How Does The Ashes Symbolize The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
In Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he symbolizes the American Dream in a variety of ways. The definition of American Dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. These qualities were quite popular around the time this book was published. This period in the book is described as the Roaring Twenties. Roaring Twenties is a term for western society/culture during the 1920s; It ties in with the theme of the American Dream. One would think that the American Dream is equal to happiness, but it really turns into a greed for wealth. In the novel, the Valley of Ashes symbolizes poverty and hopelessness. The Valley of the Ashes