Myrtle's Use Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Words: 990
Pages: 4
Open Document
In the novel, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character Nick Carraway portrays the lavish lifestyle of the 1920’s. The story takes place in Long Island, New York on East and West Egg. The story begins with Nick befriending his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, after being invited to one of his extravagant parties. As the story progresses, Nick learns of Gatsby’s love for his cousin, Daisy. Nick discovers Gatsby’s life dream of being with Daisy. The only problem being, she is married to Tom Buchanan. The author writes of the grueling love triangle that exists between Gatsby, Daisy and Tom. Not to mention, Tom’s mistress Myrtle, who later dies in a car accident. These series of events exemplify life of the 1920’s and how the characters …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s usage of the theme of the American Dream is expressed through the character Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle’s pursuit of the dream is seen through her marriage, affair, and desire for materials. F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals to the reader when Myrtle marries George, she thought at least owned his own suit. She later finds out he borrowed his suit from a friend. “He borrowed somebody's best suit to get married in and never even told me about it”(39). In that moment she realizes she married a man who does not own his own suit. For Myrtle, her pursuit toward the American Dream comes to an abrupt ending before it began. However, after beginning her affair with Tom, she finally gains the opportunity of living the American Dream. Although George represents the true idea of the American Dream, and the hard work put into his business, Tom appeals to Myrtle through his old money and the luxurious things he buys for her. She values material possessions, her appearance, and lifestyle with Tom, disregarding the fact that Tom uses her for pleasure and entertainment. In the novel, Myrtle taunts Tom by repeatedly chanting Daisy’s name and he breaks her nose. “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (41). This scene demonstrates her loyalty not to Tom, but to the materialist life he gives her. She refuses to give up her fancy clothes, new dog, and apartment, no matter how terribly Tom treats her. Overall, F. Scott Fitzgerald highlights in Myrtle's character her desire to live an extravagant life and willingness to suffer abuse and give up a man who loves her for things that can never love her back. This demonstrates the characters motivation throughout The Great Gatsby and their actions towards achieving the American
Show More

Related Documents: Myrtle's Use Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

Hôtel De Ville In Normandy Analysis

Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby during the early 1920s, a period post-World War I of great riches and prevalent immorality. The renowned novel focuses on the newly rich Jay Gatsby’s attempt to win back an old love of his, Daisy Buchanan. The 1920s were frivolous in nature, full of lavish parties and the pursuit of “The American Dream”. Through The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores the gross glorification of “The American Dream” to expose the truth behind the American 1920s, thereby freeing the…

Words 712 - Pages 3

How Does Fitzgerald Present The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The American dream is a privilege given to the citizens in this country, which states that regardless of your social standing, any person can achieve their goals with their own ambition. The American dream is a “recurring theme in American society”. However, in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s it presents the American dream as an illusion which can never be achieved no matter how hard they yearn for it; and per recent events in America, Fitzgerald is evidently correct. The illustration of…

Words 1207 - Pages 5

Gatsby Essay - symbolism

"Explore the use of symbolism in 'The Great Gatsby' and the short stories of F Scott Fitzgerald". Set in 1920's America , The Great Gatsby (TGG) , The Lees of Happiness (LOH) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (BB) allowed F Scott Fitzgerald (FSF) to write a social commentary in the era known as the 'Roaring 20's'. In a time of the decline of the 'American Dream', FSF criticises and commentates on social values such as status, wealth and gender roles. It can be argued that ‘F…

Words 1670 - Pages 7

Essay about Great Gatsby: How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 7

How does Fitzgerald tell the story in Chapter 7? The Great Gatsby is a tragi-romance novel that was written by F.Scott Fitzgerald after being influenced by his wife, Zelda’s, frequent breakdowns. Fitzgerald writes the novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ to be narrated in the perspective of the character Nick Carraway who writes about his past summer in New York of 1922. However, he is an unreliable narrator to the novel as he tells the story of events where he wasn’t present-this links into a theme in the book:…

Words 681 - Pages 3

The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The “American Dream” is an ideology that people across a span of decades have risked everything to achieve. In his novel The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald manages to define and condemn the American dream to show that the acquisition of wealth and prosperity can lure the criminal to even the most innocent of minds to do the unimaginable. In The Great Gatsby, wealth is a common factor in deciding where a character stands in the world and how they are perceived by those around them. The character…

Words 493 - Pages 2

Essay about The Great Gatsby Written

Venality of the ‘American Dream’ “Anyhow he gives large parties and I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there's never any privacy.” (Jordan Baker Pg. 50) ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1926 is one of the most effective, classical pieces of American literature. This novel is set in the period of the Jazz age and explores the corruption of the ‘American Dream’. Throughout this novel, Fitzgerald intertwines many motifs and symbols in order to demonstrate this. These…

Words 1239 - Pages 5

Great Gatsby - Text Response Essay

“The Great Gatsby is a story about the corruption of the American Dream centred around Nick’s retelling of the story of Jay Gatsby”. Discuss In his novel, titled ‘The Great Gatsby’ F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Nick’s narration as an expression of his critique of America in the 1920s. During the Jazz Age, there was a distinct class divide between the newly rich and those of “old money.” As a nation, America has always been a country of hope and for most of it’s history the idea of the American Dream…

Words 1224 - Pages 5

Gender Roles In The Great Gatsby

the book, The Great Gatsby, — excluding Nick— show their worst immoral livelihood while also deeming themselves perfect. The men use their deceitful ways to get ahead forcing the women of the book to mirror that immoral balance just to live in a world dedicated to men. Fitzgerald does this to prove a point about women and to women during the 1920’s. The men in the book pose a very strong immoral presents that the women adopt in order to achieve the great success of the American dream whether it is…

Words 1411 - Pages 6

Theme Of Obsession In The Great Gatsby

the consequences of inaction, reveal that obsession leads to an inevitable demise incited by pipe dreams and unintentional chaos. Line of approach (Supporting points): 1. Obsession for material wealth and status leading to demise (Gatsby and wealth + Claudius and becoming King, Polonius and reputation with King) 2. Obsession in romantic relationships leads to destructive romance and death (Gatsby + Daisy and Hamlet + Ophelia) 3. Hesitation in action and inaction both result in unavoidable disarray…

Words 1508 - Pages 7

Examples Of Individualism In The Great Gatsby

social values corrupt the American dream of individualism and pursuit of happiness. Gatsby is an honest and hardworking man who allows the destruction of himself and his dream and as a result Daisy through the corruption money and society caused. Tom reveals Gatsby’s secret in blinding rage sating, “ ‘He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot side-street dug stores…and sold grain alcohol over the counter’…But with every word she was drawing further and further away… only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon…

Words 609 - Pages 3