The American Dream as depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The subject of numerous modern stories and especially modern tragedies such as Death of

a Salesman and The Great Gatsby is that of the American Dream. The American Dream is

summed up as "an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material

prosperity." F. Scott Fitzgerald's tale, The Great Gatsby is a picture perfect account of

attempting to (and sometimes achieving) the American Dream.

Beginning with the title character, it is more than obvious that Jay Gatsby has achieved

the American Dream in his life. He was brought up in a less than prosperous childhood but

overcame all to become the wealthy, power-heavy, man of status that he was. While Gatsby lives

the American Dream, he doens't want to admit ever that he achieved his frand status. He

basically wants everyone to believe that he was brought up the way he was and his prosperous

achievements were plopped into his newborn lap.

The Great Gatsby

The only sense of "rags" he has was the

apparent, though untrue, early demise of his parents. We later learn that his father was still alive.

Of course, his dream wouldn't be fully achieved, admittedly or not, until he got the girl. Daisy

was someone he once had, lost, and now longed for once more. If he could find Daisy again and

fall in love with her, he would have achieved the ultimate and be prosperous more than just

materialistically.

Shifting over to Daisy, she's a character who is on the rocky road moving all over the

path of the American Dream. She is about to be married to Tom, which is definitely a step in the

right direction, but eventually falls back into the arms of Gatsby who steals her away from her

love but lets her creep back to him once in a while...