C.+Gatsby+Essay

** English11 1B ** ** 11/20/2010 **   ** GATSBY ESSAY ** ** When people think about the American Dream, most will probably think of foolish desires. A quote from “What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession” by Katharine Q. Seelye, who says that “The American Dream…is not a dream of motor cars and high images, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest of which they are capable.” The first part of the quote perfectly represents how people look at the American Dream. People just want to be rich and successful, and do not really pay attention to the true meaning of the American Dream. Even in times like these, people just look for money and nothing else matters to them. ** ** In the novel, //__The Great Gatsby__//, the main character, Jay Gatsby, thinks the American Dream is about money. When Gatsby says to Nick Carraway, “Can’t change the past, why of course you can”, he is trying to express his views on the American Dream. He thinks one can be anything, if you are rich. People have looked at the American Dream in this way for years, and even to this day, many think the American Dream is all about money, when really it is not just about making money. ** ** Many people in America look to achieve the American Dream through the eyes of greed. They think money is the number one thing to have, and the American Dream as an excuse to get it. People forget the value of the American Dream and also ignore it. If people looked at the American Dream differently, American would not be in the current distressed economic situation. The American Dream is a vision of many things like freedom, opportunities, happiness, purpose and quality of life, but, often, one only sees money, like Gatsby, and forgets about the rest of the American Dream. **
 * Patrick Wittle **