Nick attempts to show Jay the flaw of his dream, but Jay innocently replies to Nick's statement that the past cannot be relived by saying, "Can't repeat the past?.Why of course you can!" (116). This shows the confidence that Jay has in reviving his relationship with Daisy. For Jay, his American Dream is not material possessions, although it may seem that way. The corruption of the American dream can be illustrated by how Gatsby came by his fortune. Through his dealings with organized crime, he didn't adhere to the original American Dream guidelines; that states money comes from hard work. His dishonesty that allowed him to get the wealth and connections to be near Daisy is also the very thing that would make it impossible for him to live in Daisy's world, or she in his. In effect, pursuing his dream without thought to honesty or morality, Gatsby .
guaranteed that his dream would not come true. .
In the book, the characters distort the meaning of the American Dream through .
many ways, including marriage. They become so materialistic that they are willing to do anything in order to get more material items. Generally, when people get married it is because they love one another, but in The Great Gatsby, the upper class' weddings are mainly for social purposes. This leads the greedy people to marry someone for status purposes only; which in turn, haunts them in the end through the adulterous acts of their spouse. The first time we come into contact with an adulterous act is when Jordan Baker informs Nick about Tom's affair. She informs Nick that, "Tom's got some woman in New York" (15). It is obvious that they are not truly in love but they are married because their social standings make them perfect for one another. Soon after that, Tom drives up to go see his mistress, taking Nick with him. Nick is surprised at what he sees, "The interior was unprosperous and bare; the only car visible was the dust-covered wreck of a Ford, which crouched, in a dim corner.