The American Dream - "The Great Gatsby"

Everybody has a concept of "The American Dream". Merriam-Webster's definition is: an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity. To achieve the American Dream, a person should have money, upward mobility, cars, be married with the perfect average of 2.5 kids, and freedom. The person should be a hard working and self-made man to deserve what he has strived for. In "The Great Gatsby", by F. Scott Fitzgerald, most of the characters don't …

…beautiful little fool." (21) Daisy tells Nick what she said when her daughter was born. She wants her daughter to be a "fool" so that she won't understand and be hurt if her husband mistreats her or is disloyal to her. The American Dream is a goal, or a plan, to have a perfect spouse, children, home, life. The characters in this book wish that they had that, but don't try hard enough to get it.