In what ways do the themes of dreams, wealth, and time relate to each other in the novel’s exploration of the idea of America?
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby depicts dreams, wealth, and time as prevalent features of the general post-war environment of America. By exploring this through the utilisation of narrative voice to project the perspectives of Nick Carraway, Fitzgerald denotes the implications of the consumerist behaviours that are the foundations of the prospering economy occurring in the jazz age which later results in a short and superficial period of happiness to exist in America. This happiness is initially illustrated through the novel’s depiction of the American dream that was prevalently encouraged during the jazz age. Furthermore, Fitzgerald also shows that the idolisation of wealth following the obsession of succeeding the American dream leads to a tragic end for the pursuant. Finally, the distinction of class is also a prominent factor for the posterity of one’s wealth.
The Great Gatsby portrays the encouragement of the American dream to have had a significant impact on the attributes that defined America during the jazz age. Fitzgerald embodies the values of wealth and aspirations, the general and standard ambition of Americans after the Great War to resonate within the personality of Jay Gatsby, who personifies these traits. This embodiment is demonstrated through setting of the time period of the novel to be during the sudden inclination and independent nature of consumerism that had constructed the economic behaviours of capitalist America, thereby presenting the jazz age as an appropriate source to convey the typical materialistic wants and needs of man through Gatsby. This is shown through his adoption of the rich persona of Jay Gatsby and neglect of the ‘shiftless and unsuccessful’ heritage of his former identity to pursue the ‘Platonic conception of himself’, the ideal perspective of the American dream. But only the implementation of Nick’s narration shows the general appreciation towards this wealth, as described by Nick’s perception of Gatsby’s ‘majestic hand’ that enabled the rags to riches ideals of the American dream to occur. Hence, Fitzgerald conveys the principles of Gatsby’s wealth to resonate with the notion of the American dream.
Furthermore, the novel presents that the romanticism of wealth and attaining the American dream will result in the demise of the ambitious. While the American society of the jazz age had adopted the consumerist-based economic structure to allow the wealthy to experience life’s pleasures, this had come at the cost of a long-term detrimental effect to its economic prosperity. Fitzgerald depicts consumerism and wealth as a factor of societal degradation and creates a reasonable explanation of the collapse of the American economy that sparked the Great Depression in 1929. This notion is particularly evident in Gatsby’s decline from power as his belief ‘in the green light’, the ‘orgastic future’ that was envisioned through wealth would ultimately lead to a symbolic end that further represented the outcome of the jazz age. The green light serves as Gatsby’s hope in the power associated with wealth to pursue his dreams, and this notion also combines with the elements of the American dream of the working class. However, Fitzgerald shows that Gatsby’s faith in this consumerist and wealthy system consequently alludes to the ambitions of the general American public and the idolisation of this masked happiness through personal private ownership, which impacts the individual as well as the entire society. Thus, the perception of wealth during the jazz age had affected the lives of the pursuant as well as the American economy itself.
Finally, Fitzgerald conveys that social class is determinant of preserving the future of one’s wealth. The distinction between East Egg and West Egg indicates the classes of wealth that were evident during the jazz age. For instance, West Egg represents the ‘less fashionable of the two’, although a ‘most superficial tag’ that Nick believes as a form of segregation to lift the power of the East Egg inhabitants further. As a result, West Egg is considered to be the area for ‘new money’ earned residents, whereas East Egg consists of wealthy families through many generations. This shows the ability of sustaining wealth to be a significant factor of separation between the two, which Fitzgerald shows through the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist. Gatsby represents the general perspective of West Egg inhabitants, whereas Tom Buchanan embodies the values of the traditional East Egg residents. Their complications serve as a nuanced take on the class distinction during Fitzgerald’s time and shows the outcomes of their actions. Gatsby’s dream to win back Daisy through a newly attained fortune when contrasted to Tom Buchanan’s inherited money combined with his personal financial success speaks much of the effects of the Great Depression. While this hardship exists to be a romantic struggle for Gatsby, this also symbolises the romantic perspectives on wealth for the working class that lead to further struggle during the Great Depression, while having little effect on those initially rich. This is represented through the death of Gatsby, Myrtle and George Wilson, whereas Nick, Daisy and Tom Buchanan had not suffered greatly for their actions. Consequently, Fitzgerald addresses the presence of social class to be an important factor in predicting one’s future with their wealth.
The Great Gatsby presents the implications of a private-ownership based economy to be the primary identity of the post-war America that led to the degradation of their social structures following the Great Depression. While it may not have occurred during Fitzgerald’s time of writing the novel, his detailed exploration of the tragedy of the American dream predicts the effects on the ambitious individuals who were not able to perceive the superficiality of this dream, and the negative impacts on the entire American society. This is first explored through the notion of the American dream and the perpetuation of a consumerist-driven culture, as shown through its embodiment in Jay Gatsby and further enhanced through the perspectives of Nick Carraway. Furthermore, the novel shows that the idolisation of the power of private possession and fulfilling the American dream will only lead to the individual’s discovery of its superficiality and the demise of their motivations, and hence their lives. Finally, Fitzgerald contends that the segregation of the two wealthy classes is a determinant factor in their futures, as symbolised through the conflict of Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. Hence, the themes associated with these notions are identified to be representative of Fitzgerald’s perception of America — the ‘Valley of Ashes’ that is to eventually become reality as wealth is continued to be pursued.
