The True American Dream
The American dream can be described in many different ways. For some, the American dream is being surrounded by lots of people with lots of money. This is the life of Jay Gatsby. For others, money doesn’t matter, it’s being with the one person you love. The latter of the two, is Gatsby’s dream. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates two views of the American dream. While most might assume that Gatsby it happy with his lavish life, Jay Gatsby is not living the American dream.
When Nick Carraway moves into his new home next to a very lavish mansion, he mentions too many that his new neighbor is none other than Jay Gatsby. Most people know whom he is and that he is notorious for throwing very crazy large parties. Jay Gatsby is a very well known man that is constantly surrounded by people. He is also very successful and handsome. Many people would argue that Jay Gatsby was living the “American Dream” but in reality that is not the case. When Nick arrives home from a night at his cousins, where Gatsby was discussed, he “decided to call to him. Miss Baker had mentioned him at dinner, that would do for an introduction. But I didn’t call to him for he gave a sudden imitation that he was content to be alone.” (25). Gatsby is constantly around people that expect a lot from him. He is very well known because he is successful and wealthy, but because of this he is never left alone. He lives by himself in a large home but is never truly alone.
Gatsby soon becomes close to Nick, and starts taking him everywhere. Nick is very confused by the sudden kindness until Jordan reveals to him Gatsby’s true reason as to why he is suddenly so nice. Gatsby has been in love with Daisy Buchannan, Nick’s second cousin, and is hoping Nick will agree to arrange a meeting. Nick agrees and at first things are very uncomfortable, but soon they warm up to each other and it seems as though they have fallen in love again. Gatsby soon realizes he cannot be happy without Daisy. He’s “’going to fix everything just the way it was before,’” he said, nodding determinedly. ‘She’ll see.’ He talked a lot about the past and I gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy.” (117). Gatsby has all of this money and lots of material items. He is also a very handsome man that could get virtually any woman he desired. But he feels as though his life is not complete without Daisy. He misses the way he used to be with her. No money or thing in the world could fill the void of not being with Daisy.
Although Jay Gatsby had everything anyone could have wanted he was missing one thing. Daisy Buchannan, married to George Buchannan, the love of his life. Most people would tell Gatsby to move on and enjoy his very privileged life. But he couldn’t, not without Daisy. Jay Gatsby was not living the American dream because he had everything but the one thing that truly mattered.