American Dream CompareContrast Great Gatsby and Citizen Kane
The United States of America is the most powerful, wealthy, and attractive country in the world. The varieties of class, individuality, religion, and race are a few of the enrichments within the "melting pot" of our society. The blend of these numerous diversities is the crucial ingredient to our modern nation. Even though America has been formed upon these diversities, its inhabitants- the "average American"- have a single thing in common; a single idea; a single goal; the American Dream. The Dream consists of a seemingly simple concept; success. Americans dream of a successful marriage, family, successful job, and own a Victorian-style home with a white picket fence and an oak tree with a swing tire in the front yard. The accessories add to the package according to the individuality of the American Dream. And, perhaps along with the "melting pot" includes the entangled extremes of each American's dream; the degree of the Dream is now ambiguous in terms of boundaries. Perhaps the American Dream varies for the individual as the individual varies. Charles Foster Kane possessed everything the materialistic man could hope for. Kane had more money than he could count, power, a successful job, women at the crook of his arm
Daisy, much like Susan Alexander, always convinced herself that she knew what she really wanted out of life. Daisy, being married to Tom Buchanan, had more than enough money and all the luxuries anyone could imagine, but she seemed discontent with what she had. Unhappy, Daisy ventures to try and find something she doesn't share with Tom; love. In her search, she realizes that Gatsby could fulfill her emotional emptiness. "Daisy's face was smeared with tears and when I came in... Gatsby was literally glowing." Realizing Gatsby's feelings, Daisy cried for joy, and perhaps she also cries out of sadness, for she always subliminally knew she could never be with Jay. After the news about Charles Foster Kane's mistress, Susan Alexander, was released Charles and Mr. Leland had a confrontation about the situation. Mr. Leland, who had been drinking past his limit, said things harshly but truthfully. "You just want to persuade people that you love them just so they'll love you back. But you want love on your own terms." "There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams-not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart." Jay Gatsby, as well as any other American, dreamt for the angelic life. Being the nephew of Kaiser Wilhelm, Jay Gatsby never faced money predicaments. His house was a mansion- "a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool and more than forty acres of lawn and garden." Similar to Charles Foster Kane, Jay Gatsby was a rich, powerful, and respected man. Gatsby could have anything and everything that could be bought. For the materialistic, Jay Gatsby had the absolute life. Yet, his possessions were obsolete because he didn't have the most essential and most profound part of Man's life; love. "You won't get lonely, Charles... You'll be the richest man in the world someday." Kane's mother and father try to use the image of money as collateral for giving him up. Charles experienced a great deal of loss in his early childhood. The traumatizing emotions of insecurity and disposition caused by his moving away from home are the roots of Charles' agonizing yearn to be loved. Sadly, Charles didn't have a long bond from his mother, but he loved her; Charles' mother never loved her son. "I've had his trunk packed for a week now." Charles' mother had his trunk ready ahead of time in anxiousness for him to leave. She signed the contracts without any hesitation and showed no signs of emotion in her stone face. Charles' unreturned love creates a sense of fear and hesitation to love something, only to experience abandonment again. Ironically, even though Charles becomes "the richest man in the world," he also becomes the loneliest man in the world; despite all his possessions, power, and potential, Charles didn't posses the single element that became vital to his self-worth; love Also during the running for office, Emily Kane(Charles' first wife) confronts Charles' mistress. Surprisingly, Charles' infuriated competitor was awaiting his arrival. "But the voters of this state..." Charles has become more interested in the devotion of the people of
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2393
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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