Ortiz 1

Steve Ortiz
Ryan Shoji
A.P. English Language and Composition
25 March 2014
The Gilded Dream
Its all about the money, huh? What is usually strived for in our lives is the achievement
of wealth, whether it be as a means to accomplish an important goal (college), or as a goal in
itself, which is mainly done nowadays. In American society, which glorifies the acquisition of
wealth, one's fortune does not guarantee love or happiness as demonstrated by one's pursuit for
their "American Dream," the "recklessness" of the upper class, and the amoral circumstances that
surround such pursuit and life; mere solitude that stereotypically "follows" wealth is not the only
affliction that affects the wealthy.
In order to achieve their American dream, some have resorted to great lengths, such as
the climactic crossing of a territorial border, only to come to the conclusion that they require
more to satisfy themselves. One such exemplary case would be the one presented by F. Scott
Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsbys titular character: Jay Gatsby. Born as a poor man, Gatsby
developed an American dream. He desired to obtain wealth and glory that would fulfill his
self-image of being, a son of God (98). During his brief time at Daisy Buchanans mansion
however, that was altered as he associated the girl with these illusions of grandeur, objectifying
her, since the girl was a member of a wealthy family. After learning of her marriage to the well-
to-do Tom Buchanan, Gatsbys new dream was to rekindle his romance with the fair Daisy
Buchanan (his green light). So when he obtained the wealth and social standing he had yearned
for, he did not realize that he had achieved it as he felt he needed more. This was tied together
when Jordan replies to Nicks inquiry on the coincidental nature of the location of Gatsbys
dwelling with, Gatsby bought the house so that Daisy would be just across the bay (78).
Ortiz 2

With large amounts of cash, comes no responsibility-for others that is. An apparent lack
of empathy is what is usually projected by those with wealth. In The Great Gatsby, Tom and
Daisy Buchanan, even Gatsby, fit the description quite well, along with the rest of those wealthy
enough to reside inside of New York. As Nick, the protagonist put it, They smashed up things
and creatures and then retreated back into their money or vast carelessness and let other people
clean up the mess they had made (179). Various instances throughout the novel depict this
mindset, with the Valley of Ashes as a prime example. Due to the frivolous needs of the wealthy,
those living in the aforementioned area do so in an impoverished manner; their communities
surrounded and littered by mounds of the waste created by the elites daily activities.
The road to riches contains many detours and shortcuts, some of which are accessible
only through amoral decisions. In order to obtain his wealth, Gatsby had to turn to the illegal
world of bootlegging, a trade that was very intertwined with the mafia as Prohibition was in its
heyday. During and after this period of wealth accumulation, Gatsby was always kept under
check by his boss, Meyer Wolfsheim, whom served as a loose end that could connect Gatsby
with his past. Although Gatsby, believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year
recedes before us (180), he could not reach it as he was constantly plagued by the amoral
decisions of his past, in addition to his aforementioned objectification dilemma. As a son of
God, Gatsby viewed his ideal self as being established with his socioeconomic status. Thus,
these constant reminders contrasted with his self-image.
Gatsby may have been great in the sense that he stayed true to his one goal, but that goal
quite corrupt to say the least, as it resulted with an empty pursuit, the wreckage known as the
lives of others, and decisions that weigh quite heavily on ones shoulders. Perhaps the
justification of Gatsbys greatness could be a topic worthy of further examination.