Jay Gatsby and the American DreamJoin now to read essay Jay Gatsby and the American DreamThe American Dream by definition is the idea that everyone in the United States has the chance to achieve success and prosperity (Encarta). This includes wealth, love, material things, and happiness. Sometimes people take the wrong ways to get these things, even resorting to criminal and illegal activity. Gatsby was no exception. Does Jay Gatsby really achieve the American Dream? If he does, how does he do it?
Jay Gatsby, born James Gatz, was born poor to an unsuccessful farming family in the Midwest. Like most, he sets specific goals and time frames for his goals to make his dreams real. He sets into plan a course of action. Gatsby’s dream is easy to see by his fierce and intense ambition. He wants wealth, and most of all, Daisy, the love of his life. Nick describes Gatsby as having “an extraordinary gift for hope”, which has never been found in any other person: If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away. (p.8)
Gatsby moves to the East Coast to chase his dream. This is where he gains his wealth and climbs up the social ladder. His success comes from his faith in life, self-confidence, and the help and opportunities from Dan Cody. He is also hard working and keeps a daily schedule and general guidelines for life.
Now that Gatsby has achieved part of his dream by achieving wealth, he starts his plan to win back Daisy’s love. First he buys a big expensive mansion close to Daisy’s home, so he can always look at “ the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock” (p.90). He also buys a luxurious yellow car, yacht, fancy clothes, and stacks of books. This is to not only impress Daisy, but to show off his new found wealth and educational status. He is no longer that poor boy from the Midwest anymore and he is proud. He has many parties at his house in hope Daisy will come to them. He assumes if he continues all of this, he can buy Daisy’s love and will have fulfilled his dream. He becomes committed to do this for love, for Daisy. But money is not everything. It cannot buy love or happiness, so all Gatsby is doing to win Daisy is sure to be for nothing. Earlier in the book, in a conversation between Jordan and Daisy, Jordan refers to Gatsby and Daisy asks, “Gatsby? What Gatsby?”(p.16), implying Gatsby is no longer in her heart.
Another part of his dream is to have status. For Gatsby, this does not happen either. He has these lavish parties hoping to increase his reputation socially, but his intended idea is not achieved. The people coming to his parties, some uninvited, fail to meet their host. No one actually knows Gatsby or what he did. They just have suspicions that “he killed a man once” and he is a bootlegger. Tom does not even respect him, and believes he is his social inferior. Tom was born rich and will always belong to the rich and reputable class. Tom doubts and is disrespectful of how Gatsby received his education. Someone mentions to Tom that Gatsby is an Oxford man to which he replies showing his dislike for Gatsby “An Oxford man! Like Hell he is! (p.116) Later, during an argument, Tom states where Gatsby got his wealth, rather hatefully: “Who are you, anyhow? You’re one of that bunch that hangs around with Meyer
The movie is about Tom’s dream of becoming a good schoolteacher. As a schoolteacher Tom is working with his tutor, Mabel. They begin an apprenticeship, but Gatsby refuses to go through with it. During the apprenticeship it goes off, because of some major problems with Tom, such as Tom never actually leaving the school. Tom goes on to become a lawyer, but loses the lawsuit against the law firm and eventually ends up on the cover of the New York Times that Tom was a bad lawyer and is sued. Tom is actually on Gatsby’s side, and gets upset when Mabel starts a lawsuit against the couple. (p.115)
During the time Gatsby, Tom, and his father were students at the academy, Tom was an orphan. (p.104) After his mother died and he began working as a teacher, Tom was an ordinary student. When he discovered the truth about E.E.T. and his work, Tom became an employee of E.E.T., but Mabel’s claims he “didn’t “do” anything bad; instead he became very busy. (p.105)
At the time of his death he worked as a teacher in the library branch, and in his retirement period spent up to twelve hours a day being the main secretary. While he spent his time reading, listening to plays, making movies and working on projects which he didn’t really enjoy. He used to be extremely poor. During the years when he was poor Tom would sometimes get sick and sometimes lose weight in order for him to help feed his parents, and sometimes his mommy would come to him in her own mother’s bed to support her. He even gave food to his mother when he didn’t want to. (p.116)
In the movie Tom is actually a little older and less handsome than his real life. He wears a grey tousled suit and is much younger in shape than in reality. (p.117) In the movie the glasses he wears around his face are only partially correct. One time he looks at his glasses and he thinks he was a little older than the rest of them. (p.118) In comparison to the rest of the class, this is Tom’s third time working out. In the movie Tom isn’t as smart as he should be because he is a little bit overweight and doesn’t use all his strength. (p.119)
Tom takes a job selling toys. But when Mabel complains that she has always been jealous of him she does not like him as much. He never gets the compliment he would like. (p.121) Even in this part the picture of Tom has a very clear underlining. The caption states if Tom is a good student he will be a better teacher, even though this is not true. (p.122) At the beginning of the movie Tom is still very angry about Mabel for leaving the school and Gatsby’s decision not to accept an apprentice. (p.123)
Tom goes on an extended vacation to visit with his parents and find a good place for himself, though he ends up feeling trapped since at one point, he goes into hiding around the school grounds. Tom is finally able to find some way to come home with Mabel and their mother. When he goes to get food he discovers a large bag of frozen