Gatsby practise essay

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. The American Dream is achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking, and hard work, rather then by chance. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows the truth in living behind this dream. Fitzgerald describes the myth of the American Dream through the use of setting. East Egg, West Egg, and The Valley of ashes all come across as very different, though they all show the false achievement of the American Dream.

During the 1920’s, the understanding of the American Dream was that an individual can achieve success in life regardless of family history or social status if they work Hard enough. East Egg represents old money. Tom and Daisy live in East Egg, where they have both inherited money from their families and they never had to put any work into becoming superior or upper class. In chapter one, Nick explains East Egg “Across the courtesy bay, the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water” In this quote, white symbolizes that old money is purer than new money. Old money is thought to have families of worthy and respect, but the white paint that covers the mansions of East egg is just a cover for the passerby. Tom and Daisy were born with America already at their feet, they seem to directly antagonize the dream. They are described as “careless people… they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness…” they end up instigating a large amount of tragedy through their own recklessness. This is tragic and unethical to the American Dream. As they were both born into the upper class, this does not seem fair to the American Dream. You are supposed to work hard for it and not have it handed to you on a golden platter. This shows that East Egg displays the myth of the American Dream by them not having to put any effort into getting superior.

“I lived at West Egg, the-well less fashionable of the two” West Egg is where the self made, rich people live. While people living in East Egg acquired their money through inheritance and with ease, those living in West Egg acquired theirs through ‘Hard work’. West Egg is a representation of achieving the American Dream corruptly. It stands for newly rich people like Gatsby. It is the world of those who make their own fortune and are not rich by birth. West Egg is known as getting to the top by ‘Hard work’. But really, is it not hard work that West Eggers go through. This is shown by Jay Gatsby, who, gets most of his wealth through his illegal business in liquor smuggling or bootlegging. Prohibition came into effect in the early 1920s. In the United States it was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Gatsby achieved his dream through illegal business. Tom knows this and describes west egg as “Everyone in West Egg is a bootlegger” this shows peoples thoughts from East Egg on how their neighbors across the sound became wealthy. They don’t accept this new money, and dislike the way west Eggers flaunt it. When Tom says this to Gatsby, he does not deny it. This shows that Gatsby made his money through illegal business and therefore did not achieve the American Dream as you are supposed to.

The Valley of Ashes is the depressing industrial area of Queens that is between West Egg and the city Nick describes it as “The valley of ashes was a grotesque place. New Yorks dumping ground halfway between west egg and the city” It is composed of garbage from New York city. It represents the moral and social rot that results from the chase of wealth, as the rich indulge themselves with attention for nothing but their own pleasure. The Valley of Ashes is a representation of how the American Dream fails for those who it was created for. For people who live in the valley of ashes, it is really hard to get out, this is shown by George Wilson who lives among the dirty ashes and looses his vitality as a result. These are people who do not get to enjoy the luxury of life. In chapter one, the valley of ashes is explained “The motor road hastily joins the railroad…so as to shrink away from a certain desolate area of land. This is the valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the farms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.” All of this combines to form a picture of hardship. This helps the readers to grasp the fact that everything about their world is grey, black and ashy. Linking back to the American Dream, this shows the myth of the dream as people who live can never get out and live a terrible, hard working life for nothing.

In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald has revealed the harsh reality in living behind this dream. He has shown how The American Dream is a myth through the use of setting. Using East Egg, West Egg, and The valley of ashes, he has shown the false achievement each character faces at the end. With the death of Gatsby and George Wilson he shows that in the end, no one completely successfully achieves The American Dream, it doesn’t matter what place you live. Therefore, F. Scott Fitzgerald has thoroughly displayed the myth of the American Dream.