F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Comment on the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Comment on the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
The American Dream can be perceived in a multitude of ways depending on one’s view of wealth; in the 1920’s, wealth meant nothing but how much material you could afford. F. Scott Fitzgerald comments on the change of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby through symbols and the actions of people in the newly developed society of the roaring twenties. The introduction of paying with credit in the booming economy and the new material products changed the American Dream from its original meaning to an unquestionably corrupted version. The change in the American Dream caused the values and priorities of the people to morph into greed and materialism. Fitzgerald shows the characteristics of the new American Dream through symbols and characters. He despised what the American Dream had become when he wrote The Great Gatsby and withheld no judgement in his writing. The 1920’s were a time when a lot of new material things were available to buy. With newly introduced credit and the stock market rising, more people could afford the newly developed products which ultimately caused the American Dream to become corrupted. The original American Dream was the idea that anyone and everyone has the ability to live a good life within their potential if they work for it. In the 1920’s, the ability to pay with money that you did not physically have meant that people who would not have been able to buy something such as a new stereo, were now able to. The American Dream was changed from a comfortable life to a life filled with excessive amounts of stuff that was not necessary.. When the affair between Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson is introduced Tom visits the apartment that Tom bought for him and Myrtle in the city. The apartment is described as “crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture” (Fitzgerald 29). Tom already has an enormous house filled with extravagant things and because he feels
The American Dream can be perceived in a multitude of ways depending on one’s view of wealth; in the 1920’s, wealth meant nothing but how much material you could afford. F. Scott Fitzgerald comments on the change of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby through symbols and the actions of people in the newly developed society of the roaring twenties. The introduction of paying with credit in the booming economy and the new material products changed the American Dream from its original meaning to an unquestionably corrupted version. The change in the American Dream caused the values and priorities of the people to morph into greed and materialism. Fitzgerald shows the characteristics of the new American Dream through symbols and characters. He despised what the American Dream had become when he wrote The Great Gatsby and withheld no judgement in his writing. The 1920’s were a time when a lot of new material things were available to buy. With newly introduced credit and the stock market rising, more people could afford the newly developed products which ultimately caused the American Dream to become corrupted. The original American Dream was the idea that anyone and everyone has the ability to live a good life within their potential if they work for it. In the 1920’s, the ability to pay with money that you did not physically have meant that people who would not have been able to buy something such as a new stereo, were now able to. The American Dream was changed from a comfortable life to a life filled with excessive amounts of stuff that was not necessary.. When the affair between Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson is introduced Tom visits the apartment that Tom bought for him and Myrtle in the city. The apartment is described as “crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture” (Fitzgerald 29). Tom already has an enormous house filled with extravagant things and because he feels