Fitzgerald Explores the Jefferson´s Ideal of ‘The Pursuit...

The American Dream is said to be realised through hard work and perseverance ; it is ostensibly a reachable goal for anyone who chooses to exercise their ‘inalienable right’ to the ‘pursuit of Happiness.’ This ambiguous phrase, ‘the pursuit of Happiness’ was originally inserted into the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson and is a clear and overriding concern in The Great Gatsby. In the 1920s, when the novel is set, America was experiencing a newfound level of prosperity; the economy was booming and the possibility of gaining wealth became an achievable reality. As a result, the pursuit of happiness in The Great Gatsby is far from the founding fathers’ initial intentions and instead, in this new context, Fitzgerald demonstrates†¦show more content†¦In much the same way as his property, Gatsby is shown to be aspiring to appear of a high class by adopting affectations such as ‘old sport’ that distinguish hi m from characters such as Tom Buchanan who he’s attempting to assimilate himself to, as his efforts are over-exaggerated, and thus exposes his attempts at social betterment as well. Fitzgerald explores the sudden inclusion of the nouveaux riches into society after the war and shows the distaste for this social change felt by the pre-established affluent families of the time through Gatsby, who symbolises all the aspirational people who profited from the post-war economic boom that were propelled into the realms of wealth extraordinarily quickly. In Revolutionary Road the Wheelers ‘see themselves as members of an embattled, dwindling intellectual underground’ which Christopher Hitchens interprets as a belief that they’re ‘in, but not thereby of, the suburbs.’ They aspire to escape ‘the great sentimental lie of the suburbs’ because they think they’re worth more and sneer at the ‘extreme suburban smugness’ of the ir neighbours. Both Gatsby and the Wheelers see their surroundings as a potential reflection of themselves and thus make their altered pursuits clear. The Wheelers feel it is impossible to be happy within the confines of suburbia and, although they choose not to actShow MoreRelatedAmerican Dream in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott, Fitzgerald1386 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream is what pushes the characters in The Great Gatsby. It is the idea or belief that everybody has the opportunity to accomplish their goals and become wealthy and prosperous if they only work hard enough. There is or are some things about the American Dream that never seem to meet the expectations and needs of society. The characters in The Great Gatsby cannot grasp the concept that The American Dream is somewhat an illusion because not everybody can obtain what they would like ifRead MoreJay Gatsby s American Dream2866 Words   |  12 PagesDraft #3 Jay Gatsby’s American Dream Ever since its publication in April 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† has become one of the most criticized, cited, and analytical pieces of fiction in American literature history. It is a great representation of an era known as the Jazz Age when anything and everything was possible, or at least that is what people thought. Fitzgerald provides the reader with an insight of the internal mindsets of the characters, which justifies their actions