Introduction
The Great Gatsby was published in 1925 and was authored by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel follows Jay Gatsby, a wealthy self-made man, in pursuit of his love interest, Daisy Buchanan. However, the novel has been interpreted differently despite its simplistic and direct language.
One of the most popular portrayals of the novel is the American Dream. Some critics hold that Fitzgerald’s portrayal harshly critiques the American dream. In contrast, others believe it is a perfect example of achieving the same dream.
This essay will argue that Fitzgerald is a critic of the American Dream. Specifically, Fitzgerald’s portrayal of characters who achieve the American Dream and ultimately find it unfulfilling, such as Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick, illustrates that it is unattainable. Those who attain it end up disillusioned and in despair.
Analysis
Jay Gatsby
Jay Gatsby is one of the main characters in the novel who achieves the American Dream. Gatsby was born a poor boy in North Dakota and had to work extremely hard to become wealthy in the hope that he would win Daisy’s affection. However, despite achieving all he had set out to attain, he feels empty and unfulfilled (Kara).
While writing about a conversation between Nick and Gatsby, Fitzgerald noted, “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. But what he did not know was that it was already behind him, somewhere in the vast obscurity beyond the city” (189). This statement shows that as Gatsby achieved his wealth status, what he thought he wanted was obscured in the past and could not be reached.
Daisy
Daisy is another character who achieves the American Dream in the novel. She is wealthy, successful, and beautiful, but trapped in an unhappy marriage. Daisy married Tom, who represents Old money; however, despite a family and all the money she could ever need, she feels hollow and trapped in a marriage void of love and passion.
Daisy tried to fill the void inside her with Gatsby, but she soon realized he was not the answer to her problems. In one of the most telling moments in the novel, Daisy tells Gatsby, “I did love him once—but I loved you too” (132). Her statement illustrates that she was no longer in love, despite having loved Gatsby and Tom.
Nick
Nick, the narrator, is another character in the novel. He is intent on finding a niche in the American stock market and finding riches. Nick dreams of moving to New York and making a name for himself in the stock market. However, he quickly realizes that the American Dream is a façade, and the people who achieve it are never happy (Kara). In one of the narrations, he notes, “Tom and Gatsby, Daisy and Jordan and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadaptable to Eastern life” (176). This statement shows a disillusionment with the American Dream that Nick had obsessed over.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Great Gatsby portrays characters such as Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick who ultimately find it unfulfilling after achieving the American Dream. Through these characters, Fitzgerald shows that the American dream is unattainable and that only disillusionment and despair follow those who attain it. Thus, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is not the pathway to success and happiness and that such notions are dangerous and lead to negative consequences.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F Scott. The Great Gatsby. Andrews McMeel, 2023.
Kara, Gökçen. “Disillusionment and American Dream in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’.” Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil Journal of Philology, 2022, Web.