The American Dream is a social construct that establishes that all citizens can achieve their aspirations and live an ideal life. In as much as the American Dream appears to be realistic, not every citizen will live it owing to a deep-rooted culture of inequality. The Great Gatsby revolves around the life of Jay Gatsby, a self-made man who could be viewed as the embodiment of the American Dream. The film suggests that the dream has become a nightmare since it has been corrupted, leading to its decline. Benjamin Franklin's assertion that the American Dream is available to all people is incorrect. Jay Gatsby's love for Daisy was not reciprocated; Nick leaves New York after Gatsby is killed, which prevents him from achieving his goals while Daisy ends up in an unhappy marriage marked by infidelity.
Jay Gatsby is keen on achieving the American Dream despite coming from a poor background, being a son of poor Dakota farmers. Gatsby managed to become a very wealthy individual who regularly held extravagant parties at his mansion. The party that Gatsby held is “almost unbelievably luxurious: guests marvel over his Rolls-Royce, his swimming pool, his beach, crates of fresh oranges and lemons…" (Luhrmann, Knapman, Wick, Fisher, and Martin, 2013 , 0:11:24). He hoped that his wealth and the parties would get Daisy to love him so that he would have a complete and more satisfying life. Gatsby befriended Nick Caraway, his neighbor, when he realized that he was Daisy's cousin. Gatsby would invite Nick to the lavish parties hoping that he would come with Daisy, thus giving Gatsby the chance to meet and court her. Gatsby's desire for Daisy is likened with the American Dream in that she seemed very near as the stars are to the moon but he could not have her. This simile is indicative of an elusive dream since Gatsby's efforts to get Daisy are not forthcoming. Gatsby went to the extent of taking the blame for Daisy when she crashed Myrtle's car. Daisy did not reciprocate Gatsby's feelings until later, but their union was short-lived as Gatsby was killed before he could enjoy Daisy's love.
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Nick Carraway is another character who was keen on pursuing the American Dream, which was open to every citizen. He moved from Minnesota to New York to learn the bond business to have a better and fulfilled life. Nick had arrived in New York in the summer of 1922, where he moved to work in the bond business and rented a house on the part of Long Island called West Egg (Luhrmann et al., 2013, 0:05:17). Nick managed to create connections with some of the influential and wealthy men in New York, including Gatsby, his neighbor, to pave the way for more success. Nick made a deal with Gatsby to facilitate a reunion with her cousin Daisy and Gatsby, although she was already married to Tom. This deal and friendship were very important since it allowed Nick to become one of the most influential people in the town. Nick felt that he was in a position to achieve his dreams until Gatsby was killed, something that crashed his aspirations. After organizing Gatsby's funeral, Nick left the city to escape the disgust he felt about the people that had surrounded Gatsby. His departure meant that he had lost his chance of making a fortune from the bond business as he had wanted.
Daisy is another character whose aspirations for achieving the American Dream were dashed since she made the wrong choices. She had an opportunity to relate with several men courting her, but she had decided to wait for Gatsby to offer her happiness. In as much as Gatsby loved Daisy, he worries that even if Daisy accepts his advances, things between them will not be the same as they were in Louisville (Luhrmann et al.,2013, 0:10:24). Despite Daisy being sure that Gatsby would make her happy, she was very impatient with him since he took too long to return and marry her. Therefore, she decided to marry Tom Buchanan in a lavish wedding in the hope that she would be as happy as she would have been if she had been married to Gatsby. Her marriage to Tom does not fulfill the expectations due to her husband's infidelity, who began cheating on their honeymoon. In a bid to find happiness, Daisy began a romantic relationship with Gatsby despite being married to Tom. Daisy was keen on fulfilling her romantic dream, but the union ended up in miserable ways due to Tom's infidelity and the murder of Gatsby .
Benjamin Franklin asserted that The American dream was available for all people despite their color, race, or class. This assertion, although encouraging, was incorrect, especially if one focuses on the lives of the Great Gatsby film. Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy are some of the characters who were keen on pursuing the American Dream, which promises a fulfilling life. Their efforts do not bring the desired results since they had to struggle with various challenges that stood in their way of achieving their aspirations. Daisy struggled to find happiness with Tom Buchanan, but she was disappointed since her husband was engaged to other women while her relationship with Gatsby was short-lived. On the other hand, Gatsby, although wealthy and influential, could not convince Daisy to marry him. Nick Caraway was forced to give his dream of making a fortune through bond business in New York upon Gatsby’s death. Their experiences and struggles indicate that the American dream is as elusive as it is appealing.
Reference
Luhrmann, B., Knapman, C., Wick, D., Fisher, L., & Martin, C. (Producers), Luhrmann, B. (Director). (2013). The Great Gatsby [Motion Picture]. United States:Village Roadshow Pictures.
