An Observation of How Does Gatsby Represent the American Dream
The question that I asked myself after reading “The Great Gatsby” is “How does Gatsby represent the American dream?”, so in this essay I will try to analyse whether there is any depiction of American Dream and how it is represented. In the book caracters such as Wilson, Myrtle, and Gatsby end up paying a heavy price for trying too hard to achieve this dream. In the end, despite the efforts put by such a character as Gatsby who achieved massive material wealth, there was still discrimination from the social elite (there still lacked acceptance by the social elites). Self-made from scratch, even reaching great wealth, he is still considered to be socially inferior. (Once from rags, even if riches are gained, they still believe that one belongs to the class of socially inferior). The aspect of pessimism is exhibited by the high costs that individuals have to pay to realize the American dream, and the disappointment that it will never be enough for them to be accepted as equals even if they gain the material wealth. In addition, corruption and social privilege have been depicted as core threats to achieving of the American dream. Those of “old money” group are treated as superiors and work hard towards putting social climbers, such as Myrtle, in their place. They also use their socially-immune privileges to bend the law and get away with such evils as murder, racial discrimination, and economic exploitations among others. Corruption has been used to ensure that they amass wealth fast and dishonestly and use it to ensure that others from lower social class do not rise to their standards. Income inequality, corruption and social privilege have therefore been outlined as powerful tools to ensure that the gap between the rich and the poor widens, as well as creating barriers for those who think that they can work and get somewhere closer to the actual American dream. In the end, the American dream has been proven to be elusive, and only a dream.
The setting of the story is in 1922, after the First World War (WWI). Daisy and Tom represent the theme of wealth and power, as well as social stratification between the haves and have-nots. The west Egg versus the East Egg dwellers depict those with American dreams, and those who controls the dreams. It also expands to racial and social discrimination expressed by Tom in his political dispositions. In chapter 2, Moral decadency is depicted by Tom’s infidelity which he openly expressed with his mistress, Myrtle. It goes ahead to outline power and superiority over women and the less privileged via the way Tom brutalizes his mistress in quest to remind her of her social place. Chapter three revolves around social issues in quest to understand Gatsby’s personality as a much well behaved party is thrown. The theme of love is outlined as Gatsby tries to win the love of Daisy. However, more dominantly is the expression of desired dreams as wealth and power dominates the scenes, but love directs where these dreams go. Chapter Five is dominated by Gatsby's dreams for Daisy, which in a way come true. (Gatsby’s dreams of Daisy dominate Chapter five which is realized). However, this love comes with the need to increase money and wealth, as Daisy is attracted to money and materialism, but mostly her lost love. Chapter six is outlining Gatsby’s “rags-to-riches” story with the American dream coming true for him in terms of wealth and love. The “American Dream” is achieved by a young Midwestern dreamer with nothing but uses his ingenuity and resourcefulness to achieve big in the East. Wealth dictates the social classes one can be placed in or venture into, thus a clear distinction between “old money” and “new money”. Social stratification is depicted by how mean spirited the “old money” group is as despite his wealth, Gatsby is never fully allowed into the high social circle, outlining the theme of social discrimination.
The second section of the novel has been outlined in chapters seven to the end. Social privilege for the likes of Buchanans and Daisy has been depicted, while the likes of Nick, Gatsby, and Myrtle continue to social-climb their way toward an American Dream in the East of America. Despite Gatsby’s effort to prove himself an elite, social discrimination that describes him as only having “new money”. He is seen to live in the past, trying to hold parties to get Daisy’s attention, and works hard to gain acceptance of the Buchanans. A conflict between Tom and Gatsby is evident in this chapter. The two take each other head-on for Daisy’s love. After Tom losses his mistress and has prospects of losing his wife to a man he loathes, he decides to strike hard. Gatsby is presented as vulnerable as he has no notable roots and is guided by love for Daisy, while Tom has social class privilege and is guided by rage. However, apart from wealth, Gatsby’s main dream is his love for Daisy and he tries to hold on to it. He tries to hold on by outlining to Tom that his wife does not love him and would leave him. However, Daisy’s mask of innocence is put off when her recklessness causes the death of Myrtle. Tom’s mistress had a dream of wealth and privilege, and now Daisy has taken that away from her forever, she was poetically killed by her own materialism desires. This is where tragedy strikes as Gatsby is killed by Wilson after being tipped off by Tom. He had been assured by Tom that Gatsby had killed his wife. This is where the American dream for Gatsby dies with him, love is said to have poetically killed him. On the other hand, Daisy outlines social exploitation as she is willing to use love and money to ensure that she was not found guilty. Chapter nine outlines a clear picture of the gap between the rich and the poor, and the extent of social discrimination that existed between the “old money” and the “new money”. An American dreamer such as Gatsby would have no close friends or associates volunteering to attend his memorial service. A close friend of Gatsby, Mr. Klipspringer only calls to enquire about a pair of his tennis shoes that Nick had. Wolfshiem, a close associate of Gatsby refuses to attend too. Tom and Daisy has taken an alleged trip to avoid the scenario. Once again, the less privileged were left to deal with their less privileged. It was an aspect of the rich using the less privileged as means to an end, and nothing more. Gatsby had died a solitary death that few of his colleagues wanted to take part in. The American dream finally has an ugly side, a dark reality. Gatsby had been depicted as one who achieved the American-Dream, having possession, money, and freedom. However, after his death it was clear that he was never really accepted by the elites for he had no notable roots, he was seen as an outsider. The people who claimed to love him, partied with him, and even used him to make money, could not even dare show up in his burial, for they considered him not of their class. He even died for something he did not do, while the rich that did it went scot free, enjoying their luxurious life as they did before. The dreams had consumed the dreamer. Sadly, the success of a man is seen to be measured by his possessions and not his personality, as it is seen by Gatz, Gatsby’s father, who is proud of his son for only the material wealth he had achieved and not who he had strived to become as a man amidst the social pressures.
Pessitistic character of the image of American dream in thenovel is outlined by the social struggles that Nick observes as he compares the “old money” to the “new money”. The latter being the ones who try to find their way up the social stratification from little or no notable background. This is depicted by Gatsby who works his way up the social strata and ends up achieving material wealth, possessions, and even builds a reputable name for himself in the East. However, he and Nick lived in the West Egg, depicting that they were still of lower social class. This is depicted when he outlines, “I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them”. However, despite his tremendous achievements, he was never accepted in the elite social class. Most of his colleagues only entertained his hospitality and took advantage of him, and actually looked down upon him. This is clearly shown after his love for Daisy is betrayed openly, for despite the way he loved her and was willing to take the blame for her after she killed Myrtle, she was just using him to get Tom jealous. Despite his possessions and wealth, he is forced to live in the West Eggers side, which belonged to the ‘social climbers’, while his other rich colleagues of notable roots lived in the East Egger’s side. Despite his efforts to find love after having achieving so much material success, the sad thing is that his dreams are shuttered by the very people who pretend to be his friends. They conspired against him and see him dead, and regrettably, non-even dare attend his funeral. The American dream is therefore presented from a pessimistic angle as the dreams of a good man end up consuming him. “It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete”. The perception of people striving to achieve the American dream is brought to reality through an outline of the actual reality that lies on the ground. Two people, both Myrtle and Gatsby end up being socially ill-treated and eventually their ambitions to fulfill their dreams become futile. It is a dream that is based on material possessions at the expense of social moral values that get eroded in the process. While Gatsby sought for love and caring for others, the rich looked forward to exploiting his kindness, and discriminating people of lower social class. His own father was proud of his dead son for the material possessions he had amassed, but not the great personality he had achieved in a society that largely segregated people of his alleged low class roots. “…Mr. Gatz walking up and down excitedly in the hall. His pride in his son and in his son’s possessions was continually increasing and now he had something to show me”. To justify discrimination against people of other races, Tom outlines that a scientific book titled, The Rise of the Colored Empires, outlines that whites have to look after themselves against other races. He outlines, “The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved”.
In conclusion, the novel, The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald is an exceptional socio-economic depiction classic, outlining contemporary societal issues affecting the haves and have-nots. It is based on a man whose journey and experience in life outlines the theme of American dream, economic prosperity, and equal opportunities that are thought to be in the Americas. An exploration of the novel shows that the main dominant theme in the novel, Great Gatsby, is the “American Dream”. The attainment of the American dream has been presented as pessimistic.
