The Great Gatsby And The American Dream Analysis - 1086 Words

â€Å"The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.† This quote by James Adams shows the concepts of a dream that is linked to hard work and opportunity. In Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, Gatsby and Frank portrays the theme of the destructive nature of dreams. The Great Gatsby follows the story of a charming yet mysterious man named Gatsby who orders his life around the love he lost while the American Gangster is based on a real-life story that follows the life of Frank Lucas, one of the most powerful drug crime bosses. Both characters’ pursuit of the American dream focuses on†¦show more content†¦When Lucas finishes his prison term, he walks out of the prison alone with no one to greet him, not even his wife. Wealth only brings both Gatsby and Lucas a social status but people onl y want to be associated with them because of their riches. Thus, money can buy materialistic items but not what is most important, friendship and happiness. Both Gatsby and Lucas acquire their money through dishonest means in order to gain power. Both come from a poor family that pushes them to take the dishonest and easy route to become wealthy. Gatsby’s fortune comes form the illegal sale of alcohol that he did through his ties to the mob. Nick states, â€Å"He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. Thats one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasnt wrong.† Gatsby tells his friends that he worked hard for his money but the truth is, he took advantage of prohibition by making a fortune from bootlegging as he built connections with various gangsters like Meyer Wolfshiem. Just like Gatsby, Frank knows that real money is made on the streets through illegal gambling and drugs, which makes him become more bold and ruthless. Cattano states, â€Å"Monopolies are illegal in this country, Frank, bec ause no one can compete with a monopoly. If they let the dairy farmers do that, half of them would go out of business tomorrow.† Every halfShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis1497 Words   |  6 PagesFitzgerald’s novel, the Great Gatsby is one of the most meticulously written story of all time. This book incorporates different themes, yet the shadiness of the American Dream is the most significant one. The American Dream designates that one starting very low on their economic or social status and getting success and wealth trough their arduous work. Having a big house, a nice car and a happy family show the success of the American Dream. This dream is also shown by the concept of a self-madeRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis749 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Fantasy Idealism is the paramount theme in â€Å"The Great Gatsby.† Each of the characters have a craving for self-definition and a high position in society. The story is shaped by the ideals each of these characters hold. These ideals allude to the American Dream, along with the superficiality and corruption associated with it. Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby as a medium to portray hopeless romanticism, fantasy fueled ambition, and failure to achieve self-contentment. Gatsby is characterizedRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis1744 Words   |  7 Pagesthe American Dream From a distance, the American dream is a hopeful one- that anyone, regardless of race, class, or gender, can become successful and wealthy if they possess ambition and the ability to work hard. 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When, following Gatsby’sRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis906 Words   |  4 PagesTorres Mrs. Heffelman English 11 September 26, 2017 The American Dream can mean a lot of different things depending on who is asked. Some will answer that it is the freedom of religion or the ability to move between class. Others define it as the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. For Jay Gatsby and many others, the American Dream is about gaining wealth and material possessions in the attemptRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis1367 Words   |  6 Pagesidea of the American Dream, where qualities of hard work and ambition are shown. The novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald embodies many themes; however the most significant one relates to the corruption of the American dream. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolize s the American dream. This dream also representsRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis1428 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald contains many themes; however, the most noteworthy one identifies the American dream. This Dream likewise speaks to that people, regardless of who he or she is, can emerge to rich in life through their own works. The dream is spoken to with the aid of the mind of an unbiased man or woman, who strives to perform an objective to become tremendously effective. The Great Gatsby is a novel that indicates what happened to the American Dream in the 1920s, which wasRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Analysis903 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream: A Fruitless Endeavour The 1920’s, famously known as the Jazz Age, was a major turning point in America’s soaring economy. However, as a result, amassing wealth in exorbitant amounts and throwing extravagant parties became socially acceptable and the conservatism and the old-fashioned values of the 19th century were left behind. The roaring twenties also coincided with the prohibition period which saw bootleggers make millions off the sale of contraband and brought life to undergroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby American Dream Analysis761 Words   |  4 Pagesobtained. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald suggest that the American Dream is an illusory, the people who pursue it are Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, and Myrtle, and this pursuit is ultimately unattainable. 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