Gatsby and the American Dream

Jay Gatsby’s Realistic Past

  • Gatsby's past is revealed, showcasing his rise to wealth from humble beginnings as James Gatz.

  • His parents were portrayed as unsuccessful, and he rejected their identity early on.

  • Worked various jobs along the South Shore of Lake Superior before meeting Dan Cody.

  • Inherited nothing from Cody due to legal manipulations, yet gained an education that cultivated his new persona.

Gatsby’s Reinvented Past

  • Gatsby redefined himself, embodying an idealized version influenced by the American Dream.

  • Emphasizes the theme of fantasy in wealth and success during the 1920s.

  • Built a persona faithful to his youthful conception of himself.

  • His imagination created a universe of gaudiness, representing a disconnection from reality.

Critique of the Lost Generation

  • Fitzgerald critiques the opulence and moral decay of the Lost Generation through Gatsby's lavish parties.

  • Nick, as an observer, develops a realistic perception of West Egg and its inhabitants.

  • Daisy’s horror at West Egg represents her disconnection from raw wealth and vulgarity.

Gatsby’s Objective: Rewinding the Clock

  • Gatsby’s obsession with the past emphasizes the failures to navigate modernity and change.

  • Seeks to erase time by reclaiming his relationship with Daisy, wishing for her to reject Tom.

  • Expresses a desire to revert to a prior moment in their relationship as if nothing had changed.

The Illusion of the American Dream

  • Gatsby envisions success as a ladder leading to unattainable heights, filled with wonder.

  • Illustrates both the allure and the unattainable nature of the American Dream.

Daisy’s Motivations

  • Daisy feels unfulfilled and insulted by Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle, lacking romantic appeal.

  • Her attraction to Gatsby is tied to perceptions of wealth, emphasized by the phrase "her voice is full of money."

Nick’s Anxiety of Modernism

  • Nick associates Gatsby’s fear of time with his own anxiety about the future and morality amid modernism.

  • Reflects on the past decade’s despair and its implications for the future of humanity as he turns thirty.