The Great Gatsby - Dreams of Happiness - 1671 Words

Happiness symbolises a form of content, a form of satisfaction that can lead to several types of actions. In the Great Gatsby, happiness is portrayed in unusual forms with different characters, however every single character had some form of a Dream in mind. Fitzgerald juxtaposes his influence of T.S Elliot’s use of Valley of the Ashes showing poverty, decay and lost spiritualism with the rich life style of West Egg as he shows the wealth, parties and liveliness in this Egg. The Egg represents the symbol of birth and life, as well as the fragility of society and mainly the fragility of Dreams. Each character in the novel has their own interpretation of the ‘American Dream – the pursuit of happiness’ as they all lack happiness due to the†¦show more content†¦He is one of the only secure characters in the novel due to his wealth, class and power which leads him to live a happy, carefree life ‘we drifted here and here restfully where people played polo and were rich’. However this security was only delivered by Daisy as he uses her for her money so his dream is nearly shattered when Daisy decided to leave him for a ‘bootlegger’, Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan has a similar lifestyle to Tom, she’s wealthy ‘voice is full of money’ and always wore ‘white’ symbolising her purity and wealth. However as a woman of a higher class, there not much she can do in her ‘shallow life’, as she has the money but doesn’t know how to plan events ‘what do people plan?’. This shows that she is not content with her knowledge and understanding of life therefore even with money she isn’t ‘happy’. This leads her to ‘have an affair’ with an ex-lover whom she so adored before she married Tom ‘I did love him once – But I loved you too’. In the novel, Daisy only every seeks true love when she’s with Gatsby but ‘a rich girls don’t marry poor boys’, so due to this social difference between them, she knows the only place she will ever have security is with Tom. Tom describes their affair as a ‘presumptuou s little flirtation’ because to Daisy, she knew she was never going to marry Gatsby but to Gatsby it was just neverShow MoreRelated6. The Value/Danger Of Wealth. These Few Words By John1254 Words   |  6 Pageshostile comrade, a domestic enemy.† after reading The Great Gatsby. During Twenties, the nation’s wealth doubled. Was wealth the greatest â€Å"happiness† to pursue? The impact of wealth can display one’s true identity. In The Great Gatsby, wealth directly reflected the success of a person, but the pursuit of opulence twisted foundation of the American dream by resulting in greediness. Money enticed people into accomplishing a directive due to its great worth, which could potentially result in good consequencesRead MoreExamples Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby951 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Gatsby Essay Fabrizio Moreira once said, â€Å"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work.† (American Dream Quotes). This quote is reminiscent of what most people think of the American Dream as. Usually, their thoughts entail hard work leading to success and happiness. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are many examples of the American Dream. Fitzgerald expressesRead MoreAmerican Dream : The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1280 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Ludwig 10 November 2014 American Dream The ideal American Dream is that every citizen in the U.S. may have a promising future, happiness, a family, and health. 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While wealth is often equated with happiness and security; however, The Great GatsbyRead MoreThe Disillusionment Of The American Dream1050 Words   |  5 PagesDisillusionment of the American Dream The Roaring Twenties is when the Americans, especially wealthy people, are being so wasteful on spending money and are addicted to alcohol and drugs. During that time, many people have hopes for the American Dream. The American Dream is a belief that a better life could be achieved through hard work. Different people have different understandings of American Dream and different ways to pursue their dream. Some key ideas of the American Dream are equality, rights, opportunitiesRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagesthe American Dream is a concept that many people have struggled with against themselves to prove that it not only exits but can ultimately be achieved. Countless generations of people have devoted their lives and work towards this dream. But, what is the American Dream? Can someone actually profoundly feel the fulfillment of what the American dream means and is to be achieved, or are we actually following a manipulated stereotype th at was created within our own minds? The American Dream is commonlyRead MoreDeath Of The American Dream Essay1387 Words   |  6 PagesDeath of the American Dream. The promise that the American dream will bring happiness is a delusion, which many people have become victims to from being inspired by the propaganda and the false hope which it creates. The four texts, The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann Fight Club written by Chuck Palahniuk, American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes and Revolutionary Road, directed by Sam Mendes give proof to this claim as they illustrate the reality of the dream which is that it is the end ofRead MoreProtagonists looking for Happiness in Death of a Salesman†, â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, and â€Å"The Devil’s Advocate1129 Words   |  5 PagesOften having happiness is finding the key to life. Happiness is the ability to make one’s life full of joy and success. In the â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, and â€Å"The Devil’s Advocate†, the protagonists in the movies seem to yearn for happiness and success in their lives. Although success may be the ultimate goal to achieving happiness, it does not always lead us there. There are many obstacles people have to overcome, and sometimes happiness is not enough for some people. It is why IRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald960 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Gatsby Essay One phrase that an American is bound to hear at some point in his or her life, is the American Dream, but most don’t fully understand that concept. The majority of people never really have, they always think it’s supposed to be tangible, but it’s not. In his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes many aspects of American culture. One aspect that he criticizes very strongly is the American Dream. Fitzgerald shows the misconception that many have of whatRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1014 Words   |  5 Pages Barton P.6 AP English 1 October, 2015 Great Gatsby Essay In The Great Gatsby, by Frances Scott Fitzgerald, social class is a predominant role, characterizing the mentalities of the people from different social classes, which affect the events that arise among the characters. A classic novel in which money is the center of many characters’ lives, however that money could not buy happiness. In reality, there is no such thing as an American dream, you are who you are born, and trying to