Part 2 - imbalance American Dream by Leo

American dream, firstly in my view, means a fair society for everyone to pursue both material success and spiritual success through their efforts, no matter what class they were from. However, it has become imbalance. Actually, Americans simply pursue wealth but ignore spiritual developments. Gatsby represents the material dream best in the novel, because he soon became rich though he was from the underclass. Then he moved to a big house and usually holds grand parties with the rich, which is a way to show how successful he becomes. Gatsby’s materially success shows the flourishing aspect of American dream. It seems that everyone has equal opportunities to become wealthy.

When it comes to the spiritual dream, the picture is different. Gatsby’s spiritual dream is an illusion in that society, which causes his inevitable failure. Daisy is not like the kind, pure girl that she used to be. Unfortunately, she becomes selfish after many years’ life. However, the former perfect Daisy in Gatsby’s dream have not existed any more. It is impossible to pursue an inexistent girl. The tragedy is that he devotes everything to his beautiful fantasy, while the fact is opposite. Whatever, Gatsby is still great, because he is still pure and yearns for his beautiful dream, though he is in a superficial society. He represents the initial American Dream both materially and spiritually, while his failed to realize his spiritual dream. Ironically, the pure dreamer finally dies distressingly in the society with ‘American Dream’. Both Daisy’s corruption and Gatsby’s death are caused by the sick society with imbalanced dream.

The material comparisons were ridiculous in that era. The new money looked down upon the poor, while they were looked down upon by the old money. American dream provided more opportunities. But it broke people’s relationship. Everyone became snobbish and money-oriented. For example, Gatsby wrongly thinks that wealth can help him realize everything. In fact, most of the guests including Daisy look down upon Gatsby, because few people would respect a new rich. They make fun of Gatsby in the parties and just think the parties of free entertainment places. Even in Gatsby’s funeral, few of them come. All of above shows the imbalance between material and spirit in American dream, which made the dream finally corrupted. As a result, Americans became fond of hedonism and ignored their spiritual developments then.

 According to my Part 1, the way Americans consider the American dream is becoming more and more realistic and material. Americans simply link the dream to wealth, so they can never realize how significant diversity is for America. The old money can represent the local whites, and the new money can represent people from other races or other countries. Most whites don’t want to separate their cake and become selfish and ignorance. They don’t know the reason why American is great is its diversity and refuse to be kind. It is the conflicts between material and spirit, which was originally caused by the imbalance American Dream.

part 2 hank

 American Dream mentioned the idea that everyone has the same opportunity to be successful However, In the roaring nineteen twenties, the huge gap between the rich and the poor made life very difficult for the people of the lower classes. They do not have unlimited resources and opportunities as the upper classes do. They are not recognized, they have only one label-the poor. However, this loss of personal identity, so that people do not know for them what success is. So the American dream is just a dream for them, and the purpose of their life is to survive

In the great Gatsby novel, Mr. George Wilson is a representative of people who loss their individual identity. As a man, he didn't have all the character that a man had at that time. Also in the family he also seems to be the weak one. In Chapter 7 of the novel , the author writes “ He was his wife's man and not his own.” (7) From this we can see that the American dream does not belong to Wilson, because he is not George Wilson, he is Myrtle's husband. So he can never achieve the American dream because he does not have the personal identity. George Wilson represented the lower class in the American society at that time. They lacked their personal identity. They don't know who they are and what success means., they only worked for survival.    So the American dream does not belong to the lower class.I think the tragic story of George shows the essence of the American dream, that is, the American dream belongs to upper class, the upper class people have unlimited resources and opportunities and they have no shortage of individual identity , but for those of the lower class, the American dream is only a kind of extravagant hope.

I think society should change. The first step is to prevent the continuation of discrimination from an educational point of view. America's deep-rooted class discrimination has something to do with its history of colonization, so educational change is necessary. Second, Adopt corresponding economic policies to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Third, tell people the importance of individual identity through the media.

Jason Pan Part 2

       The American Dream is said too idealized and has been shattered long ago. The American Dream be mentioned is if people work hard, then they would achieve what they want. It means this American Dream can drive people to try their best and achieve something. However, they cannot achieve everything.

In The Great Gatsby, many people in west egg work hard every day. Some of them succeeded and got a lot of wealth, but they somehow feel empty. Every weekend, they participate in Gatsby’s party, which full of alcohol and carnival. It is strange because If they achieved what they really want, they would not need alcohol and carnival to make them happy. In fact, they have not achieved their American Dream. They gave everything to work, but in the end, they chose to drink alcohol to anesthetize themselves. It is ironic because they have not achieved what they really want and pretend they got it.

       Gatsby achieved wealth after several years of hard work. However, his American Dream is obtaining Daisy. He did lots of things for achieving this dream, such as attended war, made his business successful, and cost several years to build a castle for attracting Daisy. He wants to use his wealth, which is got by his hard-working, to change Daisy’s mind. He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: “I never loved you.” (6.117)

He wanted to refresh Daisy’s thought of her husband like applying a new layer of paint to the walls even she has married Tom several years. It is absurd and unrealistic because the relationship could not be disappeared by his money. “Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!” (6.117) He thinks that he can use his achievement which from his hard-working to buy the past time and repeat it because the American Dream told him that he can achieve whatever he wants after he worked hard. However, it obviously cannot change the time by money.

These two cases reflect the American Dream cannot be achieved indirectly. Gatsby believed American Dream and implemented it, but he eventually cannot get Daisy. It shows that American Dream is just a lie, and Gatsby is one of the victims of American Dream. On the other hand, Tom gets Daisy easily, who has lots of wealth when he was born. This further proves that the American Dream is false. As a result, Gatsby’s American Dream is empty because whatever he wants to get and change is impossible. It also shows that the American dream has been destroyed.

       Not only in the novel, the process of Gatsby wants to get Daisy and Tom got Daisy can present the American Dream is not true. But also, this false is reflected in the current society. Furthermore, this unequal problem originated from the American Dream is also divided into more parts, such as gender and ethnicity discrimination. And American Dream is also more like a lie than before.

Reference:

1.     “Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby.” DeviantArt, lap12.deviantart.com/art/Daisy-Buchanan-from-The-Great-Gatsby-374022766.

2.     Fitzgerald, F.Scott. The Great Gatsby. Penguin Books, 1950.

part 2 Bill （Zheng Fang） Emptiness behind success

The Great Gatsby shows The American Dream as the emptiness behind success. In Gatsby’s eyes, the American Dream is to have the ideal version of Daisy. The American Dream Gatsby represent the American Dream is unable to archive because no matter how hard he was working， he cannot archive his goal（to get an ideal version of Daisy）and he cannot be happy. In the story，Gatsby did archive a great success which he became “Jay Gatsby” from “James Gats” （became a new money form a poor family）. It is a fact that he is success，but I think he was never happy，he was just lost from his life. Gatsby is a symbol of public which lead by upper class that lost his ability to recognize what he really want. He got only emptiness by successful.

Frist and the most important，he cannot have the ideal version of Daisy. We know that Gatsby had been to WWI and after that，Daisy became the only thing he lives on， she became an illusion that represent everything beautiful to Gatsby. But the truth is，he does not love Daisy the person，his desire cannot be satisfied by Daisy who exist now. What he was loving is only his dream，this goal is unarchivable form the start. However，Gatsby was trying to reach a unarchivable goal through hardworking and he didn’t even realize that goal is unarchivable. Gatsby was brain-washed so deeply that he really believes that his money，which earned by his working，can archive anything，even change the history.   

Another reason is that Gatsby can not reach old money class no matter how hard he works. The class difference is exist，he cannot be an old money even he have money and tried to fake his history. All he wanted is “Daisy”（the ideal version of Daisy） but he can never get “Daisy” anymore. He is an example of lower class became success，however，he can never reach a higher class and he can never archive his goal. He is a template of the American Dream，which can “success” as the traditional opinion；to be rich. However， they can never archive their goals or be truly happy only depend on hard working. Lower class can never reach a higher class by working hard. Gatsby can not reach his goal either. They cannot really be happy even if they are already successful. They feel comfortable about their hardworking and they will not think about if they are getting happier or not. All they cared about is money，they lost their feeling of happiness. I think Gatsby cannot archive his dream （the American Dream） unless the society change fundamentally with out any discrimination between classes.

So as all the reasons I have given，I think the American Dream is shown as a symbol of emptiness behind success in The Great Gatsby.
I did my part 3 comment on Rheal's part 2

Part 2 Cloven (Yutong) The wave of success in the age of development.

  I think the American dream applies to the past, but not to the modern age.In that fast-growing era, everyone felt they could get what they wanted. They are determined to work hard for their dreams and believe that their dreams will come true. However, with the development of society and the solidification of class, this idea becomes useless. The American Dream did work in America in the 20 's, but today is a backward and useless idea. At the age of development, you were able to succeed in a very short time, but in this day and age it is difficult to achieve.However, we can still learn from this history benefits, such as how to choose employment.

  Nick thinks the financial industry can bring him success, so he started his own struggle in New York alone. He bought a cheap house in the West Egg village and bought more than 10 books on finance to start learning. The financial industry was just getting started in that era, Nick found the right time, and I'm sure he'll succeed as long as he sticks to it. His ideas are similar to those we have just graduated from college, we have our own pursuits and ideals and spend as much energy as Nick to finish it. But as far as we know, the number of successful young people is getting smaller.

Nick is wrestling with the financial books he just bought in his cheap rental house.

  Gatsby was born in a poor family, but he thought he was a child of God. Through five years of hard work he became very rich, he almost finished his dream. Success in such a short time is hard to imagine for young people today, because young people who have graduated from college for five years may still be working for their boss else. These two roles are good examples of a dream and belief that it will come true, and another that has been successful in money and status.

  Nick's dream is simple, he just wants to survive through the popular financial industry. I believe it is possible if he wants to make money from the financial industry, because Gatsby once wanted to help him develop his career. Nick refused him because of the legality of Gatsby's method, but it was a chance to make Nick very rich. This is the era of development, the wave of success will make many people easily succeed.

  If things happen in this age, it's hard to believe that a person can get rich through finance in a short time, even using some illegal means. Not only you can not realize your dreams, but also you will have violated the law and paid the price. The same truth applies to Gatsby as the law continues to be perfected in development. Through some illegal trade, Gatsby made and sold alcohol under prohibition, accumulating rich wealth in a short time. The way is little illegal, but also proved that the wave of success in the era of rapid development is real.

  In the film, The American Dream in China, three young people can succeed because they do things that are socially vacant. For the United States today, the idea of the American dream is not effective because there are few social vacancies in the United States. Of course, some industries will become very good, such as information technology, but the number is far from the wave of success. Of course, this history tells us that it is easier to choose the industries that are needed to succeed, especially in China, which is still in the developing era.

 On the whole, the wave of success has passed and the American dream can only be applied to that era of development, not today.

Part 2 Camille (Yifei) Labels

Equality, which is promised in the idea of the American Dream, has always been just a dream due to the human nature of labeling like what I have talked about in Part 1. Aside from racism, the ignorance of female power remained to be a serious and neglected problem until recent decades. The idea of women being too weak both physically and mentally has been held by whatever gender. Controlled by subconsciousness, the act of labeling is hard to avoid or even realize. For women, without being aware of their power, most of them followed the flow of society and gave up their promised equal right of opportunity.

Labeling not only reinforced the gender stereotype, it also gives female the idea that choosing to use their body to get benefits is OK. Take Myrtle for an example, instead of at least give it a try at working hard with her husband to achieve her dream, she rather seduced Tom to make herself appear rich. She was basically using her body as an object and the attraction of her became something so simple as the sexual appeal.

Society’s stereotype due to labeling has made all efforts became barely useful. Women were expected to be nothing but pretty and any feature they might have is so restricted in the range that their label has defined them. The book did not expand the background of Myrtle, but there is this possibility that she just gave up the attempt of being more than just sexy and fighting against the flow. Then just as any other female characters in the book, she gave in because it was impossible for society to change for her. There was hardly anything left apart from her pretty shell in the end. But just like any other person living in a society, she grew up learning the definition of gender and rules of being a female. All that learning slowly became part of who she was, serving for her subconsciousness by effecting labels she put on others and herself. There is nothing wrong with her being the way she is because her struggle under the setting of society would only cause her pain. Choosing to ignore the existence of a possible chance is not really a good way of living but sometimes life is about surviving. She had to abandon her possible inner strength because only by living without that could she fit in and survive.

Equality is smashed into pieces under this condition. Women even lost their right and awareness to be themselves, to be a human as complex as she can be. Their identity had been ripped. The only way for them to approach the American Dream is by being “simple” and let men do the work. There was no right of being more than a fool, let alone equal opportunity of realizing the dream. We could say Myrtle achieve her American Dream if what she ever wanted was just money, sex and being stuporous. She got all this in a pretty tragic way though. Only when society changes and people start to realize the harm of being so objective on judging others, can this tragedy be avoided.

part 2 Chris Lu

Twisted American Dream: money means privileges.

    In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is changed. In the past, American Dream was a symbol of equality, liberty and working hard could result in success.It was a mental support which motivate people to work hard then they could be succeed and happy. Their goals were to pursue their dreams and beliefs.However, the American Dream has turned into corrupting in The Great Gatsby. It has turned into a dream which unscrupulous, pursuit of money and pursuit of indulgence without pursuing the satisfaction in mental world.

    In the book, people are crazy about how to earn money and how to gain the recognition of people. Furthermore, they think that they could do anything because the money is almighty. Gatsby is the typical character who has the twisted American Dream. When he was young, he thought that hardworking is the best way to achieve success. However, when he came back from the war and became rich. He thinks that he could use money to change Daisy’s view and come back to him. The whole people in America are all materialistic at that time. They think that money is the most important thing in the world. And they could be privileged if they have much money. This environment forces Gatsby to be a materialist. This makes him change his attitude to life that money means privileges.. In his opinion, money is above anything else. ‘ Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!’ Gatsby thinks that the past could be repeated because he has much money. In my opinion, the past could not be repeated. But the love between Daisy and Gatsby could be repeated by using sincerity. However, Gatsby’s method is not using sincerity but using money. In his opinion, if he has enough money, he could do anything such as he could buy the memory that the beatific past, the previous Daisy who he has always love and the reputation. However, does he really feels happy or satisfied? No, he would never be happy any more. Although the money bring him temporary happy, he still would be lonely and lost in the future. Because the happiness which money brings is not the true happiness. The true happiness is based on the mental world. The money just could bring him the lost in heart. The money has controlled his all life which make him lose the previous beliefs. The dream in his mind has disappeared for a long time. It is so terrible because if one person loses his belief and consider that the money is everything in his life, he would lose in himself and wouldn’t know what valuable things could do in the future. He appears stylish and chic, but the facade hides a very lightweight persona.

    In the modern world, although money is necessary, people still cannot forget our previous dreams and beliefs. If they remain their insistence to the dreams and beliefs, the money would not destroy their mental world. Thus the money cannot control them. Their mental would be satisfied again. Furthermore, the American Dream will become the previous dream.

part 2 Glenn (Shuren xu)

The entire story of the great gatsby was illustrating the American dream was just a dream. The personalities of all of the characters and things they had proved that. However, American dream is not only about the achievement, it is also about the achievement about recognition. The concept of American dream has been over-simplified, and that is why so many people would see becoming rich as becoming successful.

Jay Gatsby

In my pespective, Gatsby was he who presented the delivery of the American dream most typically. Gatsby did achieved the American dream in a sence, not entirely though. Since American dream basically means if you work hard, you will be successful, it is a very broad concept. I think a person need to get money but also have recognition to be successful. Apparently, Gatsby only did the first one, which makes him not entirely successful. Gatsby was the one who suffered class division. He was born in a poor family and envied the rich when he was very young. Furthermore, he tried to make some change. The captain he saved taught him manners and behaviors of old money. Everything went perfectly and Gatsby was about to achieve American dream without hardworking. Howevr, after the captain's death, Gatsby did not get any of his legacy, he became poor again. He did get a lot of money by becoming an oppotunist and one of mafia, but he ruined his reputation in return. In order to let Gatsby succeed, the society need to make a fundamental change. Only if the old money changed their sterotype of new money, American dream can be pursued. Old money dislike new money was the fundamental reason Gatsby can not be successful. And even Daisy, who love Gatsby still felt his identity disgusting.

Jay Gatsby

Talking about my example in part 1, there are some similarities between Gatsby and Cooper. They were both trained to do something, and both of them lost their first chance. Both of them did not get their recognition even in the end, and both of them lost the most important girl, for Gatsby she is Daisy and for Cooper she is Murph. After being through setbacks, both of them became cynical as well. I think they were passing a similar idea, which was no cross, no crown; and even there are crosses, you may still not get the crown. Another instance I picked was Kobe.  Unlike Cooper and Gatsby, I think he was the one who achieved the American dream since he got both money and recognition. But the some of the other players who worked as hard as him were not successful, which proved the irrationality of the American dream further.

Part 2 Taylor Chen

In my submission, the American dream advocated by the US government means that everyone can pursue their material happiness through hard work. But in fact, the American dream is just a dirty trick from the American government. The American dream is used to deceive the lower-class people of the United States to work hard and to exploit more labor in this way. In the great Gatsby, the American dream is a deception for the poor people at the bottom of the society, who dedicate nothing to the dream of their own American dream.

The American dream was embodied in Wilson in "The Great Gatsby". Wilson is a lower-class boss of a locomotive repair shop. He had believed his American dream: He hoped that he could buy a small car from Tom. On the other hand, he chose to endure his wife's relationship with other men. He believes that he can win his wife’s dedication by working hard to improve his social status. But in fact, no matter how hard he works, he cannot become a gentleman of high society like these men to took his wife. Wilson’s American dream could never be achieved because of the limitations of the capitalist social class. Tom has been delaying the sale of a car promised to Wilson, embodying the exploitation of lower society by high society. Wilson's self-knowledge of his inability to become an upper-class society is a manifestation of the false American dream. Therefore, in this social environment, the boss of a middle-class auto repair shop can never pursue full happiness. He even needs to devote his life to pursuing what the wealthy in the upper class can get at will. He could not get Tom's car, nor could he be loved by his wife. When he could no longer bear to vent his anger to his wife, his wife pointed out the reason very sharply, she said:"Beat me! Throw me down and beat me, you dirty little coward!" For women, a man like Wilson is only a coward, because such a man even can’t achievement the American Dream of himself, not to mention realizing his wife’s Dreams. In the end, the pressure of the social class and the desperation of failing to realize dreams caused Wilson to hate the upper class. He knew that the rich in the upper class had exploited his wealth and labor and even deceived his woman. When he heard Tom hinted that Gatsby had killed his wife, he ignored Gatsby's intentions and killed Gatsby. Seeing the American dream he had been pursuing was only a scam of Wilson, he eventually chose hatred and despair in this hatred. Wilson’s fate is also a manifestation of all those who believe in the American dream in addition to the high-level rich people of the society. The American dream convinced these bottom-level people that they can exchange their hard work for a higher social status and gain more material happiness. Finally, he realized that the American dream is only a scam and they will never be able to escape from their social class.

I mentioned in the first part the division of American capitalist class. Under this background of class differentiation, the class is insurmountable by all Americans, but the American dream makes them believe that they can surmount the social class. For those who want to overtake, like Wilson, they can only end up being the sacrifices of the times.

Part 2 Niven (YiFan) A wonderful illusion:American Dream

For American dream, it means that no matter what the status of the person is ,no matter what the race of the person is, everyone has the same right and equality. The most important thing is that the concept of class should not exist. However, I consider that American dream just is a wonderful illusion and it is impossible to be achieved in terms of the concept of class.

In The Great Gatsby, the person who could be used to demonstrate my opinion about American dream well is Myrtle, she is Tom Buchanan’s mistress. Before she became Tom’s mistress, she is Wilson’s wife,who just has a low-status, the apparent reason why she became Tom’s mistress is the yearning for money. While I think that the most significant reason is the desire for high social state because the concept of class has been embedded in her mind deeply.After she becomes Tom’s mistress, she thinks that she has broken away from the low-status and enter the top of social class. In her mind, she considers that she has an essential difference from these people who has a low-status in society.

In this book, it said that “I told that boy about the ice.” Myrtle raised her eyebrows in despair at the shiftlessness of the lower orders. “These people! You have to keep after them all the time.” She looked at me and laughed pointlessly. Then she flounced over the dog, kissed it with ecstasy, and swept into the kitchen, implying that a dozen chefs awaited her orders there. For this quotation, the attitude of Myrtle is so arrogant due to her mood and actions. The source of her arrogant is that she is Tom’s mistress. She thinks that she has the same social status as Tom . Before it is ,she is a person who just has a low social status like these boys who was told to add ices. However, currently, she separated herself from those who has a low-status automatically. She did not have any feeling that she is a person like these boy in the past, oppositely, she has agreed the point subconsciously that she has a high social status forever. This illusory idea has covered the real identity of her that her agree with due to the factor that the concept of class was buried in her heart all the time.

The concept of class is very similar with racial discrimination which was raised in part one. Although these ideas should not exist according to American Dream, it is impossible to be eliminated from people’s mind .The reason why they could not to be removed is different. For the concept of class, everyone would like to become a person with high social status and no one is willing to be worse than others, in another words, the drastic competition creates the concept of class. However, for racial discrimination, this idea was formed from long time ago and be difficult to throw out essentially, for example , a person has a bad habit for a long time, it is difficult to be repaired and this person still keeps this bad habit unconsciously, it has the same logic with racial discrimination.

the weight of a rich person is equal one hundred  common people

I have commented the part 2 of Bill

Part 2 Hawk (bufan) Lyu

During the 1920s, the American Dream is like a deceit that only old money can achieve their dream, others were not able to succeed in the society. The American  Dream is a propaganda that attracts people to work hard and encourage them to chase their goal. However, people were failed to chase their dream due to the social class cannot be changed. For example, I was interested in play badminton with my friend, who plays the badminton well and I hope I can play as brilliant as him, but I finally realize that he is taller and stronger than me, I cannot play better than him. This experience taught me a lesson that when you are born, you are the person that you born, and you cannot change it. The idea of the American dream is similar than this, people cannot change their class, and the American dream said that everyone can be success if they work hard is a lie. 

In the book The Great Gatsby, the Gatsby was born poor but he wants to be old money which leads to his tragedy. Gatsby's goal is to get Daisy back, in order to get Daisy back, he must become rich and old money. However, although he becomes wealthy Gatsby cannot be the old money. Old money are born wealthy, but Gatsby born poor, he can only act like old money. "you can't repeat the past." said by Nick. The quotation shows Gatsby's relationship with Daisy cannot return to the past, which indicates that Gatsby cannot achieve his American Dream. Gatsby's American Dream attract him to become rich to achieve his goal because for him the American Dream is money can buy everything. He went to the war and act like old money is to make him be more successful in order to get Daisy back. The conflict of old money and new money lead to Gatsby's failure. No matter Gatsby is wealthy or not, his class never changed. The American Dream is a deceit to Gatsby that he cannot achieve his dream, no matter how successful he is, he cannot buy daisy back. Gatsby's dream " money can buy everything" is a lie.

Compare to the example in part one, Gatsby is like the dog in the picture. He tried to chase his dreams, but it's impossible to achieve his dreams if the American Dream is a deceit. The only way that can change this situation is to change the social values. Money cannot buy everything, wealthy is not the only goal of the American Dream, according to the Declaration of Independent, people have the opportunity to achieve their own goals. 

Part 2---Rheal Contradictory in pursuit in American Dream

In my perspective, American Dream in the Great Gatsby is represented as a quest for what you want. It seems to describe a positive American Dream which makes people think that as long as you are struggle for your dream and make efforts on your dream, the success will come to you. But in fact, it is like an evil and dark bait to force people to follow without any doubt. Thus the result of it is leading people to be confused to pursue their dream, and come to the faith. They make their dream be the only one reason which can support them to be live in the society.

There is a mean character in the novel who is actually a production of the American Dream named Gatsby. Gatsby used his whole life to pursue Daisy, and I thought he never has the doubt that whether he could gain the love with Daisy, he just thought that as long as he struggled it, he would get Daisy. But the result is exactly the opposite that he was unable to get the love of Daisy and he lost her even his own life. Personally, I think that Gatsby did not have the doubt that whether Daisy only loved him, rather, she loved Tom as well. Because he was so sure that he could get Daisy, and he thought Daisy never loved Tom.  As his such arrogance, he never suspected Daisy's love, the only one thing that he wanted Daisy to do was making Daisy admit that she never loved Tom facing Tom. On the contrary, I think Gatsby actually had the doubt on Daisy. In the book, Gatsby said " Her voice is full of money." From this, I think that Gatsby had a suspicion that Daisy has been changed, she was not a perfect girl whom was his favorite. But even though he had this doubt, he was not willing to permit it, by contrast, he still believed he could get the previous Daisy, which means he believed that he could use money to buy the past for getting Daisy. Then he recklessly tried to finish it, only for his initiate dream. Gatsby never doubted he could reach his dream because he thought money could bring anything that he wanted, such as the innocence between Daisy and him. Because of his pedantic insistence, he did not realize at all that his dream that getting Daisy could just be looked and thought far away, not be touched and reached forever.   

Comparing the American Dream from Gatsby to the meaning of the American Dream in Avenger, the similarity is that Gatsby and Thanos, both of them failed their dream, and both of their dreams could not be realized forever. For them, they thought they could achieve their dream as long as they strived for it. Like Thanos, he never doubted that power could bring highest status and give him the power which makes him control the world, these things were the most he wanted, however, when he really got the supremacy, in fact, I think he lost everything, he lost his favorite--his daughter and his power. It seems that he stood the highest place, but he just got the immense loneliness. 

Part 2 Amber The Ethnocentrism in The American Dream

The Ethnocentrism in The American Dream

The American Dream is always said to be that in America, there's an equal chance for everyone who works hard to succeed. However, the truth behind the charming appearance is the inequality towards people from the lower class. To them, the American Dream is a lie told by the government. Nowadays, the unjust is even more severe because of the ethnocentrism of the American. They refuse to accept more refugees and are getting more restricted with the immigrants when they ignore the fact that the immigrants were those people who helped bring the country to a better economy in the first place. All these new policies based on American's sense of superiority lead to one thing, the inequality in the term of the American dream.

Speaking of who can represent the thought of superiority of old money in The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is the right person. Tom is a character created with arrogant and completely self-centered personality. The background of Tom becomes one of the reasons why he has a sense of superiority over the new money, the poor or anyone else in the society. Tom was born in a super-rich family which taught him that they were always better than others because they had inherited wealth and had always been the upper class in the society. At the very beginning of the novel, when Tom was first introduced to the readers at the dinner, he gave a small speech about his opinion over other races which revealed the racism of him.

At the dinner where Nick, Daisy, Jordan, and Tom sit together to have that awkward conversation, Tom talked about a book which is about "the colored empires." He said that "It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control things." From this quotation we can tell the racism of Tom is rooted in his heart and maybe he was born with that because he was convinced that white people have a higher level than any other races.

The same thing happens when he is faced with the poor. "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai –– " Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. Tom felt disgusted and offended when Myrtle keeps speaking of Daisy. In Tom's mind, the poor shouldn't be allowed to say Daisy's name because of their status is quite low. Tom can represent a group of people who regard their status in the society as important as their life and refuse to accept people from 'lower' class. Tom's opinion towards other races and other classes in the society haven't changed even after so many years. It still appears when a bunch of American has the sense of superiority over people from other areas. The refuse towards the refugees and other immigrants is the best example of the arrogance's inherited.

As the time past, the old money still seems to have a high status in the society. Donald Trump, which is the current American resident, is also known as an extremely wealthy businessman. After he has taken the charge of America, the official published the new policies which have been argued a lot because of the government's decision over the acceptance of the refugees. The new leader of America is just like Tom who is aggressive and arrogant and also shares the same sense of superiority when he determined to make 'America' great again by not letting the immigrants in. He chooses to ignore what benefits the immigrants had brought to the country and enlarge the problems around them. "Let us be part of the American dream" has become an ironic slogan since the American dream is said to be fair to everyone but at the first place, the government refuses to give everyone the entry ticket to their American dreams.



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Part 2 Rita(Yixuan) Lin

     

Jordan Baker pretends to be cool and hard in order to be a real part of the old money.

The American Dream is achieved by the cause of sacrificing people’s unique individuality. Due to the American Dream sets the same goal for people to reach, it represents the ideal version of the society and people’s life which is simplex. The definition of success is about wealth and to live a material life, it has become superficial. The American Dream makes only one goal related to the worship of wealth and power, material life decided by the brand name, the idea of superficial money worship, and the respect of white people and upper class. This goal is set for all the people who have different personalities, values, living environment and in different situations. People are told that they have to pursue wealth and power in order to achieve the American Dream.

In The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker is a woman who does not want to lose. She cheated in a golf competition in order to win. She wants to be a real part of the upper class and the East Egg even if she has already been a member of the Old money. “Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible. She was incurably dishonest. She wasn't able to endure being at a disadvantage and, given this unwillingness, I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool, insolent smile turned to the world and yet satisfy the demands of her hard, jaunty body.” (3.158) Jordan has to hide her real mind and to be dishonest because she needs to act like a hard and cool woman in the real world "You threw me over on the telephone. I don't give a damn about you now but it was a new experience for me and I felt a little dizzy for a while." (9.130) Jordan hardly expresses her real feeling in front of people. She says about the relationship between her and Nick, which illustrates that she does care about Nick. She still pretends to be a cool woman and says that she does not give a damn about Nick, this sentence shows that Jordan feels sad and surprised about Nick’s behavior. 

Jordan wants to keep herself in a great position and does not want to be doubt about. She pretends to be strong and confident to make herself survive in the old-money world. She sacrifices the vulnerable and tender features that a woman could have and pretends to be strong. The American Dream for Jordan is hard to achieve, but she tries her best to overcome her fragile personality. She is unable to achieve it because she confesses that she was engaged in the car accident and the thing she wants to hide still is shown in public. Her fake strong and cool failed to protect her from the truth.

It indicates the idea that people have to make the change in order to reach the American Dream. They are supposed to try hard to pursue the top position, which would destroy their own mind and individuality, they may lose themselves and their own goals, everyone is assimilated and people changed the vulgar, they are selfishly assimilated, force, money, everyday living in illusions. It is a way of deception to assimilate people’s personalities and pursuit.

Part 2 (Mandy)

            In that generation, the real American Dream is controlled by people who are really rich. Money is bond between the real American Dream and persons- to make your life into something you can sell. But actually, no one can achieve it, the past, the family and fate is cannot change by money.

            In the novel, Gatsby is the character which author uses to show the American dream much. He Is the symbol of the New money which is the opposite to the old money. But for himself, he wants to use money to change his past and become old money.  He thinks money can buy the life style of old money, the marriage even the daughter of daisy. It conforms to the definition of the American Dream-to make your life into something you can sell. The ending of Gatsby prove that it is totally wrong which he thinks. It is irony the American dream is not equally. The behavior of him is also present the people respect and eager to close to the Old money. They want to use their own work to achieve the American Dream.

            For daisy, she has a rich husband, old money identity, good reputation but the marriage is unfortunate for her. She is the symbol of the female in old money in American Dream. She can wear dresses and takes part in many parties. She is independent and have her own thoughts. But become the old money, she cannot get the happy married and peaceful fate. it prove that money cannot buy everything.The word she said “I wish my daughter is a beautiful fool” shows the reality of the women who suffered many pain and unfair fate. For both of American Dream and their own dream for them are also difficult to get than men.

            Compared the fate and past of Gatsby and Daisy, although Daisy is the old money which Gatsby always want to be, but actually she doesn't get anything from American Dream. For Gatsby, he gets the money and the future, but he cannot change past. He never come to the east egg and become old money he wants. But he is near his own dream and lived in the place which nearest the east egg. Thus, for women and men, the society decided that it is not equally. Even the new women appeared, but they are difficult choose their own fate and achieve the American Dream. It is a society problem which need the fundamental change in order to them to have a change. It is also benefit decrease the gender problems in all society, too. The time and thought change is the root which can also make the American Dream equally. Compare with daisy and the female Captain America, daisy is the reality and female Captain America is the idealism. Daisy cannot change her fate although she have a lot of money. But for female Captain America, she can easily hit a male and protect the peace. Thus, the American Dream want to send the women can use their own strive to make them strong like the female Captain America in the picture.

             

Part 2-Michael（Yinmin）Xu-Restriction on cognition in the Great Gatsby

Children under threat of the American Dream

In my opinion, American Dream restricts children's cognition of the world even in their childhood by the exaggerated power of wealth. Childhood is the tmie period that people learn things form outside. If the whole society consider the work as the only way to get success and the direct result of working is money, then children is likely to remember this kind of materialism thought. That will make children take earning money as their only dream which deprives all the other meaningful things in life from them and builds up a mammonish world for them.

In the book “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby is the person who was affected by American Dream since he was only a child. His cognition of the world had been changed by the materialism in his childhood. Although he became rich when he grew up, I thought he was not a success man. He spent his whole life on money and abandoned all the other things since he gave up his real name as he was a child. There is no way for him to pick up his life again because the world view had been fixed on his deep mind. It is showed by “his parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people - his imagination had never really accepted them as parents at all.”

Gatsby’s imagination was the American Dream for him, which is to be a rich man in that society. It shows that his cognition of the world had been manipulated by the American Dream since he got the ability to cognize it. It also trapped him and made him gave up all the things. The American dream formed a materialism world in his mind which makes the power of money stronger than everything else. Children should be the most innocent ones, however, Gatsby’s name, his background even his parents was abandoned when he was a child. It reveals Gatsby lost his rationality and emotion since he was denying himself and his parents and the American Dream had a powerful influence. If the American Dream can affected Gatsby so strongly, then it has the ability to restrict everyone’s world view like that. People were not equal to get success, instead, they were the same because they all fought for money and forgot the more meaningful things such as relationship with others and their own dream. They became the working machines.

 Although this kind of restriction on cognition is obviously ridiculous, the Media still calls on people by the “American Dream” in this way nowadays. They say that growing up to earn more than their parents is the American Dream for children. When children are at the age of receipting information, these medias can easily change them like playing with plastic clay. Their lives are limited as an only way of getting money. It can be predict that their will be more and more “Gatsby clay doll” in the future.





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