American Dream in The Great Gatsby - Assignment Example

Vulnerable – An individual or thing that is capable of being physically or emotionally wounded. Feigned – This is the past tense of a verb that means to give a false appearance. Excursion – An excursion is a journey, a process of going out or forth Temperament – This refers to a person’s inner being, specifically their characteristic or habitual inclination or mode of emotional response. Epigram – An epigram is a terse, sage, or witty and often paradoxical saying.

Phenomenon – A phenomenon is an object or aspect known through the senses instead of through thought or intuition Courtesy – The consideration, cooperation, and generosity given when providing something (as a gift or privilege).  It can also refer to the way a person treats another. Supercilious – An attitude where one person behaves coolly and patronizingly haughty. Fractiousness – A behavior in which someone tends to be troublesome. Conscientious – Behavior that is modeled to the dictates of conscience; a scrupulous individual who follows the rules.

Everything is about appearances and there’s almost no substance anymore.  In order to impress people these days, you have to drive a high-dollar vehicle like a Mercedes or a Lexus or at least drive something brand new or different like Gatsby’s yellow car.  You have to own a house with decent square footage or a really cool apartment with all the new gadgets and you have to have the latest in technology in all areas of your life, from your car stereo to your cell phone if you want to be taken seriously.

  In the end, though, no one takes the time to develop deeper qualities because they’re too busy making sure they look like they have them.  Gatsby had all the wealth he needed, but he still spent a great deal of energy and time collecting things that would impress other people, he didn’t really spend any time working to improve himself.  Daisy had everything she could want and more.  Since she had it all, she could look like she had it all and she was bored with everything else.

  Society works on the appearance and then provides no direction once the ideal has been reached.  That’s what was the central idea of the book to me.  It wasn’t that these characters were so flawed because they each achieved a high degree of success.  The problem was that once they’d achieved the ideal, there was nowhere left for them to go.  The American Dream is seen as empty because it provides no outlet for human connection.