Li Haoqian(Fitz)- Part 2- Personality can not make a fake real

                Personality Can Not Make a Fake Real

Personality does not relate to The American Dream. In other words, a person with various personalities, such as dishonesty or spiritual pureness, still can not achieve his American Dream which is a self-contradictory illusion. It requires people to pay efforts to change their past, but the past itself is a fact which can not be changed at all. Thus, it is impossible for people to use their personality to change the truth that The American Dream is a fake.

Take the protagonist Gatsby as an example, he is a complex character who has both positive and dark sides of personality. Firstly, he is a violent and dishonest person,  pretending himself as an Old Money who graduated from Oxford. Actually he just went to Oxford for only six months and became rich via running illegal business with Wolfsheim who is the head of criminal organization. Also, Gatsby took advantages of Nick’s relationship with Daisy. He invented Nick to his parties and hydroplane in order to get close to Daisy. However, he is also an optimistic and determined person. Specially, the narrator Nick praises Gatsby at the beginning of the book : “ It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again." From Nick’s mind, it is clear to see Gatsby’s gorgeous personality. Gatsby really believes that his life is not fated and he is able to change himself into his dreaming image. Therefore, he left his poor family and even changed his name to reinvent his life. Besides, he is such determined to believe his American Dream of loving Daisy. The Five-years gap, marriage with Tom and even her daughter can not be the barriers for him to hold Daisy’s hand again. Thus, Fitzgerald used these details to show that Gatsby is not only a scheming cheater, but also a passionate person who pursues his goals all the time.

 Gatsby has various personalities, which seem to be easier for him to access to the things he wants such as money and power. In fact, his personality did help him to reach some of his goals. For example, He is so determined that he will never give up until he became rich and powerful and his dishonesty in illegal business also leads to the prosperity. Also, his deceit to Nick also helps him meet Daisy finally. However, his American Dream of getting Daisy back is unattainable because his social class as a New Money can not be changed at all. As the documentary ‘Park Avenue’ shows, people came to the world randomly with different social class and family background. Some of them who born in Old Money like Tom Buchanan can inherit the huge amount of money. But for people like Gatsby who born in a poor family, even if they can get money and power through efforts, there is nothing to do to change their past to become an Old Money. This is also the reason why the Old Money feels prior to the New Money, because they think they have the congenital condition of social class that New Money can not match.

In fact, besides her marriage and daughter, the main reason why The American Dream of getting Daisy back is unattainable is the difference of social class between Old Money and New Money. Daisy felt uncomfortable in Gatsby’s party because she really repels the people who come from New Money. However, Gatsby’s family background determined that he can not be an Old Money. Although Gatsby uprised himself from poor to rich eventually, it is impossible for him to change his social class which is determined already. Therefore, there is no way to achieve his American Dream of getting Daisy back due to his inborn family background. He can not change his past to be an Old Money, no matter how his personality great or dark is.  


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