Jay Gatsby: Achiever of the American Dream, or Fool?

The American Dream, which is to achieve financial success in the business world and the highest social status in the personal atmosphere, is portrayed adequately in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It is a prime source of understanding how one cannot establish the difference between a dream of something one wishes to attain, and the actual reality of that person and the thing they want most. The use of the American Dream in this novel is not a very promising and hopeful source, however. It is full of corruption and how the American Dream can ruin a person mentally, physically, and emotionally. Although Gatsby grew up as the son of unsuccessful farmers, nevertheless, he went on to attain monetary commodities and items only the financially successful could achieve because his love for Daisy became the prime source for his devotion and motivation in becoming the perfect man for Daisy to love.

Also, the highest point in society that a person can achieve is that of the American Dream. If a man has nothing to his name, has the motivation to become somebody that is somewhat significant in the world, and achieves that goal, then he has achieved the American Dream:

On the contrary, Jay Gatsby, otherwise known as James Gatz, was born to unsuccessful farmers with no financial backing. He changed his name with his life; a starting over, when he met a man named Dan Cody. Gatsby stayed with Cody for five years, and Dan inspired him to achieve financial success. Although Dan Cody was Gatsby's inspiration, Daisy was his motivation. Gatsby believed that if he could acquire physical items Daisy would approve of, then she would eventually come around emotionally and approve of Gatsby himself. Gatsby first met Daisy as a poor young man going off to war in hopes that she would wait for him. Daisy married into a promising subsidy instead. After Gatsby had uncovered this information he vowed to do everything he thought would win Daisy over, even if it meant changing his entire lifestyle. The American Dream allows Gatsby to attain such possessions over his attempt at change and these are talked about profusely by Gatsby himself. He gloats of such things when not around them, and gives an explanation of everything when he actually is around them. For instance, when Gatsby takes Daisy over to his house to show her around, and he throws his shirts around the room, he is trying to impress her with his material possessions instead of his august knowledge.

Moreover, Gatsby's peers did not appreciate what Gatsby had consummated in his lifetime. Some who attended his house made comments and sneered at his ways, such as the visitors with Tom when he first met Gatsby.

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