Olivia DeCapri
November 5, 2013
English 11: 3B
The Great Gatsby Essay
Disillusionment of the American Dream
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, a classic piece of American literature, the American dream is a prominent theme. In The Great Gatsby, the wealthy society in America has lost their innocence as a whole. The main characters in the novel dream for so much more than what they can have. But, the characters are so immoral and corrupt that the American dream is unachievable. An American dream is pure and un-corruptible, earned from working hard and playing by the rules. Disillusionment of the American dream is revealed through corrupt business, unmoral romances, false hope, and loss of innocence.
Corrupt business is a main part of the roaring 20s. Underground business emerged and people made millions. One of these persons happens to be Jay Gatsby. As a young child Gatsby was poor, but while helping a rich captain over seas he learns how to be a gentlemen and become wealthy.
Gatsby always dreamed of having a perfect life. When others would see his house, or go to the parties he held, they would think that he has achieved the American dream. He in-fact, did not. He still always wants more and his way of acquiring his wealth is dishonest and this completely contradicts the meaning of the American dream. For example, Tom states, "'I found out what your "drug-stores" were.' He turned to us and spoke rapidly. 'He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong.'" (pg. 127). This quote shows that even...