Death of the American Dream in Fitgeralds The Great...

The American Dream is dead. This is the main theme in F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby. In the novel Fitzgerald gives us a glimpse into the life of the high class during the roaring twenties through the eyes of a moralistic young man named Nick Carraway. It is through the narrators dealings with high society that readers are shown how modern values have transformed the American Dreams pure ideals into a scheme for materialistic power and further, how the world of high society lacks any sense of morals or consequence. In order to support this message, Fitzgerald presents the original aspects of the American Dream along with its modern face to show that the once impervious dream is now lost forever to the†¦show more content†¦The product of all of James Gatzs hard work is the longing Jay Gatsby, who epitomizes one of the main characteristics of the American dream: everlasting hope. Gatsby desire to win Daisys love is his version of the old American dream : an incredible goal and a constant search for the opportunity to reach this goal. This is shown when Gatsby is first introduced into the novel. It is late at night and we find him with his hands in his pockets out to determine what share was his of our local heavens. While Nick continues to watch Gatsbys movements he says: -he [Gatsby] stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. (Pg. 20-21). The green light that Gatsby reaches out for symbolizes his longing, his longing for Daisy, for money, for acceptance and no matter how much he has he never feels complete. This green light is part of the American Dream. It symbolizes our constant searching for a way to reach that goal just of in the distance, as Nick described it, Gatsby believed in the gr een light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms farther. And one fine morning- (Pg. 180). Gatsbys