The Great Gatsby: American Dream or American Nightmare? Essay -- The G

The l wizardliest moment in someones life is when they are ceremony their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great GatsbyThe American daydream, a long standing ideal embodies the hope that one can achieve financial success, political power, and everlasting love through dedication and hard work. During the Roaring 20s, people in America put up facades to mask who they truly were. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald conveys that the American Dream is simply an illusion, that is idealist and unreal. In the novel, Gatsby, a wealthy socialite pursues his dream, Daisy. In the process of pursuing Daisy, Gatsby betrays his ethical motive and destroys himself. Through the eyes of the narrator, Nick, one sees the extent of the corruption Gatsby is willing to undertake in order to achieve his dream. Although Fitzgerald applauds the American Dream he warns against the dangers of living in a world full of illusions and deceit a trait common duri ng the Roaring 20s. The language and plot devices Fitzgerald uses convey that lies and facades, which were common during the Guided Age, destroys ones have got character and morals. Through Fitzgerald use of symbolism, expectations, and relationships, he explores the American dream, and how it is an illusion that corrupts and destroys lives.Through Fitzgeralds symbolic description of Gatsby, he explores the extent of the American Dreams deceptive nature that slowly destroys a person and his/her morals. During the Roaring 20s it was very common for people to project illusions to mask who they truly were to fit in, it was nearly essential to have one to survive in the highly materialistic and deceitful society. Nick is introduced as the objective narrator... ...an Dream that becomes corrupted and leads to the ultimate trial and destruction of himself. Some say that Americans strive for the impossible goal of perfection they live, die and do unimaginable deeds to achieve it, and wh en they do, they may call the harvest-feast their own American Dream. The American Dream is substantial perfection. In reality, perfection does not exist, but illusions do. Those who live in a world of lies cause their own demise. Life is a series of unending imperfections. Living a dream of perfection is not possible, thus reducing our cherished American Dream to a simple fantasy.Works CitedFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York Scribner, 2004. Print.The Great Gatsby in the 21st Century. CBC Books. CBC/ Radio-Canada. 22 August 2012. Web. 5 May 2015.http//www.cbc.ca/books/2012/08/the-great-gatsby-in-the-21st-century.html