Paper:106 -The Twentieth Century Literature: 1900 to World War II

 This blog is part of Assignment of Paper - 106: The Twentieth Century Literature: 1900 to World War II

The American Dream: Illusion vs. Reality

Table of Contents : 

• Personal Information
• Assignment Details
• Research Question
• Introduction
• About Author
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Gatsby’s Pursuit of the American Dream
• Tom and Daisy: The Corrupt Elite
• The Valley of Ashes: The Failure of the Dream
• The Green Light: Hope vs. Disillusionment 
• The Past vs. The Future: The Unattainable Dream
• Conclusion 

Personal Information :

Name:- Sagarbhai Bokadiya

Batch:- M.A. Sem 2 (2024-2026)

Roll no:- 24

Enrollment Number:- 5108240009

E-mail Address:- sagarbokadiya513@gmail.com 

Assignment Details : 

Unit-3 :- The Great Gatsby

Topic :- The American Dream: Illusion vs. Reality

Paper code:- 22399

Paper - 106:-The Twentieth Century Literature:1900 to World War II

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar

Date of Submission:- 

 Research Question:

"How does F. Scott Fitzgerald critique the American Dream in The Great Gatsby, and what does the novel suggest about its attainability and corruption in the 1920s?"

Introduction:

The American Dream—the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work and determination—has long been a central theme in American culture. However, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, this ideal is portrayed as an illusion, revealing the harsh reality of class divisions and moral decay in the 1920s. Set against the backdrop of the Jazz Age, the novel follows Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, who strives to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan, through wealth and status. Despite his immense success, Gatsby ultimately fails, illustrating the limitations of the American Dream.

Fitzgerald contrasts Gatsby’s dream with the carelessness of old money elites, such as Tom and Daisy Buchanan, who inherit their wealth and remain untouched by consequences. Meanwhile, working-class characters like George Wilson represent the forgotten masses who struggle endlessly but never attain prosperity. Through symbols like the green light, which represents Gatsby’s unreachable dream, and the Valley of Ashes, which signifies the failure of the working class, Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream as an unattainable fantasy.

This unit will explore how The Great Gatsby reveals the illusion of the American Dream, arguing that wealth and success are not truly accessible to all, but rather controlled by rigid social hierarchies. By examining Gatsby’s rise and fall, as well as the corruption and inequality within the novel’s world, this analysis will demonstrate how Fitzgerald dismantles the notion of the American Dream as a path to genuine fulfillment and happiness.

About Author :

F. Scott Fitzgerald:

Full Name: Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald

Born: September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Died: December 21, 1940, in Hollywood, California, USA

Early Life & Education

F. Scott Fitzgerald was born into a middle-class family and showed an early talent for writing. He attended Princeton University, where he wrote for literary magazines but struggled academically. He eventually dropped out in 1917 to join the U.S. Army during World War I.

Writing Career & Major Works

Fitzgerald’s literary career took off with the publication of This Side of Paradise (1920), a novel about youth, love, and social ambition. The book made him famous and helped him marry Zelda Sayre, his longtime love and muse.

His most famous novel, The Great Gatsby (1925), is a critique of the American Dream and the excesses of the 1920s. Though it wasn’t an immediate success, it is now considered one of the greatest American novels.

Personal Life & Struggles:

Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda were known for their extravagant lifestyle, which mirrored the themes of his books. However, financial troubles and Zelda’s mental illness (she was later diagnosed with schizophrenia) put strain on their lives. Fitzgerald also struggled with alcoholism, which affected his writing career.

Legacy & Death:

Fitzgerald died of a heart attack at the age of 44, believing himself to be a failure. However, after World War II, his work—especially The Great Gatsby—gained widespread recognition. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest American writers, capturing the essence of the Jazz Age and the disillusionment of the American Dream.

Abstract:

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby serves as a powerful critique of the American Dream, highlighting the illusion of success and the harsh reality of social divisions in 1920s America. This paper explores how the novel portrays the American Dream as an unattainable fantasy, particularly through the character of Jay Gatsby, whose relentless pursuit of wealth and love ultimately leads to his downfall. The contrast between old money (Tom and Daisy Buchanan) and new money (Gatsby) reflects the rigid class structures that prevent upward mobility. Additionally, the novel’s symbolic elements, such as the green light and the Valley of Ashes, emphasize the moral and social decay underlying material success. By examining these aspects, this paper argues that Fitzgerald presents the American Dream not as an achievable goal, but as a myth corrupted by materialism and inequality.

Keywords 

General Keywords:

The American Dream, Illusion vs. Reality, Social Class, Wealth and Power, Materialism, Disillusionment, Social Inequality, Corruption, Pursuit of Success, Moral Decay.

Character-Specific Keywords:

Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson, Nick Carraway.

Symbolism & Themes:

The Green Light, The Valley of Ashes, Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, Old Money vs. New Money, Class Divide, The Jazz Age, The Roaring Twenties, Wealth vs. Happiness, Fate vs. Free Will, Dream vs. Reality.

Critical Analysis Keywords:

Fitzgerald’s Critique, Social Commentary, The Illusion of Success, Nostalgia and the Past, The Failure of the American Dream, The Role of Wealth, Power and Privilege, The Corrupt Elite, Tragic Hero, Symbolic Representation.

Gatsby’s Pursuit of the American Dream

Jay Gatsby is the embodiment of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby, as he rises from a poor background to immense wealth through sheer ambition and determination. However, Fitzgerald presents Gatsby’s pursuit as ultimately doomed, highlighting the illusion of the American Dream and the social barriers that prevent true success.

Gatsby’s dream is centered on winning back Daisy Buchanan, the woman he loved before leaving for war. He believes that acquiring wealth and status will allow him to rewrite the past and restore their love. To achieve this, he amasses a fortune through illegal activities, throwing extravagant parties in hopes that Daisy will one day appear. Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle reflects the materialistic values of the Jazz Age, where wealth is mistaken for happiness and success. However, despite his efforts, Gatsby remains an outsider in the world of the old money elite.

Fitzgerald contrasts Gatsby’s idealistic dream with the harsh reality of social class divisions. Unlike Tom and Daisy, who inherit their wealth and remain in a privileged position, Gatsby’s newly acquired fortune does not grant him true acceptance. No matter how much he tries to become part of their world, he is still seen as inferior. His dream of rekindling his relationship with Daisy is also unrealistic, as she has moved on and is unwilling to leave her privileged life.

Gatsby’s tragic downfall—his death and Daisy’s abandonment of him—reveals the fundamental flaw of the American Dream. His relentless pursuit of wealth and love blinds him to reality, proving that success is not always attainable, especially in a society where class and privilege dictate one’s fate. Through Gatsby’s failure, Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream as an illusion, showing that material success does not guarantee happiness, fulfillment, or social mobility.

Tom and Daisy: The Corrupt Elite

In The Great Gatsby, Tom and Daisy Buchanan represent the corrupt elite—those born into privilege who exploit their wealth and status while remaining indifferent to the consequences of their actions. Unlike Gatsby, who tirelessly pursues the American Dream, Tom and Daisy already possess everything society deems valuable: money, power, and social prestige. However, Fitzgerald portrays them as morally bankrupt, using their privilege to escape responsibility while others suffer for their recklessness.

Tom Buchanan embodies the arrogance and entitlement of old money. He is wealthy, powerful, and deeply prejudiced, believing in his superiority over those of lower social status. His affair with Myrtle Wilson, a working-class woman, highlights his disregard for morality and the people he considers beneath him. Despite his unfaithfulness, Tom reacts violently when Daisy’s loyalty to him is threatened, showing his hypocritical and possessive nature. His ability to manipulate situations—such as shifting the blame for Myrtle’s death onto Gatsby—demonstrates how the elite use their power to control narratives and avoid consequences.

Daisy, on the other hand, is a symbol of beauty and charm but is ultimately shallow and self-centered. Gatsby idolizes her, believing she represents love and happiness, but in reality, she prioritizes security and social status over true emotion. When Gatsby takes the blame for Myrtle’s death, Daisy does not defend him or show any remorse; instead, she retreats into the comfort of her wealth with Tom. Her actions reveal the emptiness of high society and how privilege shields the elite from accountability.

Together, Tom and Daisy embody the corruption of the American Dream. They exploit their wealth and status while remaining detached from the suffering of others. In the end, they escape unscathed, leaving destruction in their wake, while Gatsby, who worked for his success, faces a tragic downfall. Through these characters, Fitzgerald critiques the hypocrisy and moral decay of the privileged class, showing that in a society driven by wealth, the American Dream is an illusion reserved for the already powerful.

The Valley of Ashes: The Failure of the Dream

The Valley of Ashes in The Great Gatsby serves as a powerful symbol of the failure of the American Dream. Situated between the opulence of West Egg and the extravagance of New York City, this desolate wasteland represents the struggles of the working class, who toil endlessly but never attain the success promised by the American Dream. Through its bleak imagery and the fate of its inhabitants, Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes to expose the social and economic inequality that prevents true upward mobility.

The Valley of Ashes is described as a gray, barren landscape covered in dust and industrial waste. This lifeless setting contrasts sharply with the luxurious mansions of Gatsby and the Buchanans, emphasizing the divide between the wealthy elite and the working poor. It is home to George and Myrtle Wilson, who, like many others, are trapped in a cycle of poverty with no way to escape. George, a hardworking but struggling garage owner, represents those who believe in the promise of success but never achieve it. Meanwhile, Myrtle, desperate to escape her circumstances, has an affair with Tom Buchanan, mistakenly believing that wealth and status will bring her happiness. However, her tragic death underscores the harsh reality that the American Dream is not attainable for everyone, especially those without privilege.

Another significant symbol within the Valley of Ashes is the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, a faded billboard looming over the desolate landscape. These haunting, abandoned eyes can be interpreted as a godlike figure watching over a morally decayed world, or as a representation of the empty promises of the American Dream. The people of the Valley of Ashes work tirelessly, but their efforts go unnoticed by those in power, reinforcing the theme that success is often dictated by birthright rather than hard work.

Ultimately, the Valley of Ashes reveals the dark side of the American Dream. While Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy indulge in their wealth, the working class remains stuck in a bleak reality, with no means to rise above their station. Through this contrast, Fitzgerald critiques the illusion of opportunity and exposes the inherent social inequality that prevents true economic and social mobility. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is not a path to success for all, but a broken promise that benefits only the privileged few.

The Green Light: Hope vs. Disillusionment

One of the most significant symbols in The Great Gatsby is the green light at the end of Daisy Buchanan’s dock. This small, distant light represents Jay Gatsby’s ultimate dream—reuniting with Daisy and reclaiming their past love.

However, as the novel progresses, the green light comes to symbolize more than just Gatsby’s personal aspirations. It reflects the broader theme of the American Dream, embodying both hope and the inevitable disillusionment that follows.

At the beginning of the novel, Gatsby is often seen staring longingly at the green light, which represents everything he desires but cannot quite reach. It serves as a symbol of hope, showing his belief that he can achieve his dream if he works hard enough. Just as the American Dream promises success through determination, Gatsby believes that his wealth and status will allow him to win Daisy’s love and recreate the past. His relentless pursuit of the green light mirrors the way many people chase after the promise of a better future, often without realizing that their dreams are unattainable.

However, the green light also represents illusion and disillusionment. As Nick Carraway observes, Gatsby’s dream is based on an idealized version of Daisy that no longer exists. Even when Gatsby finally reunites with her, he slowly realizes that she is not the perfect woman he imagined. The light, which once seemed so magical and full of promise, loses its meaning as Gatsby’s illusion crumbles. Similarly, the American Dream is shown to be flawed—no matter how hard Gatsby works, he can never truly belong to the upper class, and his dream of happiness remains out of reach.

By the end of the novel, the green light becomes a symbol of the unattainable. Gatsby dies still believing in his dream, but the reader understands that his pursuit was always doomed. In the final lines of the book, Nick reflects on how the American Dream, like Gatsby’s dream, is built on the idea of an ideal future that is always just beyond reach:

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning"

This passage suggests that while people continue to chase their dreams, they often remain trapped by the illusions of the past. Fitzgerald uses the green light to highlight both the hope that drives people to pursue their dreams and the inevitable disillusionment that comes when those dreams prove to be unachievable. In the end, the green light is not just Gatsby’s symbol—it represents the fading promise of the American Dream itself.

The Past vs. The Future: The Unattainable Dream

One of the most tragic aspects of Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream is his obsession with the past. Unlike traditional interpretations of the American Dream—where individuals look forward to a brighter future through hard work and success—Gatsby’s dream is inherently flawed because it is tied to his desire to recreate what he once had with Daisy Buchanan. He does not simply want wealth for its own sake; he wants it as a means to restore the past and relive an idealized version of his relationship with Daisy. This conflict between the past and the future highlights the illusion of the American Dream and its ultimate failure.

Gatsby’s belief that he can “repeat the past” is evident when he confidently tells Nick, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” This statement reveals Gatsby’s inability to accept reality. He assumes that by acquiring immense wealth and social status, he can erase the five years that have passed and make Daisy love him as she once did. However, what Gatsby fails to realize is that Daisy has moved on—she has married Tom, had a child, and become deeply entrenched in the world of old money. No matter how much Gatsby achieves, he can never truly belong to that world or make Daisy forget her current life.

This struggle between the past and the future is a reflection of the American Dream itself. Many people believe that through sheer determination, they can overcome any obstacle and achieve success. However, Fitzgerald argues that just as Gatsby cannot change the past, many individuals pursuing the American Dream cannot escape the social and economic limitations imposed on them. The dream remains just out of reach, much like Gatsby’s vision of Daisy and the life he longs for.

This idea is reinforced in the symbolism of the green light. At the beginning of the novel, Gatsby gazes across the bay at the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, stretching out his arms as if he can almost touch it. The light represents both hope and illusion—it is Gatsby’s ultimate goal, yet it remains distant and unattainable. Similarly, the American Dream often appears within reach, but for many, it remains an illusion that can never be fully realized. By the end of the novel, the green light loses its significance, symbolizing Gatsby’s shattered dream and the broader disillusionment with the American Dream itself.

Fitzgerald emphasizes this theme in the novel’s famous final passage:

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning"

Here, Fitzgerald suggests that people will always chase after an idealized future, just as Gatsby chases his dream of Daisy. However, the dream is never fully attainable—it always “recedes before us”, forever just beyond our grasp. This highlights the tragic nature of the American Dream, as individuals remain caught between the hope of success and the inevitable reality of failure.

Conclusion

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald presents the American Dream as an illusion—an unattainable ideal corrupted by materialism, social class barriers, and moral decay. Through Jay Gatsby’s relentless pursuit of wealth and love, the novel demonstrates how the promise of success is often overshadowed by the rigid social structures that prevent true mobility. Gatsby’s belief that he can recreate the past and win Daisy through financial success ultimately leads to his downfall, revealing the flaws in the American Dream.

Characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan further highlight the deep inequalities in society. As members of the wealthy elite, they use their privilege to escape consequences, reinforcing the idea that wealth and power are inherited rather than earned. Meanwhile, the Valley of Ashes serves as a grim reminder of those who work tirelessly but never achieve prosperity, exposing the false hope that the American Dream offers to the working class. The green light, once a symbol of hope, ultimately represents the unattainability of dreams, reflecting Gatsby’s tragic fate and the disillusionment of those who chase success.

Ultimately, The Great Gatsby critiques the idea that hard work alone can lead to success. Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is not accessible to all, but rather controlled by social class and privilege. The novel serves as a timeless reflection on ambition, inequality, and the disillusionment that often accompanies the pursuit of dreams. Even today, Gatsby’s story resonates, prompting readers to question whether the American Dream is truly achievable—or just an illusion that forever recedes into the distance.

Works sited : 

• Burnam, Tom. “The Eyes of Dr. Eckleburg: A Re-Examination of ‘The Great Gatsby.’” College English, vol. 14, no. 1, 1952, pp. 7–12. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/371821 . Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

• Eble, Kenneth. “The Great Gatsby.” College Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, 1974, pp. 34–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25111007 . Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

• Martinez, Julia. "The Great Gatsby". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Great-Gatsby . Accessed 1 March 2025.

• Mizener, and Arthur. “F. Scott Fitzgerald | Biography, Education, Books, and Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Feb. 2025, www.britannica.com/biography/F-Scott-Fitzgerald .

• The Great Gatsby. 25 Feb. 2025, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/64317/pg64317-images.html .

Thank You.