The American Dream

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade May 2001

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The main theme in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is the corruption of society and the down fall of the American Dream. The American Dream is what one strives for in life. It was all about fulfilling their spiritual life and gaining a better lifestyle. In this novel Fitzgerald comments on the values and morals of the rich social class in America during the 1920's. Through the eyes of a young honest man named Nick Carraway, Fitzgerald gives us his impression of the American Dream and how it was just an illusion and that you really couldn't attain it. Characters such as Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson and Daisy Buchanan are all victims of the corruption of the American Dream Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to satirize the American Dream and that no matter how hard people tried to achieve their dream it still failed. Ever since Gatsby was a child, he always set his goal on how he wanted to improve his life preparing him for the future.

Just as any child, they always see their future bright and wonderful and that was Gatsby's major goal. At Gatsby's funeral, his father explained to Nick his boyhood schedule, which was documented in the book Hopalong Cassidy and the goals that Gatsby set to change himself. "Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he's got about improving his mind? He was always great for that." (Pg. 165) But as he grew up, and found love, he realized that in order to get that love he lost for going to the war. He realized that being wealthy and famous would allow him to get Daisy back easily. Daisy Buchanan was Gatsby's dream. When he left for war they were together...