The American Dream Is Just a Dream in F. Scott...

â€Å"All the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that [others have] had† (Fitzgerald 5). In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores the idea of the American Dream – the ideal life – the dream of every American to be rich, prosperous, famous, loved, all those amazing imaginations that one could have. In this novel though, Fitzgerald portrays this dream as reachable and possible for anyone, but he also shows that this dream is not as great as everyone thinks it is. Fitzgerald depicts this dream as a death wish that could ruin any person that tries to reach it. This is shown by the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, and the truth behind Gatsby’s wealth and claim to fame, and also by Gatsby’s love for Daisy and him eventually drowning in his love for her. Behind Gatsby’s mansion there is a barely visible green light that always shines. This green light is at the end of Daisy’s dock across the Sound. Almost every night, â€Å"[Gatsby] stretche[s] out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...trembling†¦ [there is] nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock† (25-26). Here Fitzgerald paints a picture of Gatsby shaking in his back yard trying to reach something that is obviously too far to grasp, Gatsby is yearning for the chance to be able to hold this light in his hand. This light is not just any green light; this is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, Gatsby’s long lost love that heShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream in The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise1382 Words   |  6 PagesFrances Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24th, 1896 in St. Paul Minnesota and died of a heart attack in an apartment in Hollywood on December 21st, 1940. Throughout his career, Fitzgerald wrote many works, traveled the world, and served in the United States Army. F. Scott Fitzg erald wrote mostly short stories but became famous because of his novel This Side of Paradise and became even more famous because of The Great Gatsby which was released in 1925. The time period in which Fitzgerald livedRead MoreThe American Dream Through The Eyes Of F. Scott Fitzgerald1690 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream Through the Eyes of F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby has been criticized, cited, and known as one of the greatest works of American Literature. With numerous themes and focuses, one of the most valuable is represented in the American Dream and how F. Scott Fitzgerald analyzes his idea of this concept. The American Dream is a concept centering on successes in many terms, such as wealth and social standing. These successes are achieved through hardRead MoreEssay on The Great Gatsby Research Report1248 Words   |  5 PagesI. Introduction In 1896 F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. After growing up in Minnesota he moved to start a career and marry Zelda, the girl he loved. He published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1920; the novel was a success and Fitzgerald quickly became one of the most famous young writers of the time. â€Å"F. Scott Fitzgerald eagerly embraced his newly minted celebrity status and embarked on an extravagant lifestyle that earned him a reputation as a playboy andRead MoreEssay on F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby968 Words   |  4 Pages The 1920s was a time of excess and growth. Economically, it was a time for great financial gain. Largely because of improvements in technology, productivity increased while overall production costs decreased, and the economy grew. Not only was this time filled with prosperity, but corruption as well. People who had previously worked day and night finally acquired leisure time. Some of the most wealthy people m ade the choice to fill this free time with gluttony and lust. Many authorsRead MoreThe Great Gatsby : An American Nightmare1226 Words   |  5 PagesAlex Joo Mr. Shaffer ENG4U1 January 8th, 2015 The Great Gatsby: an American Nightmare At the end of the day everyone ends up in the same place—six feet under. By then, many end up having lived fulfilling lives and die with no regrets. Far too many do not. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, presents the issue in pursuing the impossible: the American Dream. A dream in which all are â€Å"able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable† (Adams 215). Unfortunately, the latterRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1621 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s were a time in American history that profoundly depicted social inequality, immorality, superficiality, and unrest. During this time period, the iconic story of F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, was written and published. In this revolutionary novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald revisits his fascinating childhood in a more fictitious manner. The Great Gatsby describes and details the life of a young man from Minnesota, known as Nick Carraway, who moves to New York after World War 1 during theRead MoreThe American Dream By F. Scott Fitzgerald1134 Words   |  5 Pagescenturies, the interpretation and perception of the American Dream has changed considerably and frequently. From the vision of individual betterment in 1774, to African-American civil rights in 1963, the American Dream has and will continue to alter, as the country evolves. However, the basis of the American Dream has remained the same, with the set of ideals being democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality. In addition to the ideals, the Dream is believed to be, that anyone has the abilityRead MoreThe Reflection Of F. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby 1546 Words   |  7 PagesSljoka Casperson 5 AP English 3 28 January 2015 The Reflection of Fitzgerald’s Life in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby echoes with experiences of Francis Scott Fitzgerald through relationships and descriptions among the characters, the depiction of the era, as well as the juxtaposition between the multiple â€Å"worlds† within the novel. Fitzgerald lived in the time after WWI where the novel takes place; American life had major changes, the people started to become more materialistic, women obtainedRead MoreDestruction of Dreams, Failure of Dreamers in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby1489 Words   |  6 Pages Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is used to contrast a real American dreamer against what had become of American society during the 1920s.   By magnifying the tragic fate of dreamers, conveying that twenties America lacked the substance to fulfill dreams and exposing the shallowness of Jazz-Age Americans, Fitzgerald foreshadows the destruction of his own generation. The beauty and splendor of Gatsbys parties masked the innate corruption within theRead More Use of Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesliterary merit. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols to portray events, feelings, personalities and time periods. Throughout the narrative, Fitzgerald uses strong contrasting symbols such as West Egg and East Egg. His superior use of other predominant symbols such as color and light are also evident throughout the novel. The story begins as the narrator, Nick Carraway, describes his arrival to West Egg. One can immediately spot new-money Gatsby and no-money Nick on one side