Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby

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The American Dream

Written: Feb 26 '01

Product Rating:

Pros: strong theme, great writing, novel portrays how life really is

Cons: None really, it may have dragged on a little in the middle before the conflict

The Bottom Line: Incredible novel which describes how the American Dream has been corrupted.

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Moller's Full Review: The Great Gatsby

The American Dream was the central theme in the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The American Dream included people trying to have as many possessions as possible to achieve a rich persons status. Then people being very involved with cars and the conflicts that arise with their cars. Lastly, Dr. T.J. Eckleburg watching over the Valley of Ashes and a society corrupting itself. F. Scott Fitzgerald used symbolism and conflict to reveal the original American Dream had sadly been destroyed.

The American Dream is now all about money so people can feel that they've succeeded. In the past the dream was just to have some land for your crops, a place to live and be able to support your family and the freedom to choose your own religion. People used to work really hard to achieve those things but in the novel they take money for granted which leads to corruption. One of the ways wealth is displayed in the novel is through their cars. Gatsby believes that cars are a way to show your wealth as shown by this quote, "He saw me looking with admiration at his car. It's pretty, isn't it, old sport." This is why he has a yellowish gold colored car because it symbolizes his achievements and a wealthy person's status. The following quote describes his car, "It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here

and there in its monstrous length." Gatsby had earned his money through bootlegging and gambling, which shows that he will go to any extent to achieve the dream of having money. Gatsby used his wealth to acquire the dream. His friend Wolfsheim even fixed our country's biggest game of the year, the World Series. Money is a very big deal in this novel; everyone wants it and when they have it they show it off. Everyone wants to have spendy, flashy items to show their wealth. They try to acquire as many possessions and other materials to enhance their status.

There are three main conflicts that arise when it comes to the wealth status of cars. Gatsby has his parties so everyone can see that he is a wealthy man. The first conflict comes about after his first party; when Owl Eyes is a passenger in a car that crashes. This shows a wreck and a conflict being destroyed when a bystander replies, "But the wheel's off."