In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby's dreams to show how money, status, and ideals influenced the downfall of the American dream. The American dream was what everyone in the 1920's was striving for, but many often fell short of it. F. Scot Fitzgerald helps to reassess the American dream by showing Jay Gatsby's failure at obtaining it.
             In the 1920's most people dreamed of having money, a spouse, children, a big house, and a car. They thought that this meant that they had a successful life. This is what they consider to be the American dream. Money was the main component to achieving the American dream, because success was determined by money. Also the more money and success that one has the higher the social status. Everyone in the 1920's thought that achieving the higher status and having money would make them happy, but they were often still looking for something better and never actually found the happiness they were looking for. Myrtle Wilson was an example of this in the novel. She was married to George Wilson, who was a low income mechanic. She desired money and a higher social status and thought that having an affair with Tom Buchanan would solve that for her. Even though Tom was awful to her, for example, "...Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand."(pg.41), she continued to secretly see him so that maybe he would share his wealth with her. This would eventually lead to her death. In trying to reach the American dream, material success began to corrupt values and there was a decline in spiritual life. Most peoples lives were full of material comforts and luxuries, but had no purpose. The Buchanans are an example of this. "What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon?, cried Daisy, and the day after that, and the next thirty years?"(pg. 125) Daisy's statement shows how meaningless their lives are. This is the r
             ...