Money, happiness, and success seem to be linked, particularly within the American Dream. The American Dream once included comfort, opportunity, and freedom. As America became richer, the American Dream began to change into the belief that happiness is dependent on success and money. The Great Gatsby depicts Jay Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream and his failure to achieve it. Gatsby is unable to achieve his goal of Daisy Buchanan despite his incessant pursuit. Money and pleasure are the cause of Gatsby’s failure. F. Scott Fitzgerald used flashbacks throughout The Great Gatsby in order to portray the decline of American dreams that became dominated by materialism. It was all about status and wealth, which marked success.
F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals Gatsby’s past in Chapter 4, when he was first introduced to Daisy. Jordan recalls the first time she met Gatsby and Daisy, as well as how they fell for each other. She tells Nick about the day she visited Daisy Fay in October of 19-17. The house had a large lawn and banners. Jordan mentions that Daisy, at the time of her death in 1898, was only eighteen. Jordan noticed Daisy and the officer in love when she came up to her home that day. She insists the officer was named Jay Gatsby, and that she hadn’t seen him in over four years. Daisy however’married Tom Buchnana’ from Chicago who travelled down in four cars with over 100 people to hire a floor at the Seelbach Hotel. She was too exhausted to wait for Gatsby. He had been away at war. However, her main desire was more wealth, something Gatsby lacked. Daisy’s relationship with Gatsby is a good example of Gatsby’s past lingering. His American Dream is his ultimate prize. He is obsessed with Daisy and believes that only wealth and status can bring her to him. This prevents him from realizing he cannot build a relationship with Daisy by cutting off other connections and complications.
F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals Gatsby’s childhood to Nick in chapter 6. Jay Gatsby’s original name was James Gatz. ‘He changed it when he turned seventeen. That’s the precise moment that saw the beginning of Gatsby’s career.’ He was born to failed farmers and, coincidentally warned Dan Cody on his yacht, who owned a copper-and-silver mine. Cody hired him to be his assistant for 5 years. James Gatz was able to experience a glamorous lifestyle that is different from the one he lives in North Dakota.
Gatsby’s significant childhood history shows that Gatsby took inspiration from Cody who was so rich and powerful, and he wished to take on another identity. Cody also invented Jay Gatsby. The American Dream of Gatsby gradually transforms into one full of materialism.
