Great Gatsby (559 words) Essay Example For Students

Great Gatsby (559 words) Essay Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is aboutthe American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach itsillusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is central to manynovels. This dream is different for different people, but in The Great Gatsby,for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old dream andin order to do this he must have wealth and power. Jay Gatsby, the centralfigure of the story, is one character who longs for the past. Surprisingly hedevotes most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies in itspursuit. In the past, Jay had a love affair with the affluent Daisy. Knowing hecould not marry her because of the difference in their social status, he leavesher to amass wealth to reach her economic standards. Once he acquires thiswealth, he moves near to Daisy, Gatsby bought that house so that Daisywould be just across the bay, and throws extravagant parties, hoping bychance she might show up at one of them. He, himself, does not attend hisparties but watches them from a distance. When this dream doesnt happen, heasks around casually if anyone knows her. Soon he meets Nick Carraway, a cousinof Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, He wants to knowif youllinvite Daisy to your hou se some afternoon and then let him come over.Gatsbys personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have theopportunity to get what they want. Later, as we see in the Plaza Hotel, Jaystill believes that Daisy loves him. He is convinced of this as is shown when hetakes the blame for Myrtles death. Was Daisy driving?Yesbut of course Ill say I was. He also watches and protectsDaisy as she returns home. How long are you going to wait? Allnight if necessary. Jay cannot accept that the past is gone and done with. Jay is sure that he can capture his dream with wealth and influence. He believesthat he acted for a good beyond his personal interest and that should guaranteesuccess. Nick attempts to show Jay the folly of his dream, but Jay innocentlyreplies to Nicks assertion that the past cannot be relived by saying, Yesyou can, old sport. This shows the confidence that Jay has in fulfillinghis American Dream. For Jay, his dream is not material possessions, although itmay seem that way. He only comes into riches so that he can fulfill his truedream, Daisy. Gatsby doesnt rest until his American Dream is finally fulfilled. However, it never comes about and he ends up paying the ultimate price for it. The idea of the American Dream still holds true in todays time, be it wealth,love, or fame. But one thing never changes about the American Dream; everyonedesires something in life, and everyone, somehow, strives to get it. Gatsby is aprime example of pursuing the American Dream. It is a marvelously written storywith multiple themes. It has been described as one of the best books to come outof the United States, and I cannot dispute this. It deals with the uttershallowness of society, and the morally corrupt underbelly of the rich and thepowerful. This is an excellent story that is recommended who have the time toread it.