The American Dream is a concept that is familiar to many people across the globe today. The American dream is usually defined as owning a house with a white picket fence, becoming extremely rich, and climbing the social ladder. Unfortunately, the American dream could be the reason for the unsatisfied desires found deep within those who have almost achieved it. The American dream creates a need for more. More money, more parties, more attention, which could lead to the demise of an individual; which may have been the reason for Gatsby’s downfall.
Through Nick’s narration of events, it seems that Gatsby’s downfall is brought on due to the envious men around him. But is it? Nick states,
I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. No – Gatsby turned out alright at the end; it was what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams.(Fitzgerald 2)
Nick seemed to have noticed what Gatsby’s dreams are, and saw that Gatsby worked hard to attain them, making him the only man who was close in achieving the American dream. However, men “preyed on Gatsby” and there was foul play in what is soon to be known as his death, making Gatsby unable to attain what he built his fortune for. Thus, Gatsby’s American dream is incomplete. This also puts an emphasis on the toxicity of the American dream. Which raises the following questions: does having the American dream and striving to achieve it distill hate and envy in the hearts of others? Does it create unhealthy competition between men which causes them to act unethically? Or in Gatsby’s case, does fulfilling the American dream mean taking that which you cannot attain (i.e. Daisy) and having to deal with the consequences?
In chapter four Nick learns through Jordan that for Gatsby’s dream to be fulfilled Daisy had to be in it. Daisy is the reason Gatsby bought the house in West egg, she is the reason he worked so hard to become wealthy, and because of her, he made it his mission to climb the social ladder. All for him to impress her and win back her love. This is known through Jordans statement, “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (65). Furthermore, Gatsby was adamant that Daisy sees his wealth, and to make sure she is aware that he is still madly in love with her. While talking to Nick, Jordan said, “He wants her to see his house”, which shows that Gatsby wants to show Daisy everything he has worked so hard for was for her, and that he truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Lastly, the green light across the bay that Gatsby reaches out for in the beginning of the novel signifies the one thing he cannot attain for himself, which we later find out is Daisy. When Gatsby finally meets Daisy, Nick examines them interacting and states, “Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever… His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” (77). The green light across the bay now holds new significance, it vanished, which may be Gatsby’s realization that his dream of winning back Daisy may be far fetched and impossible to reach. Which creates a bigger void within him of unsatisfied desire. When Nick states, “[Gatsby’s] count of enchanted objects had diminished by one” Gatsby may have realized his inability to make Daisy his, and that all the things he had worked so hard for is now worthless without her.
In conclusion, Gatsby pursuing Daisy is what put his life in Jeopardy because for one, he is pursuing another man’s wife which is bound to cause life threatening consequences. And Two, his American dream is incomplete without Daisy, and his realization of this may also be the reason why Gatsby needed to die.
The American dream pushes people to great lengths for them to attain great riches and a higher social standing in society. But at what expense should an individual attain these dreams? For Gatsby’s dream to be fulfilled he needed Daisy by his side, however that was never going to happen. Which may have lead him to his own demise.
Nice analysis and interpretation of the symbolism of the “American dream” in the novel. The word “dream” in itself appears numerous times throughout the story and it is interpreted differently by both Nick and Gatsby. I like how you observed that for Gatsby “the American dream is incomplete” without Daisy.
In answer to your question whether fulfilling the American dream means “taking that which you cannot attain and having to deal with the consequences?”, I personally think that this is the lesson Nick learns at the end. He is a witness to the disastrous consequences of the lifelong pursuit of a dream and the price one pays for desiring the realization of an unattainable ideal.
Apart from Gatsby, the symbol of the “American dream” takes various shapes in the novel for different characters. For Tom, it is connected to his wealth and accumulation and display of possessions, just as it is for Daisy (she takes pride in displaying her possessions, even her daughter: “mother wanted to show you off”, 97). For Nick, it means moving East and entering “the bond-business” like everybody else (3). For Myrtle, it provides a chance for social elevation and for obtaining material things (“I want to get one of those dogs”, 22).