The American dream can be achieved by dishonest means, and therefore it is unattainable by all. Gatsby is a good example; he is a liar. But all that he wants is Daisy, and he actually got Daisy in some way which represents the fact that he managed to achieve his American Dream for a short time when he thought he had Daisy, but unfortunately it is all Gatsby’s illusion.
Gatsby was attracted by Daisy and Daisy had become to his American Dream, he pursued Daisy with passion, but it could not be achieved. Gatsby is born in a poor family while Daisy came from ‘old money’. It was hard for him to approach Daisy in that poor situation because the gap between the classes was hard to bridge. When he got to know that Daisy had married Tom, he still wants to earn more money and “buy” Daisy back. The marriage of Daisy should be a warning, which represents the fact that his American dream is broken or his American dream is unattainable due to the class division, but he is so idealistic that he wants to continue to live in the illusion. Hence, Gatsby starts his journey to get Daisy, not through hard work, but catch the opportunity and he earned money through contraband, got a reputation by making stories of himself. He innocently believes that money can change everything, even his past and money can make he achieve his American Dream—Daisy.
In the documentary Park Avenue: Money, Power, and the American Dream, In New York, the top 1% is not only keen on pursue money, but focus on what power that the money can bring to them, specially in politics. Jack Abromoff said “money is being used to buy results, that is how I use money.” the rich use money to make the campaign wins. The American dream is more prone to “money talk” for the rich, although it goes against morality; people accomplishing their purpose by cheating. Related to the great Gatsby, Daisy is the almost the political power to Gatsby, when he try to approach Daisy he is already failed, because he desires the things that never will belong to him. Gatsby’s tragic end occurs also because, he idealistically believed that money can change everything but he didn’t realize that it did not work for those who were born poor.
It is true that people can live a luxurious life through money just like Gatsby, but they cannot find entry into the primary rich classes. Thus the American dream is just an illusion, because the “old money” already live in their American dream, but for those who are born poor they cannot achieve the real American dream as they will never find an entry into the affluent class.
It is true that people can live a luxurious life through money just like Gatsby, but they cannot find entry into the primary rich classes. Thus the American dream is just an illusion, because the “old money” already live in their American dream, but for those who are born poor they cannot achieve the real American dream as they will never find an entry into the affluent class.
I commented Sophia's Part 1
In the paragraphs that Maggie wrote, the main meaning is people who only be dishonest can achieved, so it is hard for people to achieve the American Dream. I agree with her opinion, because the American Dream is like an ideal for some people who is not dishonest. The article structure is clearly to see the examples of “The Great Gatsby” and the movie “Park Avenue”. She well used the main character Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby”, she used gave the example and analyzed of Gatsby lying to Daisy to let Daisy loved him to show that Gatsby is dishonest to attain his goal. Finally, Daisy was afraid of his past and his American Dream was over. The “Park Avenue” is also a good example that she used to prove her opinion, and she used the sentence that people in the movie to show that rich people is dishonest to cheat the rule that American Dream is hard to achieve.
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