The American Dream Is Not Out Of Reach (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay Example)

As Bernie Sanders once said “For many, the American dream has become a nightmare”. For centuries many people can still account for wishing to be more than what they are. To accomplish more than what they have done… or to finally achieve that so-called American dream. But how can that dream be attained when there's a disadvantage from the get go? Is there nothing else to do but to just accept it? The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is still relevant today because it shows that the American dream is unattainable for those who are born impoverished, due to the systemic oppression of the working class. Gatsby falls down this endless loop of craving acceptance from his peers and purpose, and readers are able to follow him through this downward spiral.

The American dream is often based on wealth and possession, and not hard work. As Gatsby said “Her voice is full of money… That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money… High in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl” (99). When Gatsby listens to Daisy's angelic voice he automatically ties it with her wealth. Daisy had always been rich since birth, so it's safe to assume that Gatsby thinks her angelic aura is due to this. This could also tie to his pursuit for wealth. His attraction with money is starting to show through, and the lines between obsession and fascination start to blur. Gastby starts to become obsessed with trying to get his hands on more power. He craves Daisy, to be like her too. To have the wealth and social status as well. They flaunt their wealth, success, and bloodline. In Gatsby’s eyes it’s people like Daisy and Tom that appear to have achieved the American dream. The American dream represents the possibility to make something of yourself when you’ve come from nothing. That hard work will result in your success. Gatsby takes this narrative and flips it 180 degrees, and assumes that the more possession he has over others: the more successful he’ll be. Even though he’s already become wealthy enough he still wants to be more than what he already is. The greed that consumes him puts him on this path of addiction for more power. Sadly enough the scandalous house parties, mansion, and cars that Gatsby gets his hands on are nothing compared to what real power is like. A family name.

Gatsby achieved financial success but still wasn't accepted by the upper class. As Tom said “I suppose the last thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife” (130). During this time in the book Gatsby was fighting tooth and nail to steal Daisy for himself, and was unsuccessful in his efforts. Tom was having none of it, and was physically repulsed that Gatsby would even think to do such a thing; oddly enough Tom was doing the same thing with Myrtle, and cheating on his wife. Even though Gatsby had all the cars, houses and power that other people in the upper class had. He was still seen as lower than his peers. Even by doing the same actions as Tom refers to him as a nobody solely due to the fact that he was born impoverished. It’s always been a setback for Gatsby, and other characters in the book like Tom don't seem to let it go. They saw him as inferior not because he was rich, or famous but because he started poor. It’s this ever blooming dark rain cloud following Gatsby around at any given hour. Characters in the book that we truly see hold much power are people like Tom, and Daisy that come from powerful blood lines. Gatsby's riches and wealth is nothing compared to what they have, and the characters in the book use it as leverage over him. Everything that Gatsby had been longing for (mostly making up on materialistic things) didn’t matter in the long run. His quest for this so-called dream never gave him the happy fairy tail life he wanted. All due to the fact that his past was different from theirs, and that he was originally impoverished.

The working class is taken advantage time after time again. Fitzgerald cleverly uses Gatsby and Mrytles death to prove of this. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then re- treated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other peo- ple clean up the mess they had made” (179). The thing in this case that they smashed would be Gatsby’s life. All his dreams and hopes of getting Daisy back were gone in a flash. Just like Myrtle's life that was taken away from her by Daisy. Who’s there to clean up this mess? The working class, they have to deal with the bad decisions of the rich 1% like Tom and Daisy. They get to cover up their dirty work while people who are in lower financial situations have to deal with the consequences. Gatsby might not be working class; but his roots are still there and it seems that he got the short end of the bargain regardless of his success now. Gatsby gets shot by Myrtle's husband, and Myrtle is run over by Daisy. This further proves the fact that the working class will always be at a disadvantage. Daisy was only able to get away with the crime due to her political power, and in conclusion eventually led to Gatsby’s death. The way that Fitzgerald intelligently intertwines their deaths is brilliant. They both die due to other rich people's bad decisions, and can’t do anything about it. This is still a universal problem till this day. The working class is still being taken advantage of by being denied opportunities from the get-go. They will always be at a disadvantage, which doesn’t even give the working class the luxury to achieve the American Dream. 

Gatsby's dream to have the utmost power comes to a sudden halt when he finally realizes he'll never be like those who are part of the top 1%. His past and previous impoverity will forever deny him opportunities that rich folks have. Situations like this leads to the working class being taken advantage of and exploited, and is a universal problem still happening in the world today. F. Scott Fitzgerald does a wonderful job of portraying Gatsby's journey downhill along with other characters, by putting character at their breaking points. In conclusion The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is still relevant today because it proves that the American dream will forever be out of reach for those who are born impoverished, due to the ongoing systemic oppression of the lower classes.