Great Gatsby in F. Scott

Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, the title character is portrayed as an impossible dreamer. Jay Gatsby would appear to be the classic "rags to riches" example that embodies the idea of the "American Dream." From a modest Midwest background to the owner of a luxurious mansion on Long Island, Jay Gatsby dreams his dream of becoming rich and recreating himself so that he can get the proverbial girl. What does this novel suggest about the American Dream and its possibilities? Considering the unhappy ending to which nearly all of the characters arrive, the reader might infer that the American Dream is an impossible dream.

Jay Gatsby's main motivation throughout the novel is his love for Daisy. As a young man, he fell in love with the beautiful and wealthy society dame. World War I saved him from the immediate knowledge that "rich girls don't marry poor boys," but he was inevitably disappointed when he discovered that she had married the wealthy Tom Buchanan. Gatsby's subsequent thirst for wealth so that he could impress and win Daisy shows that he believes he can recreate himself and live out a nearly impossible dream. With enough wealth amassed and an impressive mansion right across the Sound from hers, Jay Gatsby feels certain that he can "repeat the past" when Daisy had loved him.