Blog #25: Great Gatsby Essay

During the Roaring 20's, the American Dream was typically about wealth, titles, and showmanship. Had the dream been freedom or love before the 1920's, the book "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald recognizes the American Dream as garbage, a materialistic perspective. His book depicts the American Dream as a character named Gatsby who, through mysterious methods, accomplishes rising up from an average person to being rich. He achieves wealth only to show it off in attempt to impress a married woman named Daisy. Many people during that time believed that being rich was about the best thing that could happen, love was now placed second to money. That sort of materialism caused greed, an excuse to hide behind, misunderstanding, abusive use of power, and division in society. Through these things, F. Scott criticizes the American Dream and points out the corruption in it.

Gatz started out as an average man, admiring Daisy, the woman he came to love and "felt married to." He wasn't confident in himself, having no money to support her, comparing himself to her and saying things like, "She vanished into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing." This all changed when Gatz created an alter ego named Gatsby who was a mysterious showman, threw parties, and achieved the American Dream of being rich and powerful. However, Daisy, his motivation to become "someone", admitted “I can’t say I never loved Tom” and didn't leave him for Gatsby whom she said, "I love you" to. F. Scott displays that people often mix up money with happiness, causing them to think that anything could be bought with money, a misunderstanding of the American Dream.

Throughout the book, Gatsby displays his wealth through throwing extravagant parties that catch the eyes of many people who want to also be able to be wealthy. The American Dream can also be looked at the same way. Everyone sees their interpretation of "a perfect life" in someone else and wants something like that. Because of the environment during the Roaring 20's, titles, wealth, and popularity were the only things that made you "a somebody". Another character in the book, Nick, was often mocked by Tom, a rich East Egger, who simply answered “Never heard of them” when Nick was telling him about what he did for a living. On the other hand, Gatsby didn't hesitate to talk about his possessions he collected with his immense wealth. People start interpreting the American Dream as characteristics of a person who "achieved the American Dream". In Gatsby's case, success follow the qualities of being rich, young, and handsome. But nearing the end, Gatsby is rejected by Daisy and the Nick gets Jordan, the girl he wanted, showing that the wealthy and successful Gatsby can't always reach what makes him happy.

By interpreting the American Dream as the same ol' characteristics, the main corruption in it is that individualism becomes scarce. Gatz becomes someone that everyone likes and acts friendlier to, Gatsby, but gets rid of his own personality. He took a common course known by people as a way to magically obtain money. In the book, Tom says, "A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers." and Gatsby perfectly fits into that category. Since these patterns displayed an easy way of becoming "rich and happy", bootleggers was often assumed for people who became newly rich. There wasn't really a creative way of becoming rich, no individualism or personality in achievement, thus branding the American Dream as uncreative and hollow.

Since money was the language of society, Gatsby used money to talk to society. He threw extravagant parties with alcohol, a huge hit in the 1920's, and allowed practically everyone even if they weren't invited. He used his money to "socialize" with other people and have them think "he's the the son of a rich family, all dead now" or "he killed a man". Even with his success, he never really made close friends. In his last moments, Gatsby said, "Look here, old sport, you’ve got to get somebody for me. You’ve got to try hard. I can’t go through this alone." Only Nick, Gatsby's father, and a few other individuals attended Gatsby's funeral. Daisy, the love of his life "hadn’t sent a message or even a flower." The idea that Gatsby had made friends who would come to his funeral was a false hope since being rich meant nothing to society other then a free party. This links back to how F. Scott points out that money and status uselessly communicates real friendship.

The Roaring 20's was a time where moral and social values decayed. The American Dream was less about real happiness, individualism, and settling down with someone you love. It was more about who had the fattest wallet, who threw the biggest parties, and who had the most business connections. Gatsby is an example of how people lose themselves in an American Dream, thinking it is the best way to reach what they want. Nick is an example of a regular guy trying to obtain wealth and a happy life, his American Dream, in a corrupted society. Tom is an example of how power is abused and how making money the base of your life will result into it breaking apart. According to F. Scott's, the "American Dream" in the 1920's was nothing more then a corrupted perspective full of materialism and weak values.