The title of this post is one of the titles F. Scott Fitzgerald considered and almost settled on for The Great Gatsby. This would have led people to take a more political lens on the novel, which is what we'll try to do for this final chapter, which ends with a powerful meditation on the promise and perils of the American Dream.
What does that phrase, "The American Dream," really mean? Watch these videos first: The New York Times' report on the enduring idea of the American Dream Interviews with average Americans about the meaning of the phrase John Green's summary of the history and future of the concept John Green applying these observations to The Great Gatsby The question raised by the novel is: Was the American Dream ever possible, and is it still? Or has it died? Here are two videos to get you thinking about that. This video uses the American Philosopher Richard Rorty's ideas to argue it is still alive This video uses the German Philosopher Karl Marx's ideas to argue it is dying Fitzgerald, for his part, definitely felt the American dream was at the least, threatened. Sometimes he leans toward Rorty's Gatsby-like hopefulness; other times (especially later in his life) he leans toward Marx's pessimism about the idea that progress can continue forever. When you consider what happens to the lower class vs. upper class at the novel's end, you can see that pessimism in action. But what about the final passage? "Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes — a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder. And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter — to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning —-- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Your goal is to write a paragraph summarizing your take on the American Dream and these last paragraphs of the novel. Does Fitzgerald suggest Gatsby IS America? And that America's Dream is as dead as he is? Or is he saying something else? And whatever you think he's saying, DO YOU AGREE? WHY OR WHY NOT??
42 Comments
Seamus Cochrane
3/16/2016 05:07:39 pm
The American Dream is currently seen as the drive to work and hard and prosper and to elevate the standards of a person's life. While I do believe that hard work is a crucial element in the American Dream, I don't think that it's as direct as just amassing wealth and power to improve oneself. I believe that the true American Dream is the drive to work hard to reach the goals that one sets for his/herself. Whether that be to acquire wealth, become president, run a company, or simply raise a family; the American Dream is the will to make a dream come true. In that way, Gatsby is as American as they come. He had a dream, and he worked himself into the ground to fulfill that dream. To go from a dirt-poor farm boy in the west to one of the wealthiest men on Wall Street by force of will alone is an achievement worthy of commendation. And since Gatsby fulfilled his dream, he also fulfilled the American Dream for himself. However, despite Gatsby reaching his goal he was still unable to prevent his own death, and the decomposition of the American Dream. Gatsby's death was symbolic of the death of the American Dream, because even though Gatsby achieved his goal, he still perished. More and more people are choosing to avoid hard work and expecting the same results. This is in direct contrast of the American Dream, which is sustained by the hard work of the people. People like the Buchanans are proof of that lack of work. They were born into the Dream; never having to work a day in their lives, yet still fulfilling their goals. People like them set poor examples for the masses, and they are the ones responsible for the death of the American Dream and the death of hard work.
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Biggs
3/20/2016 07:47:34 am
So the American Dream is a bit like Nietzsche's will to power. It's that drive to overcome your limits and fulfill your potential by realizing your personal vision (I have a cool article on Nietzsche's impact on American culture if you're interested in taking this path).
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Brad Chavero
3/16/2016 06:47:13 pm
The American Dream seems to have a slight variation from American to American depending on social class and origin. After watching all the videos, I can only define the American Dream as a social construct. When our country was first born, it was unique which was what gave it such a dreamy appearance. We had freedoms no other land could offer and a powerful democracy that the world hadn’t seen since the times of the ancient Greeks. From then on, these policies and practices were told of from generation to generation making others want to be a part of it because our country is special in those regards compared to most of the world. However, that was at our nation’s birth and early years. Now, our precious system has been abused by those who got to the monetary side of the American Dream first. These wealthy families and individuals make up the leaders of the largest companies in America and our government officials. These positions have always held the most power in America for the last few decades which is why I see that American Dream opportunity fading away as the rich only get richer like one of the videos explained and because the rich are leading us, it will stay this way. My point here is that although there was a very moral and hopeful American dream back at our nation’s birth, it is so much harder to accomplish now now that our government and economy is a monopoly of democracy and although hard work could soar you through the social classes back then, the same cannot be said today with the gap largening with every election and financial decision we make. Although I see this corrupt American Dream extra powerful today, Gatsby’s ending shows a small taste into what today’s life is like. The first big paragraph says what I pointed out earlier, how the dream was indeed there, but now gone, lost to the rich only getting richer. Nick’s reflection on this scenario matches life in the 21st century very well. I interpret the second part of the ending as a last bit of hope for both the American Dream and Gatsby. Nick respects how although Gatsby wasn’t succeeding at winning Daisy’s full heart again, Gatsby had a huge vision with hope to complete it the whole time. However, Nick also noted that this hope blinded Gatsby from seeing that the dream was no longer possible and that it was already behind him. This meant Gatsby was chasing something that was already gone so each time he tried harder, he would fail even more because he was only distancing himself more from reality. This was indeed the case with Daisy as when he brought her into his home, he felt perfect and that everything was actually going to be the way he wanted, but things obviously backfired and abruptly ended when she chose to run away with Tom showing that Gatsby’s attempts at jumping higher and stretching farther into the past were all in vain for something that could not be reached, like an illusion, or an idea, like a social construct! That is why I agree with the last few paragraphs. They tell the story of the American Dream very nicely. In the beginning, it was pure and there for any newcomer to come and take. Then at a certain point, the rich took control and anyone else with the dream they had earlier was out of luck (Gatsby) as all they can do was try and try to get where the rich (Tom and Daisy) were but ultimately that dream was out of their reach (Daisy’s love) because it had already been taken (by Tom), leaving only memories, hope, and an illusion (the past Daisy and Gatsby shared) left for the taking and killing off those who were not smart enough to notice and accept this (Myrtle for believing in Tom, Wilson, and Gatsby).
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Biggs
3/20/2016 07:58:51 am
Excellent analysis, Brad. I really like how you interpret the last paragraphs. It does raise an interesting and controversial question, though. In the videos, most people said they still believe the dream is alive. Are they, like Myrtle, simply unaware of the reality that it's only a fantasy? Or is it more complex than that? How has the story of the American dream progressed through the series of historical events (the stock crash and Depression, WWII and the paranoia o of the Cold War, the rise of the Internet and online commerce but also of terrorism and hacking as new threats) that bridge our time and Fitzgerald's? To put a finer point on it, how should we respond to the pessimism of the final paragraphs from OUR vantage today?
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Luke Devine
3/17/2016 08:36:17 am
I believe that the prosperity of the American dream is based on the characteristics of each generation. For example, I feel that the American dream has declined in this current generation. The generation of my parents was full of hardworking people who believed that if they wanted something, then they had to go out and get it themselves. However, kids today feel that they are entitled to everything, and whatever desires they have should be handed to them. I feel that this scenario can be applied to The Great Gatsby. Gatsby affiliates himself with people in past generations like Dan Cody, who made their money through hard work. People who affiliate with the new generation, like Tom and Daisy, think that they are entitled to anything that they desire. I think that the American dream declines in some generations because parents in hardworking generations want to give their children what they did not have as children themselves, which in turn makes their kids lethargic. These children grow up and have little to spoil their children with, which makes these kids want to work hard, and the cycle keeps repeating itself. In conclusion, the American dream flourishes at times and declines at times depending on the generation, and The Great Gatsby tells the story of people caught in between the transition.
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Biggs
3/17/2016 11:05:32 am
This is very well thought-analysis, Luke. A national dream, like any national tradition, has to be passed on to generation after generation. And each generation is influenced by events which shape them, and then they influence their children in turn by passing on their "version" of the idea. A lot of analysts today say the World War II generation, who had to work so hard, wanted the best for their Baby Boomer generation kids, but spoiled them in the process. The Baby Boomers' kids, "Generation X," became very pessimistic because their parents seemed so shallow. And now the Millenial generation is seen as hyper-active and lazy at the same time. The question is, where are we going as a country or generation? And how does it compare to Fitzgerald's time?
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Hannah Daitz
3/17/2016 11:05:05 am
I would define the American Dream as ever person having an equal chance at sucess in the United States regardless of thier culture, religion, or backround. I think the Americqn Dream is getting harder to achieve, but it is not necessarily dead. I think people today want to blame tghe lack of dreams on the government or economy but i dont believe you can. Just because it isn't as easy to buy a house or start a bussiness doesn't mean its immposable. The American Dream is reseved for the people who are willing to put in the hard work and effort. It isn't as easy as it used to be but it certainly isn't impossible. In The Great Gatsby, i think Gatsby is a good example of the American Dreams, This is because he starts from being dirt poor to the richest man in West Egg. Although he gains his wealth illegally, it still took hard work and dedication. I take the ending of the book as a symbol of cheating your way to wealth, like Gatsby, ultimately ends in failure. Although George Wilson works mederatly hard he will never reach the American Dream. This is because he doesn't go above and beyond or take risks. In the book there is no good repersenation of the American Dream becasue it is so hard to get right. Going back to today, I feel my generation will rekindle the spark on the American Dream. This is because even though we are entitled, if we don't start working hard everything will continue to fall in a downwards spiral. I think our generation is the wakeup call needed to motivate people to reach the American Dream.
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Biggs
3/18/2016 04:49:55 am
This excellent post really encapsulates the debate the came up when we first discussed the American Dream: has society changed in ways that make it less accessible, or have people changed and lost their drive to pursue it? This individual-vs-society debate is a common and important one, but like any black-and-white argument I always look at the middle ground. For example, it's true that Wilson lacked much drive to improve his situation (he's constantly described as lifeless) but even if he did, where could he possibly have gotten money to try to expand his business in that society? I tend to think both individuals and social structures contribute to the problem, and influence each other.
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Will Spencer
3/17/2016 04:43:58 pm
The American dream and The Great Gatsby tie in together very well. In my opinion, I think the American dream is still alive, but the drive for it is dead, especially now. I'm going to try to make this post as PC as possible, but I want to get straight to my point. Instead of driving to achieve the American dream, we have people who don't make an effort at all. They give up, or they're simply too lazy. The American dream is meant for those certain types of people who are willing to put in that work to achieve that dream. Whether its money, or whether its well being. Both are very important. These people don't just blame the rich for their problems, which many people do, they know what the real world is, and they know how to get by. Obviously the dream is not easy to obtain, not under any circumstances, even if you were "Born on third base". Anything is possible if you work for it, but everything is impossible if you blame other people and don't even make an effort to change. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby gets his wealth by working for it. He started it off dirt poor on a failing farm in the midwest. Now look at him, he's got one of the biggest houses in New York. Maybe half his wealth wasn't legally obtained, but he still put effort into it. Gatsby is a great example of someone who works hard to achieve a goal. He wanted to be with Daisy. It might have took him 5 years, but he worked for it. Overall, if you want something, working for it well get you it.
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Biggs
3/18/2016 05:04:38 am
It's certainly true that believing something is impossible guarantees it will become impossible for the person with that belief. This is like that example of the person who, lost in the woods, decides that there's no chance of finding a way out and gives up to die, versus the person whose belief that it is possible to find a way out leads them to keep walking until they stumble unto a path out. Luck is involved, but without the belief the person would have never escaped the forest because they wouldn't have moved. So I strongly agree about the importance of effort and belief in yourself. Those qualities are what make Gatsby "great," and despite his corruption in working with the mob, he does accomplish a crazy amount. But don't forget that his bridge to success is Dan Cody, a millionaire who teaches him the skills he needs to get the work that gets him his money.
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Shelley Banfield
3/17/2016 06:04:32 pm
I think The Great Gatsby and the American dream are directly related. The American dream is the idea that if you immigrate to America and work hard, you can be successful. I think that Gatsby represents the American dream and that F. Scott Fitzgerald tried to tell us that the American dream was corrupt. Gatsby 'earned' most of his money through illegal, non strenuous actions unknown to the reader. Industries have become like that in a way, they can risk your well being and keep you unaware while feeding off of your money. I'm going to use the food industry as an example, where some people looking for the American Dream could find a job. Recently the Senate turned down The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 which would preempt states from requiring GMO labeling. Corporations were trying to keep you from knowing what was really in your food, just as Gatsby was trying to hide how he really earned his money. Obviously, both are incredibly sketchy situations hiding a darker truth that we that we readers and eaters should know. This leads a WHOLE lot of room for corruption, which is what F. Scott Fitzgerald could have been trying to say to us. As shown in V for Vendetta, the corrupt society/industry/person needs to be destroyed in order to leave a niche for a new, hopefully better replacement. Gatsby was shot and killed instantly. Fitzgerald could have been signalling that we need to do something fast and replace the corrupted American dream. I would have to agree with him.
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Biggs
3/18/2016 05:13:18 am
So, while you need the individual drive of someone like Gatsby, you also need a system in which individual drive pays off for everyone. Most critics think this is Fitzgerald's point. But it leads right into political questions. For example, if corporate power over the government is so great, can that warp the playing field making it harder for small businesses to succeed? And didn't America's founders make it very clear that government was easily corrupted (hence they set up a brilliant system of checks and balances that we've ruined)?
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Kelly Farley
3/17/2016 06:42:42 pm
In the videos, everyone describes their opinion on what the American dream is. However, I realized that although similar, everyone had a slightly different description or opinion on it. Although specific details of each persons take on the American dream is different, everyone has a general picture of what it looks like or feels like to be living it. I believe that Gatsby does represent the American dream in this novel. I view him as more of the American dream that has been changed at this time and dies showing the death of the old dream. The original dream was to have freedom, be able to support a family, get a job, or somewhere along those lines. In "The Great Gatsby", Gatsby's American dream is to continue making money, party every night, keep a good reputation, and get the "girl of his dreams" in order to boost his image. At this time during the Roaring 20s, this was the typical image of the American Dream and this is what I believe Fitzgerald was trying to depict through Gatsby. I do not think he is trying to say that the American dream is completely dead, but that the original dream has slowly started to die as a stronger, crazier, more powerful dream has begun to rise up and take its place. I do agree with this because nowadays most people are willing to do whatever or knock anyone down to lift themselves up higher in society; it is more of an everyone for themselves kind of American dream. Whereas, I view the original American dream as everyone working together to reach a common type of lifestyle, there was more of a sense of togetherness. Obviously I was not alive at this time, but from what I know and information in the novel, this is how I view the American dream and everything that surrounds it.
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Biggs
3/18/2016 02:24:04 pm
So I guess the question is, does the pursuit of money beyond a certain point consume or subsume all other values? Like, does money essentially take the place of "Big Other" or "Superego" occupied by God in the Puritan Times? And if so, given the misery we see in the novel, does this suggest that money and happiness can actually be in tension with each other?
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Willow Martin
3/17/2016 08:14:36 pm
The American Dream is the belief that within the United States, anyone, no matter their background, has the ability to be successful. The definition of success varies from person to person. For one, success may be achieved by acquiring great amounts of wealth, while for another, success may be a term referring to the quality of one's life from a moral or emotional standpoint. Then of course, as I find is true with most people, many desire a mixture of these two forms of success. I believe that the American Dream is still alive today, but it is, and has been since the birth of this country, incredibly and paradoxically corrupted. Until the abolition of slavery, millions of human beings were denied their most basic rights, thus making them incapable of reaping the benefits of the supposed social mobility that existed within America. And even after African Americans were emancipated, they were shackled to the basement of society by the cuffs and chains of racism. Such prejudices, still apparent in modern society, have disadvantaged various groups (i.e. African Americans, women, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans etc.) and discouraged them from pursuing the American Dream. In America, while it is hypothetically possible for anyone to realize their dream, it is important to acknowledge that there are many extra hoops to jump through and mountains to climb for certain groups of individuals. Nevertheless, the American Dream continues to stands on its wobbling legs, made unstable by bigotry, prejudice, and, as especially evident in the recent debate on immigration, the desire to close off America to the outside groups of people.
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Biggs
3/18/2016 05:21:13 am
Great metaphors in this paragraph! My question is about the relationship we should have to the past. It's obviously true that various groups (primarily American Indians,* blacks and women) have been severely oppressed in the past, and as this novel reminds us over and over, we can't ditch the past; its effects continue into and even constitute the present (as "Rose for Emily" author WIlliam Faulkner said, "The past isn't dead - it's not even past"). The novel seems to suggest we need to let go of the past to progress. So my question is, are oppressed peoples better off trying to overcome that legacy by summoning up extra drive to push toward a better future, or do we have to change social structures to make it possible? Like, how much of a psychological vs. a society transformation is necessary? The typical response to your argument is that a "Victim mentality" prevents people from succeeding - do you think that's a false position? And if so, what is the proper psychological stance toward our society for people with "extra hoops" to take?
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Willow Martin
3/20/2016 07:28:00 am
I believe that society must undergo changes in order to facilitate the American Dream. I understand that in order to achieve this goal, one must work hard; however, the unfair disadvantages our society throws at groups of people based on their race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc. create unnecessary and un-American obstacles for people. There is a difference between being "lazy" and being discouraged by the existing prejudices in the world against you (and the hardships that come with your situation). If our society does not make a change and end bigotry, we are condemning those African Americans, American Indians, women, LGBT people, etc. to be forced to struggle “against the current [and be] borne back ceaselessly into the past.” We, as a nation, must learn to acknowledge the past in a brutally honest light. Only then will we be able to see the ramifications of past audacities on groups of persecuted and oppressed people, and the continuation of these injustices into present times. We must never forget the past, for remembering the cruelties suffered by countless peoples will prevent us from carrying out these same injustices again and will help us to understand the current suffering of groups discriminated against in the past. We cannot separate ourselves from the past; we will never understand ourselves if we attempt to detach ourselves from the chain of events that created the world as it is today. However, rather than than clinging to the past, we must use the insight history provided us with in order to stimulate progress, so that we may construct a better future.
Biggs
3/20/2016 08:10:56 am
The last bit reminds me of what Rorty says in defense of the American dream - the failures of the past should guide today's political reforms. Which is interesting, because that's what Gatsby was unable to do on the personal level. But the personal is always tied up with the political, which shaped the opportunities Gatsby had for moving up the economic ladder (leaving organized crime as his most viable path to "success). Interestingly, Rorty's biggest fear was that the sheer awfulness of some of our past (in particular slavery) would cause us to give up hope for our potential as a nation. Gatsby goes to the other extreme and cranks hope up to 11, but it destroys him. Is there a proper balance of idealism and realism that can be found here?
Suubi Mondesir
3/17/2016 08:15:01 pm
The American dream has always been depicted as a white-picket-fence-life, where everything is unrealistically perfect. It could also be seen as a fasade that influences people to “sign” a social contract in order to make society as a whole, better. It implies that if you work hard you will achieve your goals and aspirations in life. But is this just another way the government is manipulating us, in order to control us? Yet, this may not be the case at all. Shouldn’t we want to better ourselves regardless of the negative or positive effects towards the majority or the government? Which leads me to say this, the original American dream is fading but a new dream can be formed. This is because many of our decisions were heavily based off of capitalism and the question, how can I make money? Fortunately, the new American dream can be more focused on, what makes you happy, and less of, what will pay the bills. This connects to the Great Gatsby because, in the novel, the American dream was based off of a green bill, instead of true happiness. Success was measured solely by, how much money you had and your status. You had to keep climbing the social ladder or “going up” as Gatsby put it. And yes, there were moments in the book when Gatsby was the American dream. He went from extremely poor to very wealthy. But that was the dream for the “Roaring Twenties”. To have obscene amounts of money, drink booze and party to your hearts content. However, standards and people must change throughout time, something Gatsby was never able to do. He couldn’t deal with the idea of time and how it's constantly moving away from him, which in the end, was his downfall. The American dream isn’t dead and can’t die, so long as people are inhabiting the land. The people are the ones who create the idea’s that can never die. I believe Fitzgerald felt the American dream of that time was threatened because but he saw a new one rising up in the future. This is why he begins to end the novel with “And one fine morning--”. The sentence is incomplete because it’s leaving room for the unknown, the new dream that hasn’t been birthed yet. We all must learn to adapt to changing times. Otherwise we miss out and constantly look to the past for answers that are growing dimmer in our minds. So to clarify, the American Dream will never die, but instead change and modify with time, as long as the people, continue to breathe life into it.
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Biggs
3/20/2016 08:04:36 am
Suubi, I like how you focus on the ambiguity or uncertainty of the American Dream. Progress and self-improvement are undeniable good, but it's also clear that sometimes people in power sell fantasies, in the form of ideologies. to maintain their systemic clout. We've seen that in V for Vendetta with the Voice of Fate always claiming things are getting better in London, when they really aren't. But as you say, the reality of the dream remains, it just need to be rethought. This leads me to a couple of key questions:
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Suubi Mondesir
3/20/2016 11:16:13 am
Individuals first have to see success in different ways and forms before the majority can accept change. I diffinately do think we have based success off materialistic things. I also believe the idea of a new dream can occur but the perception of what success is, has to change. However, we do need some type of authority to prevent chaos, so we can achieve social gains. In terms of political participation, citizens need to take their voting rights seriously so they can put in place people they feel have their goals in mind.
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Sarah Bailey Lakatos
3/20/2016 01:18:08 pm
The American dream has always portrayed the image of a perfect life style. It gives the impression that if you work hard, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to. I don’t really think the American dream is the same as it originally was. People have changed the meaning and the focus of the dream. I agree with what Suubi was saying and I believe the sole focus is to make money. If you are born into money, it is easier to succeed in life than if you have to earn your way to the top. This is where the Great Gatsby ties in. The entire book is surrounded by the thought of money. Your reputation and status is all based on how much money you have to your name. Your success in life is based on which side of New York you live on. If you were from East Egg you were born into wealth while the people in West Egg had to work for every penny. The author of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald viewed Gatsby’s never ending hope as America. When he wrote the book, Gatsby always had faith in something. His interpretations may have changed but he never fully gave up. The American dream has changed just like Gatsby. It isn’t the same as it originally was. However, people seem to always follow the trend so when the dream changes, the supporters will believe in it no matter what it is. They will change their lives to better themselves in life. The American dream will never die because of the people who refuse to give up hope.
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Courtney Fenty
3/20/2016 02:23:57 pm
My take on the American dream is that anyone can try to acheive it, but not everyone will. What I mean by that is, is that people see this country as a place of opportunity, a place where "anyone who can work, can work." To be honest this is true but some people's journeys are harder than others. To come to this country and start your life over would not be easy. You may not be able to get a job in the next year or two. You may struggle until you get a stable job. Your race, status, age, or religion may prevent you from being able to get a job also. The American dream was very capable of being acheived in the years before because almost everyone was starting from the bottom. The dream was seen as making it big, and going for the gold and nothing else. Now, it's very hard to get to the top. Majority of people are in the middle class, which is good enough for most people, but is it a dream? Yes, the american dream is not only having a lot of money, it is making a better life for yourself and/or your children. In that case making a better life can be achievable and living here is considered much better than many places. I feel that as years go on the "American Dream" will get harder to get to because everything is about money and with little to no money, you might find yourself working for the rest of your life trying to get to this "dream". In my opinion Fitzgerald portrayed Gatsby as hope. Hope that no matter where you came from the dream can be acheived. Although, the way Gatsby acheived this dream was not morally right. Gatsby was hope that maybe the rich dont always get richer and the poor dont always just have children. Looking at it this way, Gatsby acheived his dream illegally and Tom had the dream handed to him. Gastby had no justice in the end and Tom was still rich with no consequence. Gastby represented the phrase "fake it 'till you make it".
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Meghan Pawlak
3/20/2016 03:21:53 pm
In my opinion Jay Gatsby is a metaphor for those who wish to pursue the American Dream and Daisy as the American Dream itself. This a man who literally came from nothing and was dirt poor, left his home and family, changed his name and did everything he possibly could to become the dream he dreamed of being. With this being said its also true that many people still do this in order to achieve their own form of greatness or make their dream a reality as well. However in todays world this becomes more and more difficult with racism, money, etc still being a major obstacle. As the book went on it was clear the Gatsby's dream was starting to deteriorate which could represent the rising struggle of immigrating to the U.S.. There are so many interpretations to this book that the meaning of it could depend on how you perceive it. I think that one of the main points trying to be made is that yeah you dream of your perfect future and you can do what you can in order to make it a reality but you have to be aware that at some point there will come a time where you have to take a step back and think to yourself "is this too much? am i able to actually get this?" I agree with this 100% I'm fortunate enough to have been born here in a middle class family but i could not even imagine what it must be like for someone to leave everything behind in order to maybe have a chance at a better life.
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meghan pawlak
3/20/2016 03:27:36 pm
also i know you're pretty busy but when you have a chance can you look at the writing piece that i shared with you, thank you
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Allie Talavera
3/20/2016 05:48:23 pm
"The American Dream" has a variety of meanings and definitions depending on who you talk to about it. I believe the American Dream has to do with an individual’s perseverance and determination in order to get to their dream because without hard work, goals cannot be achieved. The subject of the American Dream makes many appearances throughout the novel, especially through Gatsby. I understand that Fitzgerald is suggesting that Gatsby is America and the dream died with him. Gatsby's idealism is constantly seen during the novel through his infinite imagination and fantasies. Gatsby never gave up hope on his dream... Daisy. Even when he did get Daisy, he craved more which led to him loosing Daisy in the end. He was set on getting Daisy to admit that she never loved Tom and he was always the one. Just like Gatsby, America was once a new land with an infinite amount of possibilities with what could be done with the land. To the Natives, the land was already seen as precious and valuable but greed led the "fresh, green breast of the new world” to be replaced with stone buildings used for economic advantage. Eventually they used up all the possibility and the only thing left for them to do was continue to make money. The whole book revolves around the idea that money is power. Even if an induvial acquired a great deal of money, they still were not considered “elite” just because they were not born into their wealth. Gatsby eventually got to where he wanted and achieved his goals, but it was not realistic. It was always his dream to be wealthy and powerful, but no matter what he was “new money” and not considered one of the elite and wealthy. His dedication and persistence is a clear demonstration of the American Dream. Nick states that he will never encounter someone with the same drive and determination as Gatsby which leads me to believe that Fitzgerald is trying to say the American Dream died with Gatsby. I however, do not agree with that statement. There are always going to be people with dreams no matter how unrealistic, but finding someone with the amount of determination and dedication as Gatsby is something you will only come across in a fiction. I do not see the American Dream ever coming to an end because of those who chase their dreams and refuse to give up hope.
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Rachel Kline
3/21/2016 04:30:16 am
There is a difference in what "The American Dream" means between hundreds of years ago and now. Then, it meant to make a good job and achieve goals and take care of your family. Now, it means to get a good income and have a lot of "stuff". There is a correlation between money and happiness in the modern world. The more money you have, the happier you are. The less money you have, the less happy you are. But in certain situations, like Gatsby, even with all the money he has, he is still not happy. I think this represents how the American Dream has failed. Just like Gatsby, there was so much potential and aspiration at the beginning, but right at that moment when the goals were achieved everything went downhill. You try to keep pushing on, but it is almost impossible to come back from the huge downfall. Hence, "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
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Akin Gaddis
3/21/2016 05:53:45 am
The American Dream is not a tangible thing, it is someone's goal when they either come to America or live in America and realize their goal. When this happens they do whatever they can to achieve that goal. Really the American Dreams is the personal goal that that individual person has, generally this goal is to achieve something that they would not have without ascending a social level or gaining more money. Gatsby can represent both of these versions of the American Dream. He rose from literally nothing to a high class gentleman and in doing this he gained large sums of money. Gatsby, in my opinion, represents the American Dream, everything he does leads towards that conclusion, as stated earlier he rises from the dust and poverty of the West to the shining houses of West Egg. Gatsby also gains a large fortune. However this fortune has a dark side to it because it was gained illegally. That is the bad side of this dream. Sometimes the American Dream has a dark side. Others may achieve the dream because of the circumstances that they had been put into already. Some people may be put into a position to achieve this dream more readily than others. That is the dark side of the American Dream.
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Olivia Jordan
3/21/2016 05:12:29 pm
The American Dream is this belief that if you work hard and overcome all the obstacles in life, you will be able to live comfortably and be able to support your family while being happy throughout your life. When thinking of the American Dream I see a mom, a dad, about 2 kids and a dog standing in front of a cozy house with a white picket fence that outlines a freshly cut lawn. Although the dream is not necessarily tangible everyone has a preconceived vision of an ideal situation they dream of having.Whether or not that vision is met is all up to the individual and how hard they are willing to work to fill in the pieces that their immigrant ancestors played before them. Something that blurs the idea of "the American Dream" is humanities constant drive to want more because we are selfish beings who want to drain the world of all it has to offer. The difference between the American Dream when our immigrant families came over and now is that they wanted their families to live in a better country where they could be free and comfortable. Nowadays the American Dream consists of who is going to rise high enough that all of their desires are met or how can I get to the top without doing any work. We been to idolize all these people who have everything as a result of doing absolutely nothing (The Kardashians)and then we begin to formulate our own plan but end up turning around bc its just "too much work" or aren't "lucky" enough to get that opportunity. I believe that Gatsby is one of the first people in that time period who had a dream and it came true by pure luck. Now that he has the world everything else seems so irrelevant if he can't have the one thing that the original american dreamers worked for which is love and a family. I do believe that Gatsby is the embodiment of America because of how he worked so hard to find love and a family but never lifted a finger to conjure up all of his wealth. His character really makes you think about what truly is important in this world, the things that we are given by God (people) or the corrupt things created by humanity (wealth and fortune). I don't think the American Dream is dead I think that we just need someone to open up the eyes of America and show everyone what really matters. I agree 100% with Fitzgerald's message and I commend him for reflecting his message in his own life through the love he had for his wife. I truly believe that family is the only thing we need in this world because without mine I don't think I would be able to have happiness.
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Melissa Velazquez
3/21/2016 06:05:35 pm
The American Dream can be anybody regardless of their background, race, etc. Working hard to make a goal of theirs come true. America has many opportunities. we grow up to believe we need to follow the game of life. Which is , go to school, graduate, go to college, get a job, own a home and have a family. For Gatsby, he knew that where he lived and came from wasn't going to get the opportunities to get him to the top where he wanted. All he wanted was to impress daisy. Gatsby took 5 years to achieve his dream. Even it was not gracefully. He got involved with underground jobs. Fitzgeralds message I think, is to make people realize that if we keep striving to become better than other, for example Tom And Gatsby; life will pass us by. The American Dream is still the same. We all want to live a life that we can live comfortably in.
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Olivia Smelas
3/21/2016 06:59:33 pm
The American Dream is a complete social construct. Accordingly, it changes as society does. It's kind of impossible to develop a completely correct definition of the American Dream as it will absolutely differ between people of different ages, cultures, ethnicities, and even different ways of being brought up. Everyone has different values, but sometimes the values of a generation are generalized to fit a central definition of the American Dream. That being said, Tom encompasses the general American Dream of the 20s. Old money, established status, white and pure. (The funny part is, Tom's money isn't even American so to speak, it's British.) Gatsby strives to live up to that version of the American Dream, so his dream can then be accomplished afterward. Gatsby wants the money, the status that Tom has, so he can then capture the ultimate trophy of Daisy. He assumes after the money is attained and the status established, the "rest" (a family/connection/what-everyone-thinks-is-a-connection/DAISY), will fall into place. In a way, it is horrible that Daisy has reduced herself to a place where men utilize material objects to attract her. On one hand she is completely manipulative and powerful, and on the other, she just does not know which rich man to cling to each night!!! Anyway, like I said, everyone has different definitions of the American Dream, because people like Tom and people like Gatsby exist. But the American Dream is really the same for both of them. The romance between Gatsby and Daisy starts off as an innocent new "love", but as the plot thickens, we find that there is really nothing to Daisy but a musical, seductive voice and a gilded appearance, and she really is just another thing to be attained by Gatsby. Gatsby had spent a life time building up his self-image and projecting it, ignoring fact, precedent, and tradition, he saw men like Tom Buchanan, and wanted to be them. A room of trophies, one of them a little more extravagant than the next, and finally the most fabulous of them all, perched delicately on an armchair, her white dress fluttering in the breeze...just like a trophy. So basically, Daisy is an object, and she is dehumanized by both men by the end of the story, and that literally kills Gatsby.
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Tyhler Harty
3/23/2016 09:58:45 pm
I believe that the American Dream is still a very real thing in society but it is something hard to reach. The American Dream exist only for people who worked hard enough to become their dream. The perfect example of this would be Gatsby who was once poor and then became a millionaire. That is why I believe the american dream is still alive.
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Jackie Izzo
3/28/2016 06:13:58 pm
The American Dream is truly an inspirational idea created by the citizens of the United States and outside of America. This drive allows people to work harder and achieve the impossible. With the American dream people set goals to have a happy and successful lifestyle. I believe that it is vital that citizens to have this specific motivation in life to be ultimately very happy with the way they are living. In the novel The Great Gatsby, this sense of being successful within the character Jay Gatsby. As a boy, he dreamed of wealth, money, and the perfect girl. His goal was to be a complete gentleman and live a rich life. His past of a poor farm boy was not going to fulfill his dream. Since Gatsby became a very wealthy man he partly fulfilled his American Dream. However, I disagree with the opinion that Gatsby is America and his death symbolizes the death of the American Dream. I believe that every individual has their own American Dream and wants strive for different goals. Not everyone wants to be a Gatsby. There is still a dream alive in everyone. Gatsby went too far to make his dream a reality and rewrite the past. You can never change what has already occurred. Gatsby became obsessive with his dream. I feel everyone has there own mindset about the way their life wants to play out. Even though the American Dream was dead within the Character Gatsby, its not dead within every individual.
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Trey Soya
4/1/2016 10:31:47 am
The American Dream is the idea that if you have the will to act and work hard, then you can achieve greatness no matter where you come from. The ending of the Great Gatsby shows how Gatsby was a believer in the American Dream and that he was able to go from a dirt poor farmer to a wealthy man. Gatsby does resemble America because you can work hard and if you have the desire and dedication you can reach your goals. I think the American Dream is alive, it's harder to reach unlike earlier generations, but if you are willing to work, then you will reach your goal.
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Ash Riegler
4/2/2016 10:48:59 am
The 'American Dream' is this idea that one can prosper in life and thus raise themselves to the top. In my personal belief, one can not really say whether the American Dream is dead or not. Because that itself depends on the person you ask. A hopeful lower class citizen may say Yes, the Dream is Alive as ever as they strive to reach the top. While a sinking lower class citizen may criticize this false dream with a scornful No, no such thing exists. And on the other side of the spectrum, a citizen at the top may say Yes, it is alive and can be reached through hard work. While another may so No, it's all a silly idea. No one can tell whether this Dream is real and alive because it's exactly that, a 'dream'. An 'idea'. Something that could possibly be real but then again, reality comes with a heavy hand to push it down. It is true that someone could reach the top through hard work and effort. But then again, based on certain factors- like race, age, health- this dream could be unattainable. But as for Gatsby in the Great Gatsby, he truly believes in this American Dream because he needs it to be real. He needs to be able to reach the top and be with Daisy. Though I'm sure some part of him realizes deep down that his American Dream isn't as authentic as some. And not everyone sees this American Dream as the same thing, we all interpret it in our own way. Gatsby's Dream is to wed Daisy, fall in love and be happy together- start the life they should have had. While Daisy isn't quite on the same page. But all in all, the American Dream could possible exist, though not quite in everyone's reach.
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Ford Zacks
4/3/2016 08:22:03 am
In my mind, The American Dream is the idea that anything can be achieved through hard work. In theory, this seems ridiculous. Obviously not everything can be achieved, but this idea gives people hope and a reason to keep trying. I think that it isn’t supposed to be taken literally. I believe Fitzgerald is trying to show that the American Dream is fake by giving us a character who takes it literally and it becomes his downfall. Gatsby is not a symbol for America. He is a symbol of what America has created. Gatsby has everything anyone could ever dream of, but he wants one more thing in his life. The American Dream told him it was possible to have everything. He tried over and over to get Daisy, but he failed. This drove him to insanity. Fitzgerald is not saying that the dream is dead. He is saying that the dream has its limits. Gatsby became a subject to these limits, but he did not accept them. Nick says in the closing paragraph, “He did not know that it was already behind him” (Fitzgerald 180). Gatsby could not accept that certain things were impossible for him to attain. He had missed his chance. Nick also says, “ Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter — to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning —--“ (Fitzgerald 180). This quote perfectly shows Gatsby’s thinking. He believed that if he tried harder every day, attaining everything was possible. The American Dream gives hope, but it also gives false hope. This is what Fitzgerald was trying to say with this novel. Gatsby represents what this false hope causes. It causes insanity and constant disappointment because no matter how hard Gatsby tries, that green light is always out of reach.
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Makenzie Lowrey
4/4/2016 05:33:46 pm
I think Fitzgerald is implying that Gatsby is like the explorers of the New World. He sees the green light as unsettled America. He reaches for it in desperation and ecstasy, but doesn't realizes his real dream is already behind him (*cough* NICK CARRAWAY *cough*). The American Dream is that anything you do, with hard work, can be achieved. This is utter bullshit. So many people are stuck in a loop because of money or mental issues. Few people get out of this system, and of course, Gatsby turned out to be one of the lucky few (much like Fitzgerald himself). Fitzgerald believed in the American Dream, mainly because it worked out for him. Fitzgerald was trying to project that in the novel with his line: "It eluded us then, but that’s no matter-- to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning-", because the American Dream will last forever, even if people have already forgotten it.
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Kay Franzese
4/4/2016 07:31:44 pm
The American Dream is an idea that one who works hard will achieve anything they desire. I feel the American Dream used to act as a promise to guarantee a job and a good life to citizens and non-citizens. Now I believe it is just an idea that motivates people around the world to work hard to achieve their goals; nothing is guaranteed. Someone can work their whole lives to reach the top can somehow lose it all due to bad luck. They can try their hardest but like I said before, nothing is guaranteed. I do believe Fitzgerald was suggesting Gatsby was the American Dream because he worked his whole life to get to the top and rid himself of James Gatz. In a way, he was very successful with his money and his home, but he lost it all in losing his life. This represents the death of the American dream because even the people who worked the hardest can get unlucky and lose all of they have worked for even if it wasn't their fault. This refers to when Daisy was driving the car and killed myrtle. Gatsby did not kill myrtle but he still paid the price of her life with his also. People like Daisy and Tom who were children born into the success of their parents never have to worry about achieving their goals because if they fail or make a mistake they can always retreat back into their money. People like Daisy and Tom ruin the American Dream and make it seem less appealing to others as if it is fake, but it depends on what people represent the Dream. If hard workers represent the Dream then it comes back to life and gives more motivation. I believe the idea of the American Dream will live on for a long time, motivating people to work hard, but if it endures a generation of people like Tom and Daisy it might eventually die.
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Alexis Disbrow
4/5/2016 07:27:20 pm
My interpretation of the American Dream is that if you want to and are willing to work hard that you can achieve anything no matter where you come from. I feel like Gatsby is a believer in the American Dream because he worked up from nothing to having everything he could possibly want except for Daisy. Daisy was one of the reasons for his determination for success. It's almost like Daisy is Gatsby's vision of the American Dream and she is what he wants to get and he will do anything he can to get her.
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Sydney Gannon
4/7/2016 06:52:49 pm
My take on the American Dream is working as hard as you can to achieve a goal for you and your family to be happy. The main goal is to be happy in your life. Gatsby could be America in the sense that he has so much to offer, but can hold you back from something you really want. I am kind of torn because people have different views on the American Dream, so I don't think I can say that I agree or disagree with F. Scott Fitzgerald. Some people dream of the happiness and some of the riches.
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Matthew vanderveer
4/10/2016 08:49:20 am
I believe what Fitzgerald is trying to say is that the american dream is to try your hardest to obtain a better lifestyle even if it kills you. Although Gatsby dies pursuing his dream which is money and obtaining his trophy wife he never gave up his dream. Fitzgerald is saying the american dream is different for everyone and is achieved by wholeheartedly pursuing your own dream. Gatsby's dream is not what got him killed his methods did. Gatsby could have obtained his dream if not for his arrogance when facing tom. He could have won over Daisy if he had not lost his cool. He could have chosen a more civilized way to try and convince Daisy to leave Tom, just like he could have chosen an honest way to earn his money. Both would have taken a little more work at the time but would not have brought up new problems in the future.
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Kathleen Patterson
4/10/2016 05:36:46 pm
I believe that the original American Dream and the dream that we have now are to different things, as values and lifestyles have changed for not only America, but everywhere and for everyone in the world. I think that the dream was once for all willing to put in the work to be able to come to America and participate in a Democratic society while having a fair chance at rising in economic and social ranks, having put in the work to do so. However, I feel as though the values have died away in the equality of opportunity, and the even pathways to success have become muddled for some. Now, the American dream is still about the ability to rise up, but has less emphasis on the equal work to get there, and is more about the end result: money. In spite of this, one positive thing that has emerged from the American Dream is the goal of a stable and happy family situation, like the white picket fence, dog, and “two and a half kids”. John Green spoke about the American Dream in a video about Gatsby, discussing that Americans are always striving for something more in the future, without realizing that what we really want to get back to is some time in the past when everyone was happy and hadn't discovered violence and corruption. I believe these values were also understood by F. Scott Fitzgerald when he summarized that, “He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night” (Fitzgerald 180). I agree that humans will always strive for something bigger and better, and without that drive the American Dream would no longer be a “dream”.
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