The Representation Of The American Dream Essay - 1535 Words

The Representation of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby The American Dream is the dream of achieving success and opportunity, but The Great Gatsby defines the American Dream as unachievable. The characters in the novel are portrayed as the cause of corruption, materialism, and immorality within society. The novel takes place during the 1920’s, an era of prosperity. After World War One, many believed one can achieve the American Dream through any social class. In the novel, the dream is portrayed as an element of destruction leading to one’s demise. This demonstrates a society that prevents the American Dream from prevailing. Within the novel, society is divided into two social classes’, the upper and working class; this is presented in the novel as East and West Egg, and The Valley of Ashes. The pursuit of the American Dream is expressed through the attributes of love, wealth, and happiness. The characters are an example of these attributes as they want to a chieve the dream, but corruption takes a major toll affecting not only the working class but the upper class also. The American Dream is presented in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as a corrupt and materialistic achievement; The upper class prevents the lower class from becoming wealthy creating an immoral society. The Marxist theory originates from the German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; they believed that historical and societal change was caused by class struggle. The theory providesShow MoreRelatedThe Idea of the â€Å"American Dream†1101 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream Final Exam By: Uday Govindswamy Period 2 The idea of the â€Å"American Dream† was first used in the book The Epic of America, written by James Truslow Adams, in 1931. 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This tragic but beautiful story takes place during The Jazz Age, just afterRead MoreEssay on Kane, Gatsby, And The American Dream1035 Words   |  5 PagesFitzgerald and Citizen Kane a movie directed by Orson Welles are both monumental stories in American society as they both represent the American dream at it’s most brilliant high. The Great Gatsby is all about time and the American dream; it is essentially what consumes Gatsby. Both Kane and Gatsby are representations of the American dream, and as we read into their stories we see that time and the dream become so intertwined that it is hard to see them apart. Other key factors play into this suchRead MoreThe Effects Of Drugs On Society s Perspectives On Drugs978 Words   |  4 PagesThe representatio n of drugs has been frequently changing since popular songs and films have emerged in the Western nations. These changes varied from a negative perspective to a more open and positive portrayal on drugs from the late 1800s till this present day respectively. The entertainment industry plays a huge role in the influence on society’s perspectives on drugs as some films would have depicted drugs being the cause of violence and tragedy while some other films would portray the drugs as