M.

Morales
The Dream
We as human beings set goals for ourselves to accomplish in our future. We all have these
dreams that motivate us through our struggle. There are some rare occasions in which people
completely devote themselves to emulate these achievements. In the majority view, the
American Dream is a tough beginning working to become something that is improbable. It is
reaching a level of success that seems doubtful. In The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald
emphasizes this concept with the life of Jay Gatsby and the background of Nick Carraway.
Coming from humble beginnings, these men chose their paths in life. Influenced and determined,
they made decisions to reach their dreams.
Fitzgerald manages to portray the American Dream with the character and life of Gatsby.
He resembles a perfect example of a real success story. He dealt with struggles in early life but
was able to dedicate his work to becoming a wealthy man. After witnessing first-hand what
wealth really was and experiencing this feeling that he never had, Gatsby set himself on
becoming this figure. Nick describes Gatsby and his past by saying, For a while these reveries
provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a
promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairys wing.(105). Nick saw
Gatsbys intention and his true character. He states, Gatsby believed in the green light, the
orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter
tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther And then one fine morning so we
beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past, (189). This is an
emphasis on the determination to continue that Gatsby retained.

There are many influences to a persons dream. Gatsby was not only influenced by wealth,
but also by his love for Daisy. Gatsby had always loved Daisy through his time in the war and his
path to success. She was one of the, if not the most, significant roles in stimulating his dream.
Nick observed this in the interactions between them, He hadnt once cease looking at Daisy and
I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her
well-loved eyes. (96-7). His love for her as an inspiration is evident when Nick says,
Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to
her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green
light on a dock. (98). Part of Gatsbys dream was to win Daisy with his newfound wealth.
Emotion proved to be a key aspect of his American Dream.
Nicks backstory is also an example of an American Dream. Carraway chose his life
path as he wanted. Nick decided to live the way he believed would be the best for him. He
concluded that leaving his home may have been the best opportunity for him, Instead of being
the warm center of the world, the middle-west now seemed like the ragged edge of the universe so I decided to go East and learn the bond business.(7). People choose to succeed by any means
necessary. However, Nick describes himself as an honest man. Success is really dependent on the
perception of different people. It can be viewed in completely opposite ways. However, dreams
are personal. They are special to one person and remain this way forever. There is no way a
dream can disappear from someones heart.
People may go to great lengths to accomplish what they truly desire. This may come in
different forms: greed, hope, determination, love. Dreams serve as a motivation to continue on
your road. Maybe it is your craving to succeed. Maybe it is the longing to prove everyone who
doubted you wrong. It can come in the form of fear for a loss of something important. Attempts

to regain a possession form your past. Your dream may be to accomplish what you believe you
deserve. You can be motivated to help others who you believe need more than you do. Or maybe
youre motivated by a special person who you see right across the room. It seems so close, but
for some of us too far. That is why dreams are so important. When we reach our dream, there is
no better feeling.