Illusion of the american dream
The Illusion of the “American Dream” The idealistic and often romanticized illusion of the “American Dream” often acts as a predominant theme in literature. The “American Dream” is characterized by three main principles: wealth, popularity, and the ability to prosper. People like Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby are prime literary examples of men fastidiously pursuing the attainment of an elusive “American Dream”. In the end, both men die unfulfilled, murdered by a phantomlike ““American Dream”” to which they committed their entire beings, in hopes of making real an unlikely dream. ... James Gatz’s “American Dream” was to leave behind his impoverished life and become a wealthy man with a beautiful wife at his side, more specifically, Daisy. ... Gatsby’s loyalty to his dream is his most noble characteristic as well as the most substantial flaw to his plan. ... " (101) His entire existence revolves around his dream; recapturing Daisys heart and taking her away from Tom. When he realizes that he can never have Daisy for himself, his dream is shattered. ... ” He believed wholeheartedly in what he considers to be the promise of the “American Dream” (that a “well liked” and “personally attractive” man in a business will undoubtedly and justly acquire the material benefits offered by modern American life. The superficial qualities in his definition of the “American Dream” juxtapose those of the more predominant and rewarding definition of the “American Dream” proposed by Bernard and his father, one in which isolates hard word as the key to success.