never be accepted by them. "Her voice is full of money" (127) he tells Nick, illustrating the difference between working for one's fortune, and inheriting it. Fitzgerald shows that this American dream which so many have pursued, is corrupt, and is an impossibility. As he strolls through his property he seems to have an air of confidence, until he spies the distant green light across the bay. Tom, who often raises the question of Gatsby's character, is hardly moral in his own right. After this insight into Jordan's character, it is not very surprising to hear rumors that she cheated in a golf tournament. Daisy represents not only love, but also the key Gatsby needs to enter the elite social circle he has spent his life aspiring to. He has become very wealthy on his own account, rising from almost nothing, to a level of extravagant affluence. He is constantly worried about losing power, of losing dominance, as is demonstrated by his reading of "The Rise of Colored Empires" (17). Daisy is a former love interest of Gatsby's from the war that he has spent years trying to find again.
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Acceptance Essays
