The Illusion and Disillusionment of the American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”

The Illusions of Unattainable Dreams

What is the American Dream? Well, the American Dream for me is fame and fortune. We get to read about the 1920s and the characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and their journey while they pursue the classic American Dream. The novel is told by a young man named Nick Caraway, who is also Daisy Buchanan’s cousin. As we read through the novel, we learn about Jay Gatsby and the different people that surround him as they attempt to try to have the American Dream. Fitzgerald illustrates the lifestyles of the human beings that pursue the American Dream and the effects of the pursuit all through his portrayal of Jay Gatsby’s life and the humans who encompass him.

Firstly, the novel depicts the American Dream through the many characters as they are described through the eyes of the novel’s narrator, Nick Caraway. “It passed, and he began to talk excitedly to Daisy, denying everything, defending his name against accusations that had not been made. But with every word, she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer tangible, struggling unhappily, undespairingly, toward that lost voice across the room” (144). With this quote, we get to see the perception of how Daisy’s husband, Tom, is so unhappy and unfaithful to Daisy in his marriage, and yet he tries to protect what he and Daisy have made in life so that Daisy won’t just leave him.

Even though Daisy knows that her husband is constantly cheating on her, she continues to be with him. She is always sad, but she stays with him to keep her reputation. Jay Gatsby pursues a dream that will never come true, and everyone knows it except him. “I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. 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” (180). His dream of being with Daisy, who is a married woman, was impossible. Nick had it correct, Gatsby’s dream was so feasible and simple, but others see Jay’s dream as being too far out of reach.

The Elusive Happiness Within the American Dream

Next, while all the characters are seeking the pursuit of the American Dream, some don’t obtain what they strive for. Even the people that have the American Dream cannot be happy in their lives. Within the novel, we read about Daisy and Tom and how they live together. “Her husband, among various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven—a national figure in a way, one of those men who reach such acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti-climax. His family was enormously wealthy—even in college, his freedom with money was a matter for reproach.”(8)

Tom and Daisy have it all: wealth, reputation, and everything anyone ever dreams of. They do have problems that they continue to hide from the world. They are not happy in their marriage, and Tom even cheats on Daisy. Daisy’s dream is not complete with simply wealth or fame, but it is additionally about keeping an excessive status. She continues in her marriage with Tom, despite his infidelity, just so she can keep her status in the community. Tom does love Daisy and stays with her, so she can keep her reputation. With their pursuit of the American Dream, Gatsby cannot be with Daisy and achieve his dream. With others chasing the American Dream, it can ruin the chances of another’s dream.

Thirdly, at first glance, you would think Jay Gatsby, who is rich and very famous, is all but happy with his life. He only wants one thing, Daisy. “His heart beat fast and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star.

The Tragic Pursuit of the American Dream in the Twenties

Then he kissed her. As his lips touch blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete” (134). Gatsby only wants to be with Daisy Buchanan, who is a married woman with a sufficient life for her. When people discovered that Jay became rich through criminal ways, it changed their view of him. Now without his highly respectable reputation, he cannot have the woman he has always loved and wanted. Daisy can never ruin her perfect reputation by being with a damaged, lying man. Gatsby only wanted one woman for his entire life, but she only wanted fame and fortune and not true love.

In conclusion, all throughout the twenties, people only wanted the American Dream. People see the American Dream as many things, but the most common is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout The Great Gatsby, we learn about each character’s pursuit of the American Dream. We are told everyone’s story by Nick Caraway, one of the main characters throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book. We are told about their individual lifestyles and how badly each of them wants to win over everyone else and needs to have the best lives. We also get to get see how their fighting to achieve the American Dream can destroy people and their lives.

References:

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. “The Great Gatsby.” Scribner, 1925.
2. Bloom, Harold, editor. “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: Modern Critical Interpretations.” Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
3. Bruccoli, Matthew J. “Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald.” Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981.