阅·思|【2023级9班】Gatsby's American Dream

The Great Gatsby is a novel depicting the style of the "Jazz Age" in the early 20th century in the United States. Through the dream and disillusionment of the protagonist Gatsby, it profoundly reflects the pursuit and loss of wealth, status and the American dream of that era. Next, we will delve deeper into Gatsby's connection with the American dream

The American Dream refers to the belief that as long as people in the United States through hard work and perseverance, they can achieve a better life, regardless of race or origin. Gatsby was born in a poor farm family in North Dakota, and dreamed of becoming a big man since childhood. His American dream is to obtain wealth, status and dignity through his own efforts, enter the upper society, and get rid of his bottom background. Gatsby fell in love with Daisy when he was a lieutenant in the military training camp. Daisy was a young lady in the south, beautiful, rich and elegant, representing all the good things in the upper class. For Gatsby at that time, Daisy was the perfect symbol of his American dream, and having Daisy meant that he had successfully entered the upper class and realized his dream. So after the war, he worked hard to accumulate wealth.

Gatsby paid a great price to realize the American dream.He hides his name and quickly amasses wealth through illegal means in order to rebuild his image before Daisy. However, this blind pursuit of dreams makes him gradually lose himself and become a lonely and tragic figure. His sacrifice is a profound reflection on the idolatry of the American Dream.

Gatsby is a young man with a dream. He longs for success, pursues love, and hopes to change his destiny through his own efforts. He orchestrates his reunion with Daisy, hoping to win back her love and integrate into high society. In this process, Gatsby has made great efforts to accumulate wealth and change his identity and status in order to be able to match Daisy.

However, the reality is often crueler than the dream.  He faces Daisy's betrayal, Tom's arrogance, and the solidification of social class. These realistic factors make Gatsby realize that no matter how hard he tries, he can't change his position in society.

The love and success he craved became so out of reach in the face of reality. This collision not only makes Gatsby feel hopeless and empty, but also makes us see the huge gap between reality and dreams. The destruction of Gatsby's dream means that his pursuit of the American dream is also in vain.

Gatsby's relentless pursuit of wealth and status, his belief in the possibility of transcending one's origins, epitomizes the American ideal. Yet, his story is a cautionary tale of the dream's emptiness. 

Gatsby believes as long as you work hard, you can fulfill your dream. However, reality dealt him a heavy blow. American society in the 1920s marked a major shift in the concept of the American dream. In this context, the American Dream became closely associated with wealth, fame and personal pleasure, forming a universal pursuit of material success. Affluence and success are often closely related to one's birth and background, rather than purely individual efforts. This social phenomenon reflects that the American Dream is not accessible to everyone, and its realization is often related to one's socioeconomic status.

By analyzing the causes of Gatsby's tragic disillusionment, we can find that it is obvious that social and personal factors are crucial to a person. Gatsby's innocent notions are destined for the inevitable shattering of his American Dream.

Though Gatsby's American Dream was ultimately crushed, his tale has proffered us profound insights.It serves as a reminder that in the pursuit of our dreams, we ought to keep a lucid mind and not be beguiled by external lures.  Concurrently, we should also learn to cherish those around us and the things within our reach, and approach life with genuineness and kindness.Only thus can we strike a balance between dreams and reality and actualize our true self - worth and the essence of life.