In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby completes a decline from his carefully crafted image of greatness to his exposed, unsightly, and lonely death. The story of the novel is really the deconstruction of this image, and the various ways in which the true “ Jay Gatz” is uncovered. Hailing from a middle-class, rural family, Gatsby seizes his chance to escape his past at a young age. After falling in love with an upper-class girl, Daisy, and not being able to please her with his military status, Gatsby turns to a more corrupt occupation to attain large-scale success. But when he finally gains the monetary status that he thinks will qualify him to satisfy Daisy, the society turns on him. His chase of the American dream is fruitless and leaves him alone. Ultimately it is clear that the dream is corrupt, and that the notion of overcoming the walls of class is a myth. The fall of the great Gatsby documents the corruption of the American society, and the hypocrisies that forbid Gatsby from ever attaining his dream. From the moment we are first introduced to Gatsby, it is clear that he desires control – over his own life, and that of others. His first image is almost God-like; as he stands, overlooking the crowd at one of his profligate parties, Nick observes: …my eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes…I wondered if the fact that he was not drinking himself helped to set him off from his guests, for it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased. (50)As Gatsby stands observing the crowd at his party, there is a feeling that he is in charge. Nick detects a separation between Gatsby and the crowd, which he attributes to Gatsby’s superior air. Gatsby enjoys this separation because it gives him a sense of control over his guests; indeed, this may be the only reason that he chooses to have such extravagant gatherings. Additionally, this outward display of his wealth makes him feel more secure of his fiscal position. Gatsby’s beginnings are humble at best, and his rise to the top – along with his pursuit of Daisy – is part of his pursuit of the American dream. When Gatsby gazes out over such a sight, he feels content that he has escaped his lower class. But he can only fool himself for so long, and the more Gatsby tries to assert his position, the clearer it is that he has not eluded his common beginnings. When Gatsby’s past is discovered it weakens his whole position and exposes the corruption of his American dream. Before we learn of Gatsby’s past, Fitzgerald asserts, “ Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry.” (88). This statement clearly characterizes Gatsby; he is willing to be a slave to a distorted American dream, and to the other corrupt members of society, as long as he believes himself to be of high class. As it turns out, Gatsby makes tremendous sacrifices for this sake. Nick says, “ Jay Gatz – that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that had witnessed the beginning of his career…” (98). From an early age the American dream possesses him; and for its sake, he gives up his very identity. Gatsby sees it as a worthy sacrifice for the sake of greatness. But later on, he is exposed. “‘ My God, I believe the man’s coming,’” said Tom. “‘ Doesn’t he know she doesn’t want him?’” (103). In the social situations that characterize high class, Gatsby is utterly clueless. He unintentionally invites himself to a party where he is not wanted, demonstrating his oblivion. Despite his misgivings about fitting in, the gates of high society have locked him out. Earning a high position based upon hard work is impossible, as demonstrated by Gatsby’s failure. In this way the American dream leads him on a chase of the unattainable. In the culminating scene of the novel, when Gatsby proclaims his love for Daisy in front of her husband, Tom, the two men are both exposed as being completely false; but only Tom is allowed to escape unscathed, because he carries the protection of natural-born money, while Gatsby’s destruction is complete. As the two men fight for Daisy, Tom begins to attack Gatsby, and in doing so reveals his hypocrisy: I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out…Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white. (130)Everyone present knows that Tom is having an illicit affair, so the idea that he would preach about family values is absurd. He has constantly shown no respect for the institution of marriage, and was even missing at his own daughter’s birth. And yet, Tom is the winner because he takes Daisy home. Although there is absolutely no difference between Gatsby and Tom, Gatsby’s position is built upon a frail foundation while Tom’s rests solidly on class. The American society has no tolerance for people like Gatsby, and it embraces men like Tom, whose words “ bite physically into [him]” (132). Gatsby leaves without Daisy, and as a failure. Gatsby’s destruction by the American dream is fortified by the tragic image of his funeral – only his father and Nick attend. Despite his best efforts, Nick cannot convince anyone else to come. It seems that any and all of those who knew Gatsby only valued their relationships for their own personal gain, and that they don’t really care about him. Gatsby’s false claim to high class means that people use him for their own gain. Although he thought that fulfilling the American dream would bring him happiness, it strips him of friends, love, and ultimately of life. Fitzgerald’s critique of the dream is complete when we realize that it allows despicable individuals like Tom to thrive, in spite of the way Gatsby is punished. The “ foul dust” of mankind that prays on Gatsby is responsible for his fall, and causes us to question the very basis of a dream that is so fundamentally American.
Related Essay Samples
Don quixote response
Don Quixote hearing this thinks that the farmer is a knight and tells the man to pay the boy. When the boy tries to explain that the farmer is not a knight Quixote ignores him and asks the farmer to ...
Make a love story
of the of the Concerned English Literature ic and Modern) 30 January You will Live Twice To put it simply, Daniel seemed to be a regular New York teenager, involved and interested in most of the things that a regular ...
Comparison between the great gatsby and ebb sonnets
The poems are intensely personal, exploring the power of love, the absence of love and making sense of the turbulent emotions involved with love. This text clearly explores the ideas of both aspirations and identity in similar context to Barrett ...
Good essay about the vagina monologues
The monologues connect women across the globe and highlight issues that affect them regardless of where they are in the world. The book is good and timely because it educates women on their rights and makes them know that they ...
The flower carrier analysis essay sample
Rivera was hunting down another type of painting, one that could express the complexities of his day and still contact a wide gathering of people. In 1930, Rivera made the first of a progression of treks that would change the ...
Information and communications technology essay sample
First of all ICT made a big change on the customer help lines where once the customer calls in to ask or discuss something they will not be able to talk to a real human immediately but instead the customer ...
Press release assignment
The occurrence in the past week that led to the cancellation of 200 flights was unfortunate in every way, yet the way it was handled by the airline company was even worse. The airline takes full responsibility of the delays ...
The portrayal of women in things fall apart
However, after analyzing the theme of gender thoroughly, it appears that the Igbo women have various roles of great importance in the Igbo society as portrayed in the novel. This displays the power that a priestess possesses in the Igbo ...
Home baked bread by sally croft course work
The same " you" is referred to in the end of the poem. The title of the poem is the white porch.
Books activity – print or electronic media
While I was reading the book, I was able to control the direction of my thoughts. I was too focused on what I was reading and trying to picture the story in my mind's eye that my attention did not ...
Mary oliver’s wild geese
Take note of the rhythm in the lines starting with the word " You": " You do not have to be good," " You do not have to walk," " You only have to let." This rhythm is also heard ...
The odyssey of homer book1 athena inspires the prince
The Odyssey of Homer: Book Summary Athena Inspires the Prince In this book, the plot revolved around Odyssey's captivity, his son Telemachus' temporary ascent into power and the temptation of Odyssey's wife Penelope by suitors. The power struggle is evidenced ...
Salvation story written by langston hughes
The expressions of remorse after the event ended and young Langston's loss of faith is also written from Old Langston's perspective. The story gives the reader a feeling of knowing the author personally." Salvation" seems to be an autobiographical piece ...
Music in the tempest
5 A musical statement of one of the themes of the play, the beneficent effect of nature on man, the song also reveals the character of its two singers, Amines, the cheerful exile, and Jacques, the melancholy cynic. Like Jacques' ...
Of mice and men and flowers for algernon
After trying to fight the regression, he ultimately has no choice but to leave town, in the direction of the Warren State Home, due to the fact that he was no longer capable of taking care of himself. One of ...
Good example of barbara ehrenreich’s nickel and dimed rhetorical analysis essay
Barbara Ehrenreich delves into the world of the minimum-wage workers in her book Nickel and Dimed: On Getting By in America. Like Ehrenreich, her readers end up understanding and agreeing to the fact that living under the poverty line is ...
Comparison between `pieces of silver ` with `the red ball` essay sample
The main character in both stories is a boy Clement, in ' Pieces of Silver' and Bolan in ' The Red Ball'. Megahey or by Bolan stealing from his father to gain the boys friendship.
Writing and othello s speech
Champion has written that Shakespeare's " economy of design" centers attention on the " destruction of character resulting from a lack of self-knowledge,...which is the consequence of the vanity of one's insistence on viewing everything through the distorting medium of ...
A modest proposal critical essay
Think how quietly the thing would be settled! " It is an ironic notion be-cause it should be the other way around, the white people should be the ones coming up with ways to rid the world of black people ...
Print ad analysis
Printed Advertisement Analysis by I have decided to analyze the advertisement of one of the most popular and the most recognized producers of jeans in the world-Levi Straus. His Levi's is not just an element of outfit, it is the ...
Book review narrative essay
The Birth Of The Republic, originally published in 1956 and reissued again in 1977 and 1992, remains the most concise presentation of the half-century period that led to the emergence of an independent America. The goal Morgan had in writing ...
The global financial system
The global financial system is experiencing banking and financial turmoil commonly referred to as the credit crunch that is said to be due to the pricking of a massive debt bubble. The financial institutions were not able to balance two ...
Debate between tybalt and capulet: a foreshadowing conversation
In the passage where Tybalt and Capulet debate at the masquerade feast, there are many lines that directly foreshadow two important components of the play: Romeo's murder of Tybalt, and Romeo and Juliet's efforts to hide their romance from their ...
Romeo & juliet final assessment: essay portion
The actual break-down and analysis of these lines translates to some pretty simple ideas." Ancient grudge to new mutiny refers to the families' long standing feud with each other and how the new generation of Montegues and Capulets will continue ...
How is love presented in romeo and juliet and two poems from the shakespeare literary heritage
Shakespeare uses this dramatic metaphor to show the intensity with which Romeo seems to love Rosaline, however he does this to raise questions about how real Romeo's love is for Juliet when he meets her later in the play. Shakespeare ...