The American Dream s Deterioration - 1568 Words

Joey Griffiths Block 4 The American Dream’s Deterioration The American dream, an ideal that motivates and entices many. A beautiful yet extremely flawed concept according to Fitzgerald. The idea is that every citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work. However, we will see in The Great Gatsby that no one is truly equal, and as one rises another falls. â€Å"We speak of equality and unlimited possibilities, but in reality both are illusions† (Hearne, 191). The American dream offers hope, hope to achieve anything, wealth, large house, fancy cars, or power. To achieve success, difficult decisions have to be made, and these decisions may in turn hurt the ones we love. For most readers, Gatsby represents the American dream itself. Fitzgerald purposely does this to emphasize the corruption and flaws in the American dream. The American Dream, once a pure dream, was distorted during the 1920’s to be focused on the wealth and possessions one had. The Great Gatsby is about the corruption of the Americ an dream during a time when it was at its most brilliant high. This novel, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, focuses on the characters’ struggles and tragedies while they attempt to obtain the illusionary goal that is the American Dream. A beautiful and lavish lifestyle is what many dream to have. Myrtle obviously craves a life of wealth so much so that she is willing to have an affair with Tom. Tom is a man that represents the American Dream. SheShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream Through The Eyes Of F. Scott Fitzgerald1690 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream Through the Eyes of F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby has been criticized, cited, and known as one of the greatest works of American Literature. With numerous themes and focuses, one of the most valuable is represented in the American Dream and how F. Scott Fitzgerald analyzes his idea of this concept. 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