The Failure Of American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. Throughout the 1920’s, the decline in morality had shaped the dream into a materialistic goal by accumulating wealth, love, social class, friendship and power. The culture of consumerism, being an epitome of “going from rags to riches”, luxury, parties, attempts to become an “old money” became popular.

In the second stage of American Independence, prisoners were given choices to go to jail or work as labour in colonies. Naturally, colonies were chosen enormously by criminals and it became an acute place for them. It is the dream of European for Colonization as well. They needed a new place to establish new ideas/ new experiments in order to escape the history. America became the promise of the New Land. America was literally ‘No place’.

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In 1920’s America was industrialized, slavery was abolished. America faced an industrial boom but at the same time The Great Depression took place. So, there was violence as well as attraction to illusory promises of American Dream.

“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.”

The American Dream as shown in The Great Gatsby has been proven by F. Scott Fitzgerald to be an unattainable belief in the “Pursuit of Happiness” through the fault of morality. Typically, happiness is being content with ones standing in life regarding wealth, family, love, class, and friendship.

Fitzgerald illustrates the failure of the American Dream in two ways. First of all, he does this through the settings he creates,the differences between West Egg and the Valley of Ashes. West Egg is home to Jay Gatsby's mansion, described as a 'colossal affair' which resembles the luxurious Hotel de Ville in Normandy. Despite being 'less fashionable' than the neighbouring East Egg, West Egg remains one of the most glamorous and wealthiest areas in New York. In contrast, the Valley of the Ashes, first introduced in Chapter Two, is a wasteland dominated by 'chimneys and smoke' and 'ash-grey men.' Here, people like George Wilson live a far less glamorous existence than the likes of Jay Gatsby. Through this setting, then, Fitzgerald argues that the American Dream has left many people behind. These people, like George Wilson, are left to fester in the Valley of Ashes, forgotten by the rest of society.

Fitzgerald also demonstrates the failure of the American Dream through the character of Jay Gatsby. For Gatsby, the American Dream is closely linked to his feelings for Daisy Buchanan: he is madly in love with her and will do anything to win her back. But Daisy married Tom Buchanan, an extremely wealthy man, with whom Gatsby must compete if he is to convince her of his worth. Over the course of his adult life, Gatsby devoted all of his energy to making as much money as possible and, in this respect; Gatsby represents the success of the American Dream though the aim is never accomplished.

“Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant, cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes.”- Nick Carraway

Despite his immense material wealth, however, Gatsby fails to win Daisy back permanently. The pair enjoys a brief relationship but Daisy refuses to divorce Tom and, all of a sudden, Gatsby's dream is over. His wealth and his success are therefore inconsequential and the American Dream is portrayed as a failure. To further highlight this idea, when Gatsby dies, his funeral is attended only by his father, Owl Eyes, and Nick, which provides a sharp contrast to his lavish parties. These were the focal point of New York's social life and were attended by scores of people. Through this sad finale, Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream brings only misery and isolation instead of the happiness and success that it first promises. But as George Carlin said: 'it's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it'.     

Works cited

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