The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

As children, we have all dreamt of money, being rich; owning an extravagant mansion, magnificent cars, and being married to a prince or princess. Basically, we dream of the perfect life, with the perfect spouse. Generally, this dream is known as the American Dream, which is the belief that if one works hard, that person will succeed by becoming rich. The topic of the American Dream can be found throughout The Great Gatsby, the most prime example of this is the dream of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby?s dream is to work hard to get rich in order to win the love of Daisy Buchanan, his long lost love. Despite these beliefs, the American Dream, in it?s modern form, generally fails to make that person happy. As for Gatsby?s dream to win Daisy?s love with elaborate material possessions, his attempts eventually lead to his death. Both the noble intentions and the resulting failures of the American Dream resemble the intentions and corruption of Jay Gatsby in the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald included many examples of the American Dream in the novel. Myrtle Wilson is an example of this. Myrtle, who was married to George Wilson, a low income mechanic, desired money and a higher social status. This desire, which is equivalent to the desire for money in the American Dream, eventually led to the death of Myrtle. Myrtle was having an affair with Tom Buchanan in spite of the fact that he was awful to her, for example, ??Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand.? But yet, Myrtle continued to secretly see Tom in the chance that he would share his money with her, so she would become rich. Myrtle?s dream of money, and belief that having an affair with Tom would eventually lead her to money, but instead, she met death. Another example of the American Dream is the dream of Daisy Buchanan. Daisy fell in love with Jay Gatsby before he went away to war, but her desire for money led her to Tom Buchanan instead. Because Gatsby grew up in a poor family, Daisy was appalled; she favored money, over true love. Daisy?s decision to marry Tom was assisted by the fact that ??the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars?. This decision not only affected Daisy, Tom (and therefore Myrtle and George Wilson), but also Jay Gatsby.

Jay Gatsby?s mansion is prime example of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby. He devoted his life to winning the love of Daisy Buchanan; he owned an immense mansion across the bay from Daisy and Tom?s:

??It was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool and more than forty acres of lawn and garden??

This mansion seems to be an extravagant waste for a single occupant, built primarily to satisfy the eyes of onlookers and party-goers. This is justified by the fact that Gatsby had never even ?used the pool once during the summer?. Although the pool is an outward sign of wealth, Gatsby derived no pleasure or satisfaction from it. Gatsby?s mansion, which was conveniently located across the bay from Daisy and well lit, was within the view of her.

Gatsby also invested in items to please the eye of onlookers, especially Daisy, which were gawky, colorful, and belongings only of a man with ?new money?. When Gatsby was to meet Daisy, for the first time in five years, he wore ?a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie?. Then, once Daisy entered his house, she was amazed at the lavish, expensive items that occupied Gatsby?s mansion. The mansion contained rooms such as the ?Marie Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration salons? and the ?Merton College Library?, which were used only by party guests. All the while Daisy was in Gatsby?s house,

??He hadn?t once ceased looking at Daisy?he re-valued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her??

Gatsby did not care for his possessions; they were there for the pleasure of others, Daisy especially.

The parties held at Gatsby?s mansion, were primarily held in hopes that Daisy would attend one of them and realize her mistake of marrying Tom instead of himself. Often, Nick would spot Gatsby staring across the bay, at a green light at the end of Daisy and Tom?s dock, across the bay.Few people who attended these magnificent parties at the Gatsby mansion even knew the host. Very few were actually invited, ??people were not invited, they went there?? The parties that Gatsby held were extraordinary;

??Several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby?s enormous garden. On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors d?oeurve, spiced baked hams?bewitched to a dark gold??

Also attending these parties, was an orchestra, ?no thin five-piece affair, but a whole pitful?? Despite the extremities Gatsby has gone to, in order to hold the perfect party, the guests were disrespectful, and spread many rumors about him, such as where he got his money from, his occupation, and most of all his past.

Gatsby?s success in achieving material wealth, however, did not achieve its initial goal, in the respect that Gatsby?s wealth was not able to win the love of Daisy Buchanan. His intentions and attempt** Syntax Error **** Syntax Error **s were followed by tragedy and failure. It was amidst one of Gatsby?s most elaborate material possessions, the marble pool, in which Gatsby?s death was brought about by a vengeful act of Myrtle?s husband, George Wilson. This downfall is comparable to the noble intentions and resulting failures of the American Dream, in which class and greed usually overtake the success of becoming rich. F. Scott Fitzgerald portrayed Jay Gatsby?s dream as a resemblance to the American Dream in The Great Gatsby.