Blog # 4: text connections
“The American Dream, sometimes in the phrase ‘Chasing the American Dream,’ is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success”(Wikipedia). The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is about a man named Nick and his neighbor Jay Gatsby and their struggle to realize their dreams. Nick struggles to fit into the upscale fanciness of West Egg as he attempts to grasp his American dream of becoming rich and creating a name for himself, while Gatsby tries to win back the heart of his once beloved. Both characters moved to Long Island in an effort to chase their dreams. Similarly, in the 1800s and 1900s, immigrants would come to America in search of their own “American Dream.” As they arrived at Elis Island, the Statue of Liberty would greet them, promising peace and prosperity to the tired and defeated people who felt that their dreams had already been crushed. However, like in the book, America was not what it was made to be. The immigrants had to endure many hardships and most, if not all, of them did not realize their dream. Likewise in The Great Gatsby, Nick arrives in West Egg expecting to fulfill his dream, but the lavish shell of west egg cracks to reveal a flat and weak society. Gatsby’s dream is not reached either. His attempts to win Daisy back fail and he ultimately ends up dying. the comparability between both outcomes enhances the novel and makes it more relatable for readers.
I agree with you in that the book is related to the idea of the "American Dream." However I am not sure that it was about the money and more about the want of companionship and family. Nick rarely mentions the money problem, but he does talk a lot about Jordan, taking her on dates, and enjoying her company. Similarly, Gatsby has achieved the American Dream in that he has made a large sum of money purely through work, thought, and luck. However, he is not happy because he does not have Daisy and he would rather be poor and have Daisy, rather than rich and alone. In this way, it does relate to the American Dream because it is the typical story in which the rich are never satisfied.
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