The Great Gatsby - Corruption of the American Dream Essay

The Great Gatsby is a novel about the corruption of the American Dream. How far would you agree with this statement? The American Dream is fundamentally the idea that anyone in America can accomplish through hard work and can achieve success and happiness. It has been expanded on through the years and now incorporates ideas of attaining freedom, wealth and power. In the 1920s when The Great Gatsby was written the Jazz Age was taking hold and the American Dream became more about material possessions being used to show a persons wealth and status and to indicate that they have been successful in life. The materialism of this period of time in America corrupted the American Dream by the intense focus on gaining wealth and power and†¦show more content†¦At first glance, they appear to have everything they could possibly wish for: a luxurious home, each other and more money than they need. However, beneath the faà §ade of happiness lies dissatisfaction with life. Tom in particular is not content with his marriage as he has â€Å"got some woman in New York† that he is having an affair wi th. Tom and Daisy epitomise the couple who have everything that can be achieved by the American Dream, but they are such despicable people that they give the American Dream no value or merit at all. They are â€Å"careless people†, without morals, and show how you do not have to work hard to have everything the American Dream promises, as they do nothing at all meaningful with their time, to the extent that Daisy has to ask â€Å"What do people plan?†. Another character that clearly displays the corruption of the American Dream is Myrtle. She is a dreamer - like Gatsby she wants status and power, and she thinks that she will get this through her affair with Tom Buccanan. The meaning of the noun â€Å"myrtle† is very telling of Myrtles character as it is a climbing plant, just as Myrtle wants to climb the social ladder. However, she is deluding herself as Tom Buchanan clearly shows no real affection for her and even behaves in a violent way towards her and he â⠂¬Å"broke her nose with his open hand†. The way in which Gatsbys and Myrtles, the two dreamers in The Great Gatsby, lives endShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby : The Corruption Of The American Dream1771 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream The Great Gatsby may appear as a novel containing dramatic, twisted relationships; however, the main theme has to do with the culture of the 1920s, and how it leads to the downfall of the American Dream. The 1920s were an age of change: politically and socially. The nation’s wealth nearly doubled, leading many Americans into a prosperous society, while others experienced extreme poverty (The Roaring). 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