Throughout history, countless Americans have pursued the American Dream in order to create better lives for themselves. The freedom of the American Dream, with no limitations on who can achieve it, has often lured numerous people. However, many have ulterior motives behind the dream that goes beyond simply better lives. During the tumultuous Roaring Twenties, the character of Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby accomplished his American Dream not only because of wealth and lavish lifestyle but to win again the love of Daisy Buchanan.
Countless Americans have pursued the American Dream so that they are able to gain success in their lives. The idea of the American Dream is- and has been- for every single American, with no limitations on who is allowed to have the dream. According to the James Truslow Adams Papers, 1918-1949, a businessman named James Truslow Adams first used the phrase “The American Dream” in 1931. Adams stated that the phrase meant that all people should have better lives, regardless of where they are in life. Everyone has the ability to fulfill the American Dream, no matter what their past is or who they are. The American Dream has also inspired and motivated countless Americans to pursue better lives. In a 1961 essay, Eleanor Roosevelt stated, “But we have all, I think, a single vision of what it is, not merely as a hope and an aspiration, but as a way of life, which we can come ever closer to attaining in its ideal form if we keep shining and unsullied our purpose and our belief in its essential value.” Roosevelt explains that the American Dream is quite attainable as long as it is believed in and focused on with dedication. Although the idea of the elusive American Dream may seem difficult to achieve at times, all Americans have the opportunity to fulfill it no matter who they are – as millions of Americans have already done.
The Great Gatsby is one of the “Great American Novels” that deals with the powerful theme of the American Dream. In the simplest terms, The Great Gatsby is a novel about a man doing everything he can to win back the affection of his lover, as he hopes to re-live his past with her. First of all, Jay Gatsby tries to stay as close as possible to Daisy Buchanan, the woman he is in love with. He even goes so far as to purchase the house across the bay from her so that he can see her home from his lawn (Fitzgerald 78). By buying the house, it is stressed how much Gatsby wants to be a part of Daisy’s life, even if he cannot actually interact with her. Furthermore, Gatsby often goes out to almost “worship” the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. To Gatsby, the light represents Daisy and everything he could possibly have with her- he believes that it signifies his happiness and their future together (Fitzgerald 180). The green light has become everything to Gatsby since he has to watch the light instead of being with Daisy. It is extremely evident that Gatsby does not just have a small crush on Daisy- rather, Gatsby is so deeply in love with the woman that he cannot even bear to have her property out of his sight.
Besides just living near her, Gatsby becomes incredibly rich in the hopes of impressing Daisy. Gatsby took advantage of every opportunity he had in life to get ahead, especially financially. “Gatsby’s ability to reinvent himself comes from the American dream… he welcomes the idea of a fluid society- one in which individuals enjoy the opportunity to succeed financially” (Verderame). Gatsby makes the most of the American financial system, specifically the “American Dream” component of it that allows anyone to become wealthy if they work hard enough. However, Gatsby doesn’t just take advantage of American economics, but of the black market as well. Throughout the novel, it is hinted at that Gatsby has become affluent through illegal means. Tom states, “‘He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter…I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t wrong’” (Fitzgerald 133). Gatsby’s wealth has come from bootlegging and the illegal distribution of alcohol during Prohibition. It quickly becomes evident that Gatsby does not care how he becomes rich, as long as he becomes rich enough to impress Daisy.
Since Daisy lives in East Egg, Gatsby uses everything at his advantage to fit in with his East Egg counterparts. East Egg and West Egg are very different- therefore, the Buchanans and Gatsby are inherently separate. Although Gatsby is extremely rich, he doesn’t fit in with those in East Egg who were born rich. Gatsby’s manners don’t match his opulence, and he makes mistakes in trying to hide his past. He will never be on the same level as the Buchanans, as Gatsby acquired his wealth not through his family, but made it on his own (Emin Tunc). Gatsby is inherently different than those with inherited wealth and will always be, since in their eyes, earning one’s money is not good enough. Besides his wealth, Gatsby’s smile and inviting demeanor are also tools he uses to fit in with different groups of people. Gatsby possesses an incredibly unique, comforting smile that makes people feel at ease (Fitzgerald 48). Gatsby’s most important tools for fitting in with the East Egg culture are his wealth and his welcoming personality- without them, he’d have no chance of joining Daisy’s inner circle.
Furthermore, Gatsby’s parties and the events that occur at them represent Gatsby’s pursuit of both the American Dream and Daisy. The parties illustrate both the American Dream and what Gatsby is willing to do to achieve it. “Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s elaborately staged weekend parties as another metaphor for the greed, material excess, and unrestrained desire for pleasure… of the American Dream (Emin Tunc). Gatsby’s parties are a perfect example of how much money he has spent and how much time he has put into fulfilling the American Dream. Gatsby’s parties are as extravagant and ostentatious as he can possibly make them. Nick recounts that throughout the summer, Gatsby has a steady stream of guests for these parties, and he certainly spares no expense with extra servants to clean up the damage after parties (Fitzgerald 39). Gatsby works very hard to make his parties the best that they can be in the hopes that they may reach Daisy. The more extravagant Gatsby can make his parties, the more popular they will become, and the better chance they have of attracting Daisy.
Besides his parties, Gatsby uses his expensive possessions and flamboyant lifestyle to impress Daisy. He mainly uses all of the material items he has collected over the years to show off. Tanfer Emin Tunc writes that “Gatsby escapes… through conspicuous consumption, his accumulation of meaningless materialistic trophies… To Gatsby, these symbols are the American Dream…” Gatsby sees his accumulation of expensive objects as a representation of his success. Furthermore, Gatsby tries very hard to have visible signs of his prosperity. “I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there…” narrates Nick (Fitzgerald 64). Gatsby’s glamorous car perfectly illustrates his use of flamboyant material items to win back Daisy’s affection. He clearly believes that the more expensive objects he owns, the better chance he has of being with Daisy again.