The Great Gatsby
The theme of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is the "withering of the American Dream." The original American Dream held out the promise of endless opportunities, individualism, and progress. Believing in this idea, Jay Gatsby invests his entire life into a single dream: The revival of a past romance with Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby's longing to fulfill his dream, his pursuit of fortune, and his optimism are all aspects of the American Dream. However, a changed society following World War I destroys his vision. Just as the unworthy object of Gatsby's affection is Daisy, the new, unworthy object of the American Dream is merely money and pleasure. Once achieved, the dream is simultaneously ruined. Gatsby's dream to revive his romance with Daisy is rooted in the past. He has always been determined to surpass his parents in wealth and status. Meeting the aristocratic Daisy provides Gatsby with additional reason to pursue a fortune. For years, he works with "creative passion" (97) in order to present himself as Daisy's equal. He believes that he can win over both Daisy and her society with lavish expenditures. The origins of Gatsby's wealth are clearly illegal, but his desire to join the upper ranks of society is his only
Similarly, the pure and innocent American Dream has been transformed by the modern, materialistic lifestyle of the post-war era: ". The stark poverty that exists so closely to aristocratic West Egg and New York City shows the limits of the American Dream; its successes do not extend to all members of society. They symbolize a watchful God, judging America, which has become a moral wasteland. The integrity of the American Dream has degenerated and ambitious men like Gatsby no longer consider the morality of their actions, as seen in the rise of organized crime and bootlegging. Gatsby represents all Americans who believe in an America that has already disappeared and whose dreams ultimately fail because of the degradations of modern life. Gatsby continues to wait for Daisy, but society beckons her back, leaving Gatsby "standing there . The theme of The Great Gatsby is the disintegration of the American Dream in an era of prosperity and material excess. As Gatsby directs all his energies towards wooing Daisy, he instills her with an idealized perfection that she does not possess: "There must have been moments . George Wilson is the only character who makes an explicit connection between the billboard and God, suggesting that certain things are symbolic only because characters assign meanings to them. More than just symbolizing Gatsby's dream, the green light also represents the American Dream. The individual who exercises his own powers and potential does not triumph, despite all his efforts. Gatsby momentarily grasps Daisy, but his dream is simultaneously destroyed because she does not respond the way he has imagined.
Common topics in this essay:
American Dream,
Twenties Gatsby,
TJ Eckleberg,
George Wilson,
american dream,
World War,
Jay Gatsby,
Buchanan Gatsby's,
Dream Gatsby's,
Daisy Gatsby,
green light,
Gatsby Similarly,
gatsby's dream,
valley ashes,
eyes doctor tj,
dream simultaneously,
capacity wonder,
tj eckleberg,
doctor tj,
eyes doctor,
unworthy object,
doctor tj eckleberg,
|
Acceptance Essays
