Kotoi Nicoleta-Cristina

3rd year, EN-FR

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream

The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, depicts the American Dream and captures the
spirit of the Jazz Age with its opulence and excessiveness. However, the value of Fitzgeralds
novel cannot be limited only to the accurate portrayal of the roaring twenties, as even after many
decades, the concept of the American Dream still fascinates our society. Fitzgerald uses Jay
Gatsby to illustrate the ascension and the decline of the aspiring man whose dream becomes a
nightmare.
Gatsbys rise from poverty to wealth, from Jimmy Gatz to Major Jay Gatsby, from the
farm-boy to the student and mate for the rich Dan Cody, validates the American belief that ones
life can be changed through success. The Gatsby that Nick Carraway meets is an extravagant
self-made millionaire, who lives in an impressive mansion described as a factual imitation of
Htel de Ville in Normandy. One of the justifications for Gatsbys determination to achieve
success is his love for Daisy Fay, who is now married to Tom Buchanan. In his youth Gatsby lost
his chance to be with her, but he understood that the only way in which he could get her back is
to become a wealthy man. He is able to do so because under the new industrialism, money has
taken the place of class. Money is not a problem for Gatsby anymore, but another type of barrier
appears in order to stop him from pursuing his Romantic dream, namely social acceptance.
In a world of deception, Gatsby will learn that getting rich is easier than being accepted.
Gatsby, who acquired his wealth by bootlegging, is representative for the people living in West
Egg, who made their fortunes by different dubious means. In the East Egg, the real aristocracy
who inherited their fortune formed an exclusivist society. Gatsby is part of a new element of
society, and therefore he cannot enter the world of Tom and Daisy Buchanan. His flashy suits and
his impressive mansion and cars fall in the category of kitsch when compared to the
sophisticated possessions of the members of the East Coast.

The characters of The Great Gatsby reflect the American society itself as it moves into
the Jazz Age. This reflection shows a country that is becoming ever more affluent and less
heroic, less concerned about the moral values that it promotes. In this context, the greatness
mentioned in the title of the novel is hard to define. It is probable that for Fitzgerald, greatness
was achieved at the intersection of the past and present values of America, of the idealism that
had made America possible and the materialism that was making the country prosperous in the
twenties.
Gatsbys greatness is based not only on the combination of the idealism and materialism
that he embodies, but also on the fact that he was fully committed to his dreams and aspirations
to the last. His dedication to self improvement offered him the panorama of the American Dream,
but it also led him to a secluded life. The extravagant parties that he threw, where the immoral
and nonconformist traits of the new society were displayed, were just means to hide his solitude.
Moreover, his guests often made speculations and expressed disagreement about his real identity
and about his past, without being concerned that they were gossiping about him in his own
house. The other anonymous guests did not even know him personally. Thus, in a world of
broken relationships Gatsby was all alone.
Not even Nick could fully understand him even though he was his only friend, and that
signaled the disintegration of the American Dream, which meant for Gatsby both the benefits
that wealth brings and the alienation consequent to it. Accordingly, only three men were present
at his funeral, in contrast to the swarm of people that hurried to his parties. This confirms a
famous journalists statement: A man can live a good life, be honorable, give to charity, but in
the end, the number of people who come to his funeral is generally dependent on the weather.
Even though he was optimistic to the last moment, his American Dream was destroyed by
careless people who smash up things and then retreat back into their money or their vast
carelessness and let other people clean up the mess they have made. Gatsbys American
Dream had turned against him unknowingly and the only traces that he left of his existence were
his possessions, as he could not fulfill his love story, in a social context that rejected him despite
all his money.