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.