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 ge

t 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. !

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Gatsby's American Dream was doomed from the start because of the means he hoped to bring about ends. He corrupted the American Dream. His dream was ruined with money, illegal business, and fake goals. Daisy, who is wealthy and beautiful, is the object of Gatsby's affection, and furthermore, the focus of his dream. She had a life which was different from the one Gatsby had, which was more attractive because it was out of reach. This is very much like the idea of the American dream; the strive to become more successful, and the belief in the opportunity that you can. Gatsby saw this goal, to become wealthy and powerful, and expected/tried to attain it. He struggles to fit himself into another social group. In his attempt, he changes his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby. "James Gatz- that was really, or at least legally, his name.... So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a 17 year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the!

fine silk shirts, and she starts to cry over the beauty of them, and their missed relationship. This is the first time we see Gatsby "break" Daisy. She had broken down with awe of him, and the only way he got her to do this is through his pride in his mansion and his expensive clothing. He comes to riches only so he can fulfill his dream. She was Gatsby's material substitute of a dream. Something for him to concentrate his high

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Approximate Word count = 1249
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)