Yidan Dong (Charlotte) -- Part 2 What a Shame that Money Cannot Buy American Dream

 In “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby is a perfect example of shifting his social class from “No Money” to “New Money” by his hard work and determination. According to the few opportunities a farmer’s boy can expose to, the hardship of his achievement would be revealed. Seemingly, he is the best candidate for “People Choice Award” in terms of realizing the American Dream. However, the American Dream is unattainable for all, even our adequate representative the great Gatsby does not attain his American Dream.

         Mentioning the two most important things in Gatsby’s life, one is the money and the other must be Daisy. He always dreams of being rich and hates the poor ever since he was young. And after meeting the “Old Money” Daisy, Gatsby cannot stop thinking about her in the late 5 years. For Gatsby, these two things define his American Dream. Though he had fortune, he could not get Daisy’s heart. His flaws of being ideal and naïve are destined to keep him away from his dream.

         “The more money you have, the more entitled and deserving. It’s one of those things you feel that might account in the part for the victory all that you see when people feel like their privileged positions being undermined by others.” “Just because you are rich, does not make you smart.” These two quotations are from the documentary “Park Avenue: Money, Power, and the American Dream” and they demonstrate the reason why Gatsby’s innocence fail his dream. Though Gatsby accumulates vast fortune, he is not smart enough to realize that he cannot change his identity as a “New Money”. But what is shallow and ironic is that he still struggles to fill in the vacancy of being a “New Money” by displaying his generous wealth to the public and also Daisy. Every time he has a date with Daisy he must show how rich he is in front of her to gain her approval. He thinks in an unrealistic way that with money he would be entitled and deserving that Daisy would not undermine his identity. And his innocence would not work because Daisy was brought up in a social background that it is common sense for “Old Money” to underestimate “New Money” which makes Daisy someone who likes to think with her “royal blood”. But it does not mean there is not any chance for Gatsby to be with Daisy. If Gatsby was patient and kept being nice and gentle to Daisy, maybe he would finally have her heart on account that Daisy admires Gatsby’s fame and she has had enough of Tom’s cheating. But even at this point Gatsby let the chance escape again because of his being too ideal. His naïve insistence on fixing Daisy’s five years and convincing her to give up her family seems so pushy and impatient that Daisy falls into the concern and doubt of their relationship. And as a result of Gatsby’s innocence, Daisy would finally leave him because she is so self-interested that she would not give up her own life to be with a “New Money” and she cannot stand the pressure from Gatsby’s impractical requests. The ending that Daisy would not be with Gatsby signifies the failure of Gatsby’s American Dream which also implies that the American Dream is unrealizable for all.

Untouchable Daisy and American Dream

I comment on Joseph's part 2. ヾ(^▽^ヾ)