Gatsby and the Complexity of the American Dream
Gatsby and the Complexity of the American Dream
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an exploration of the American dream in modern society, in which money and prosperity are significant factors and it may not be as simple as you think; and the movie Citizen Kane is another example of the complex issues relating to the American dream. First, we will explore the American dream, in which it is to make a great deal of money because it provides for a comfortable living, and characters in the novel reflect upon this very ideal. Second, achieving the American dream of wealth is perceived to bring happiness, but that is not always the case as will examine the dream relating to the characters in the novel. Third, we will explore the American dream of Jay Gatsby in comparison to Charles Foster Kane in the movie Citizen Kane, and how they approached life differently, but both ended up with similar outcomes.
FIRST, the American dream is the desire to acquire an enormous amount of fortune through the opportunities in the United States; however, to some people, the American dreams are the finer things in life other than money, such as freedom, family, health, love, and happiness. According to the novel, wealth is the central theme of the story. Most of the characters seem to revolve themselves around money one way or another. Money is important to sustain a normal lifestyle, the opportunity of working hard to earn a living, and having a representative democracy is what I believe to be the American dream.
The American dream is the opportunity to make a large sum of money, in which it would provide financial security. It would change your social status; all of a suddenly, you belong with a different crowd of people in the upper echelons, an entirely different playing field. It is also the ability to attain material goods through the measure of wealth and success. The United States is a place where opportunities are available to all individuals, regardless of
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an exploration of the American dream in modern society, in which money and prosperity are significant factors and it may not be as simple as you think; and the movie Citizen Kane is another example of the complex issues relating to the American dream. First, we will explore the American dream, in which it is to make a great deal of money because it provides for a comfortable living, and characters in the novel reflect upon this very ideal. Second, achieving the American dream of wealth is perceived to bring happiness, but that is not always the case as will examine the dream relating to the characters in the novel. Third, we will explore the American dream of Jay Gatsby in comparison to Charles Foster Kane in the movie Citizen Kane, and how they approached life differently, but both ended up with similar outcomes.
FIRST, the American dream is the desire to acquire an enormous amount of fortune through the opportunities in the United States; however, to some people, the American dreams are the finer things in life other than money, such as freedom, family, health, love, and happiness. According to the novel, wealth is the central theme of the story. Most of the characters seem to revolve themselves around money one way or another. Money is important to sustain a normal lifestyle, the opportunity of working hard to earn a living, and having a representative democracy is what I believe to be the American dream.
The American dream is the opportunity to make a large sum of money, in which it would provide financial security. It would change your social status; all of a suddenly, you belong with a different crowd of people in the upper echelons, an entirely different playing field. It is also the ability to attain material goods through the measure of wealth and success. The United States is a place where opportunities are available to all individuals, regardless of
Cited: Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 5th ed. Boston, NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY 10020: Scribner 2003. Sparknotes Study Guides. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. New York, NY: Sarknotes, 2002. Citizen Kane. Dir. Orson Welles Perf. William Alland, Thomas Anderson. RKO Radio Pictures, 1941.