Some people might believe that Jay Gatsby does not represent the American Dream of a hard worker because of the way he gained his wealth. The summer before going off to war he met a girl named Daisy whom he fell in love with. Gatsby knew that Daisy who came from a wealthy family, would not marry a poor man like him. This caused him to lie and tell her that he did come from a wealthy family.
After the war, Gatsby knew that he had to get back to Daisy, but he soon discovered that she was marrIED to a wealthy man named Tom. This caused Gatsby to do whatever it takes to become rich. Later when Gatsby and Tom were arguing in the hotel, Tom admitted that he did a background check on Gatsby. Turns out that ” Gatsby and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug stores ..
. and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of Gatsby’s little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger” said Tom (Fitzgerald 133). This shows that Gatsby has done illegal things in order to become rich. Although Gatsby did become a rich man, his line of work doesn’t make him a hard worker. In reality, Gatsby went the easy way out in order to gain his wealth. Jay Gatsby is nothing, but a man who commits crimes such as bootlegging in order to earn his money and become successful.
That is why Gatsby does not represent the american dream However that first perspective is usually wrong because Gatsby life started on a farm with a poor family. Gatsby knew he didn’t want to live like his family, he had bigger dreams and goals in life. He did everything and anything possible to reach the top. Gatsby’s father knew that Gatsby was set to be great. As Gatsby’s’ father told Nick “Gatsby was bound to get ahead .
.. do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind? He was always great for that (Fitzgerald 173).” This can be shown that Gatsby was always bound to rise to the top. Although, Gatsby journey to becoming rich was not easy.
His journey started on a boat working for a wealthy man named Dan Cody. After five years on the boat with Dan Cody he learned about the world of the rich. It gave Gatsby an understanding of a world that he has never seen and influenced him to become a rich man himself. In the end Gatsby does represent the American Dream because through many difficulties in his life, he died a wealthy man.In the end Gatsby does represent the American Dream. He decided that he wanted to be successful and wealthy in his life and he set a goal to do it. He did achieve his goal, no matter how and what he did to get there.
He never let his difficulties and weakness define who he was in life. He uses every experience in his life as a learning tool, such as his love for Daisy, his experience in the military, his experience in Oxford, his experience on the boat, and his experience with humiliation. There are many people in my family, who had similar experiences with Jay Gatsby. Such as, my father, and my grandfather.
They both came to the United States with very little money. They had many dreams and goals they wanted to achieve, they never gave up. Through their hard work and dedication they never let anything get in their way and that was their key to becoming successful.
Like Gatsby they all had the same dream to be successful. Jay Gatsby is truly a representation of achieving the American Dream of making life better for themselves just like many people who come to America to make live better for themselves and their families.
