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Debangshu Dey

Mr. Pederson

ENG3U1

25 May, 2010

“Are We Living the True American Dream?”

A Study of Various Factors which Proves the Corruption of the American Dream in The Great
Gatsby
The American Dream provides motivation for people to aim for a goal in life. Everyman

has the right to seek his own happiness. A man strives to “be better and richer” in character. The

American Dream is an ethical approach to life. James Adams highlights that “it is not a dream of

motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order”(Adams).This is contradiction of

the when materialism that was at its peak in the 1920’s.Fitzgerald, the author of The Great

Gatsby, highlights the moral decadence of the 1920’s which brought about the corruption of the

American Dream. Fitzgerald suggests that modernization is making people neglect their

humanity. Fitzgerald discusses the corruption of the American Dream through the motif of the

living dead, the guests who attended Gatsby’s parties and the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg.

In the first place, Fitzgerald constantly uses the motif of the living dead to indicate the

corruption of the American Dream in 1920’s. The author satirizes the corruption of American

Dream through certain characters in the novel as they are not striving to “attain to the fullest

stature of which they are innately capable” and are recognized by others based on their “birth or

position”(Adams) . Nick Carraway, the narrator, describes the inanimate objects in Tom’s living

room as brimming with life: “A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains
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in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake

of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine-colored rug, making a shadow on it as wind does in

the sea” (Fitzgerald 8).This is the first instance in the novel where we see the living dead

imagery pop up because Fitzgerald, in the next paragraph, relates Jordan and Daisy to a

stationary object, indicating they are lifeless. Nick relates Daisy and Jordan to a hollow balloon

which has a surface but lacks depth. Tom and Daisy are hard working people. Tom inherited all

his wealth while Daisy does not have any long term goals. These characters are living in the

physical sense but are dead on the inside. The lifelessness of their personalities provokes them to

engage in extra marital affairs just to add excitement to their life. Fitzgerald hints the corruption

of the American Dream has been brought about due to the living dead of the 1920’s.

Identically, Fitzgerald satirizes the corruption of the American Dream of not only “motor

cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order”(Adams) through the superficial guests

who attend Gatsby’s parties. Nick describes the absence of etiquette in these parties as “people

were not invited-they went there”(41). The people “came for the party with a simplicity of heart

that was its own ticket of admission” (41). Fitzgerald portrays the image of 1920’s corrupted

America where the rise of new money made people pursue only material goods. The American

public in 1920’s would turn every stone in absence of social order to chase their dream of “motor

cars and high wages”(Adams) . People in the 1920’s replaced the American Dream with the

ideology of earning quick money. The people of the East Coast are filled with ingratitude. Nick

is stunned by the two or three people who turn out for Gatsby’s funeral compared to the

hundreds who came to his weekend parties. Fitzgerald discusses that the brainless, soulless
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people disregard their personal value and sacrifice their mind in pursuit of material goods. Nick

believes that the glittery life of the East is a cover for the immorality that is immersed in the

society. Above all, it is the lack of dignity in oneself that brings out the corruption of the

American Dream.

With this in mind, Fitzgerald uses the billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg as a silent bystander

to the corruption of the American Dream. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg witness the corruption

“of a land in which life should be better, richer and fuller for every man with opportunity for

each according to ability or achievement”(Adams). Wilson’s perception of God’s eyes on the bill

board as he says “You may fool me, but you can’t fool God!’” while staring at the eyes of Dr.

T.J. Eckleberg. God is a silent witness to the corruption of the land as inequality of treatment is

evident between Tom and Wilson in front of the bill board in the garage. The location of the bill

board is highly relevant as it has a clear view of the working class people. The bill board has

faded in color waiting for the people in Valley of Ashes to work in a good manner to achieve the

American Dream. The billboard has become dull, yellow watching the people lead meaningless

lives in pursuit of wealth as they believe money is the only tool which will raise them from their

misery. Fitzgerald describes the retinas are one yard high which is only possible in a schematic

diagram. Fitzgerald builds an image that the action of people in the Valley of ashes forms an

image on Gods retina. The gigantic eyes form a wide spectrum of the people in Valley of Ashes

who are completely oblivious to the fact that God is keeping an eye on them. Wilson, the agent

of Valley of Ashes recognizes the eyes and is motivated to avenge Myrtles death. Characters are

also under scrutiny as Wilson believes God is a witness to Myrtles disloyalty. In essence

Fitzgerald implements the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg

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as an objective eye piece which observes the corruption of the American Dream in solitary.

To summarize, the living dead, the people in the east and the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg

have been used as tools to showcase the moral decadence which brings out the corruption of the

American Dream. Certain characters are the living dead as they have used their souls as an object

of sacrifice which brings out the corruption of the American Dream as they fail to perform their

part. Fitzgerald derives the absence of integrity in oneself brings about the corruption of the

American Dream. To put it differently, the corruption of the Dream has come into being because

of the inability of the people to notice that God is keeping an eye on them. To put it differently,

the whole idea of the American Dream is to gain and produce, to achieve and not to give up and

renounce as stated by Howard Roark.

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Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. Canada: Collier Books. 1986