Essay on The Great Gatsby

Submitted By rge23
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William S. Burroughs once said that "America is not so much a nightmare as a non-dream. The American non-dream is precisely a move to wipe the dream out of existence." Burroughs could have been talking about how the characters in The Great Gatsby ultimately ruined their own "American dream" by their behavior.
Daisy and Tom are a good example of how the characters ruin their own American dream by their own behavior. Tom and Daisy look like a happy family with a daughter. Tom had inherited a lot of money from his parents but had also made a lot of money from playing polo professionally. Daisy comes from a family that is comfortable but not as wealthy as Toms. Both Tom and Daisy are relatively young and have a long life ahead. While, throughout their whole relationship there has been affairs going on. Tom has been having an affair with Myrtle long enough for Jordan Baker to know. Daisy, during the period with Nick in town, was having an affair with Gatsby. Tom doesn't love Daisy as much as he says he does. If he loved her, he wouldn't have had an affair with Myrtle. Murder and fear bring Daisy and Tom back together as a couple. Daisy had killed Myrtle by accident with Gatsby's car and George Wilson had killed Gatsby. They didn't want to be framed for the murders so they ran off and became a so called happy family again.
Gatsby and Daisy are another great example of how actions can ruin their American dream. Gatsby had made so many sacrifices in his life time. He spent five years, becoming rich, throwing parties, and planning this perfect life for Daisy. He put off his happiness and what could have been, for a possible life with Daisy. When Daisy and "Jay Gatz" first met and fell in love, Daisy wouldn't marry him because he was poor and didn't have the opportunities as
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