Nam, Esther

October 10, 2016

Period 3
AP Literature/Mr. Oh
The Unachievable American Dream
The American Dream is the set of ideals that provide the opportunity to accomplish
success and prosperity. An individuals American Dream can vary, depending on what your goal
in life is and what motivates you to strive to success. In the novel The Great Gatsby, the author
F. Scott Fitzgerald condemns the idea of the American Dream by proving that being wealthy
does not mean you have fulfilled the American Dream. Through the use of the narrative style,
syntax, tone, characters, and literary device, the author reveals his feelings about the American
Dream.
Fitzgeralds main alteration was to present a first person narrator and protagonist by using
Nick Carraway to filter the storys events through his thoughts and perspective. The authors
purpose of expressing the story through a first person narrator is to reinforce the mystery of the
characters with Nicks strange and shady character. The most obvious use of syntax was
introduced at the very end of the story, which he wrote: Gatsby believed in the green light, the
orgastice future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter---tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... The arrangement of an independent
clause followed by a dependent clause metaphorically relates to the green light from Daisys
dock and it assists on depicting Gatsbys American Dream: to win Daisy back. In the novel, the
narrator, Nick Carraway changes his tone throughout the novel and at the end, the readers can
notice Fitzgerald true attitude towards the wealthy culture that surrounds him. Nick was
bewildered and awed by Gatsby at the beginning, which the author wrote: the honor would be
entirely Gatsbys, it said, if I would attend his little party that night. Gatsbys parties are

described as outrageously popular and the reason behind hosting the parties is to show Daisy
how wealthy he has became. Nick is in treat of Gatsby because this mysterious man opens his
home to people who spreads rumors about him. Nicks tone drastically turns into disgust once
Gatsby tells him his life story. Gatsby asks Nick to attend a meeting with Jordan Baker to discuss
an event about Gatsbys past that upsets him. I hadnt the faintest idea what this matter was,
but I was more annoyed than interested. I hadnt asked Jordan to tea in order to discuss Mr. Jay
Gatsby. Nicks tone here is indignant and later he denies an offer from Gatsby for employment
with a haughty tone, which Nick says, because the offer was obviously and tactlessly for a
service to be rendored, I had no choice except to cut him off there. Through the use of tone in
The Great Gatsby, readers can understand the authors attitude towards the American Dream and
it is important to understand the symbols, motifs, and themes in the novel to identify the tone.
Overall, the tone of the novel is not consistent, and it varies depending on the narrators feeling.
In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald emphasizes on the characters to illustrate his feelings on
the American Dream. For instance, Jay Gatsby, son of poor farmers from North Dakota, refines
into a notoriously wealthy man. In the traditional American Dream, people accomplish their
American Dream through honest hard work and determination. Instead, Gatsby tries to attain the
hard work approach, but that does not work out so, he ends up gaining his wealth from crimes in
a very short amount of time. "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the
bay., hinting that Gatsbys only reason behind gaining wealth was for Daisy. At the end, his
pursuit of money and status leads him to ruin, and he attempts to win Daisy back, but ultimately
was a downfall. Fitzgeralds use of Jay Gatsbys character shows the great pain that occurs when
an individual attempts to reach his American Dream through wealth and the consequences he
must face afterwards. From another situation of an character from the Great Gatsby, Daisy

Buchanan is the most puzzling and disappointing character. Although Fitzgerald dedicates a lot
to show her worth by making Gatsby crazily in love with her, but in the end, Daisy reveals her
true character. Regardless of how much of a beauty she is and how charismatically she is viewed
by Gatsby, she is merely a selfish, shallow, and hurtful woman. Daisys American Dream was
money, and ultimately she was able to surround herself with wealth by marrying Tom Buchanan,
who helped her achieve her American Dream. Then, Gatsby drastically became wealthy and
Daisy started to have an affair with him after she noticed how much money he had and how
much he was willing to spend on her to win her love back. The more corrupt thing is that after
Gatsby was killed, Daisy instantly went back to Tom and she remained earning the money and
attention she wished for. Besides the way Gatsby viewed Daisy, there was nothing pure and
honest about having an American Dream in the Great Gatsby. Even though Gatsby did not earn
his wealth through truthful hard work, he wholeheartedly loved Daisy, who was unworthy of his
love. Through the use of Daisys character, the author demonstrated the importance of achieving
the American Dream with honesty and dedication.
When reading a novel, figuring out the authors thoughts and perspective can be an
obstacle. Through the use of literary devices, it makes it easier for authors to convey their
opinion. Fitzgerald utilizes symbolism to provide readers a precise and clear understanding of his
perspective on the American Dream. ... he stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a
curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I
glanced seaward--and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away
Nick says, stating the curiosity he had about the meaning behind the green light. The single
green light on Daisys dock that Gatsby gazes wishfully at from his own house across the water
represents the American Dream, the dream that must have seemed so close that he could hardly

fail grasp it. It represents Gatsbys hopes and dreams in the future, which Daisy is associated
with. Gatsby stares at the light as if it were his guide and the color green represents the corrupted
way he went to achieve his dream. In the end, Gatsby fails to grasp the green light and through
this symbol, the author reveals how he feels like the American Dream is not possibly achievable
when there is too much greed in ones hand.
In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes the idea of the American
Dream with the use of the narrative style, syntax, tone, characters, and literary devices. He also
expresses his feelings and perspective about the American Dream by presenting his novel with a
first person narrator and uses Nick Carraway to do so. Nick reflects how Gatsbys dream of
winning back Daisy Buchanan was corrupted by money and dishonesty, which is the reason why
Fitzgerald does not support the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream should result
in happiness and individualism, but in the novel, it was shattered into the mere pursuit of wealth.