The Great Gatsby

A detailed Summary of The Great Gatsby

Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is the central concept, and this theme affects every character. Gatsby's attempt to capture the American Dream of happiness and love is through wealth and power. Gatsby spent all of his time, energy and devotion towards his dream. The pursuit of Gatsby's dream was tainted by the corruption surrounding his dream, and the dream itself. The energy that might have gone into noble goals was directed to the search of power and pleasure, and an ostentatious form of success.

The American Dream is based on the belief that every individual is able to succeed in life on the sole basis of his/her skill and effort. The heart of this dream is that everybody has the same opportunity to succeed. Gatsby has the opportunity to succeed in life- and achieve happiness love. His personal dream represents the larger American Dream where all have the chance to get what they want. Gatsby is a self-made man; he cast himself to fit the mold of a man in order to fulfill his dream. He worked very hard and made a strict system of life so he could fit his ideal life of money and success "'Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something.

Do you notice what he's got about improving his mind? He was always great for that.' (Pg. 182)" Mr. Gatz, Gatsby's father said this about him at his funeral after displaying a schedule Gatsby kept while he was young. Even at that age, Gatsby had strict set goals, and a dream he was aiming for.

Gatsby's dream of rekindling the love between himself and Daisy is his driving force. He is nothing without her, more importantly, without the dream that he could have her. He spent all the years of his life that they were apart dedicated to her and being able to someday get her back; no matter what he had to do in order to get there. "'When I said you were a particular friend of Tom's he (Gatsby) started to abandon the whole idea. He doesn't know very much about Tom, though he says he's read a Chicago newspaper for years just on the chance of catching a glimpse of Daisy's name.' (Pg. 84)" He fixed all his wonder and ability on the dream of Daisy. He used material things, the green light at the end of her dock, and even Daisy herself to focus the power of his dream. He had objects signify Daisy, and keep him thinking of her even when she wasn't there. "Gatsby believed in the green light.... (Pg. 189)" He believed so deeply in the dream nothing else was of much importance. His whole career, his confidence in himself and in life is devastated when his dream is shattered. He had nothing to drive towards besides Daisy. Gatsby's dream of getting Daisy back relates to the American Dream because he invested all of his time, effort and being into achieving his ultimate goal. All of the meaning in his life was devoted to Daisy. She was his object he believed he could work toward. He believed he had the opportunity to get her with the proper energy and exertion. Daisy was his idea of success, and so by acquiring her, he acquired his dream. Gatsby doesn't rest until his American Dream has been fulfilled.

Gatsby's American Dream was doomed from the start because of th

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Approximate Word count = 1340
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels