Book Review The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

Book Review The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Have you ever experienced American Dream? Well, it is difficult to achieve. Many people think that only hard work, determination, and dedication can lead to American Dream. However, there are much more to it like a puzzle that cannot be solve.

 It’s a disillusionment that any individual could achieve wealth and success. Therefore, many authors address American Dream in their work. For example, the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the article “Rethinking the American Dream” by David Kamp, and the article “ Self Man Made- No Such Thing” by Mike Myatt all support the argument that American dream is misleading, unattainable, and destructive.

            The novel The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920s in New York told by Nick Carraway. It is about Jay Gatsby, who comes from nothing but dirt rag to a wealthy and corrupt rich man in order to get his lover, Daisy Buchanan. For this reason, he try to achieve this goal by giving his determination, hard work, and dedication. Also, he is involved in corruption with Wolfsheim, who is infamous gambler.

            Unfortunately, he fails his goal at the end. For example, when Nick asks Wolfsheim if he start Gatsby in business, he states, “ Start him! I made him” (Fitzgerald 171). This statement demonstrates how American Dream is misleading and unattainable, because Gatsby is involved in corruption and it is the only way that will lead to success and wealth in order to get Daisy, because he is not born with wealth and Daisy is.

             Moreover, she is married with Tom Buchanan, a man that is born in a rich background too. He fails to achieve his ultimate goal and corruption is mislead him to his downfall. Furthermore, Nick said, “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. So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Fitzgerald 180). 

             It illustrates that the green light is the hope and American Dream of Gatsby in which the green light is the light from Daisy’s house. Also, Nick talks about how Gatsby looks at the green light and tries to reach it everyday. However, American Dream is unattainable and destructive. He fails to get Daisy back and without her he did not know what to do, because for five years he been working his life out with determination for her.

 

            Another source that support the argument is the article, “Rethinking the American Dream”. It’s about many different era, which is related to American Dream and rethinking how it impact the society. Moreover, it goes more in depth about American Dream. For example, the author states, “ The American Dream should require hard work, but it should not require 80 hour workweeks and parents who never see their kids from across the dinner table. The American Dream entail a first rate education for every child, but not an education that leaves no extra time for the actual enjoyment of childhood” (Kamp 15). 

            The author indicates that the actual American Dream needs hard work and more in which it doesn’t let any individuals to enjoy life with family, friends, and for themselves. Many individuals have been mislead by working extremely hard and not enjoying their life. It will be unattainable if you don’t meet the goal and destructive.

             For example, it might lead to divorce, separation, stress, and more. In addition, Kamp said, “ The American Dream was now almost by the defintion unattainable, a moving target that eluded people’s grasp: nothing was ever enough. It compelled Americans to set unmeetable goals for themselves and then consider themselves failures when these goals, inevitably, went unmet” (Kamp 13). Kamp indicates that many people set unmeetable goals like the American Dream in which will lead to beunattainable. Then, it will quickly become destructive, because those people will get stress, despressed, and think they are failures. Many people work hard and show determination, but fails.

 

            From the previously sources, this article relates to the argument too. The article “Self Made Man- No Such Thing” is about leadership and how many people follow the idea that American Dream can only be achieve by hard work, determination, and dedication. However, Mike Myatt, the author of this article, disapproves this idea and believe in a different way by giving tips about being a leader and successful.

            For instance, the writer believes, “ Realizing that you need help is a sign of leadership maturtiy, and asking for help is a sign of leadership sophistication” (Myatt 1). This relates to American Dream by showing people that it is not only about themselves and they are mislead by doing everything on their own and putting stress on themselves. He suggests that asking for help, doesn’t make you a failure, but a sign of leadership.

       

             Furthermore, he states, “Today’s “pop leadership” culture seems to encourage personal glorification above all else. Here’s the thing- real leaders don’t take credit, they give it. While I take complete responsibility for all failures and shortcomings, I take very little credit for my own success. Virtually all of the good things that have happened to me over the years have been the result of the collaborative efforts of many” (Myatt 1). Myatt is trying to indicate that American Dream is unattainable and destructive, because in real life it is not about personal glorification, but that how American Dream is all about, wealth and success. It can’t be achieve and if people take all credit it will hunt them back, because business is all about collabortion and leadership in which will lead to a downfall.

 

            All in all, American Dream is misleading, unattainable, and destructive. Many people  have experience the result of not achieving it. Therefore, it might lead to a difficult outcome. Therefore, people should consider the good in life such as working at a job you like and still get to spend time with family and friends.

The great gatsby summary,the great gatsby cast,the great gatsby characters,the great gatsby chapter 1,the great gatsby movie,the great gatsby book.

Book Review: THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini click here.

Book Review: WARLIGHT by Michael Ondaatje click here.

Book Review: To kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee click here.