The Great Gatsby: Uncovering the American Dream's Dark Side

The American Dream conjures images of prosperity, success, and self-made millionaires. We associate it with happiness, a better life, and the ability to achieve anything we set our minds to. But F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” (1925) reveals the darker aspects of this dream, the disillusionment, and the rotting heart that lies beneath the glossy surface. Through the story of Jay Gatsby and his unrequited love for Daisy Buchanan, we are forced to confront the ugly realities of the American Dream.

A Synonymous Era: The Roaring Twenties

Set in the Roaring Twenties, a period known for its economic prosperity, consumerism, and blatant materialism, The Great Gatsby is more than just a love story or the tale of one man’s obsession. It is a cautionary tale about the moral decay of a society blinded by wealth and excess. During this era, people pursued happiness through material means, believing that money could buy everything, including love and happiness.

Tragic optimist: Gatsby’s blind pursuit of the American Dream

Though born poor, Gatsby is determined to rise above his humble beginnings and achieve the American Dream. Through illegal means consisting of bootlegging and swindling, Gatsby amasses a fortune, buys a magnificent mansion, and throws lavish parties, all in the hopes of winning the heart of the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, who he believes will complete his transformation into a genuine member of high society.

Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream ultimately leads him to ruin, and he serves as a tragic example of the demise of those who blindly follow this ideal. He is the epitome of a tragic hero, consumed by an ideal he cannot attain.

The disillusionment of wealth: A contrast between old and new money

Fitzgerald uses the characters in The Great Gatsby to illustrate the differences between old and new money, and the ultimate emptiness of material wealth. Old money, represented by characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan, is the inherited wealth of established families. They are cultured, sophisticated, and completely detached from the real world. On the other hand, new money, epitomized by Gatsby, represents the people who accumulate wealth during the economic boom of the 1920s. Gatsby, though desperate to belong to the world of old money, is looked down upon by those who truly belong to it.

Characters like Daisy Buchanan demonstrate the heartlessness and apathy of the upper class. Despite Gatsby’s devotion to her, she ultimately abandons him when it is convenient for her, revealing the emptiness of her own life and her inability to genuinely care for anyone besides herself.

The Valley of Ashes: A symbol of moral decay

The Valley of Ashes, a desolate wasteland located between the homes of the characters and the vibrant, bustling city of New York, serves as a vivid symbol of the moral decay underlying the American Dream. It represents the harsh reality of the world that the characters choose to ignore in favor of their illusions of happiness and success.

As the tragic events unfold and the characters’ lives unravel, it becomes clear that the pursuit of the American Dream does not lead to happiness or fulfillment; instead, it only leads to disillusionment, moral decay, and a hollow existence.

Unveiling the dark side of the American Dream

The Great Gatsby is a timeless and relevant exploration of the darker aspects of the American Dream. Through the lives of its characters, Fitzgerald illustrates the emptiness of a society focused solely on material wealth and exposes the destructive nature of the ideal. As we continue to search for happiness in a world consumed by consumerism and materiality, we would do well to keep in mind the cautionary tale of Jay Gatsby and the lessons his story contains.