The American Dream: My Definition
To me, the American Dream is the concept that America is a place where anyone can prosper regardless of belief, background, ethnicity, etc. No matter what identities you carry, you will be welcomed into the melting pot. It's the idea that in the U.S, there are no limitations to what a person can achieve, think, or express and the idea that the only way to reach one's goals is through hard work, determination, and pure grit. It's the reason why at the age of 16, my dad packed his bags and moved halfway across the world, leaving behind everything that was familiar and why decades later, at the age of 18, my sister did the same.
I chose this image because the American dream is distinguished by the availability of equal opportunity to each person as well as the freedom to chase those opportunities.
The Roaring 20s
One thing that surprised me during the scavenger hunt was that owning a car didn't become widespread until the 1920s; I had always assumed car ownership became prevalent earlier than that. I also had never considered the impact that cars have on society. The idea of living in a suburb and commuting to the city for work every morning was nearly nonexistent before the 1920s because it was simply not feasible without a private car.
Another interesting idea that I encountered through the scavenger hunt was the 18th Amendment and its effects on women's rights. Once again, I had always imagined that women gained the right to vote much earlier than the 1920s. The increase in women's rights is also shown through the rise of the flappers. For the first time, women could wear short, low-cut dresses and go to bars alongside their male counterparts.
Finally, I found it ironic that the Prohibition, a series of laws that banned the sale and manufacturing of alcohol with the ultimate goal of eliminating America's drinking culture and making citizens more devout, ultimately led to widespread corruption and crime. Gangs, not unlike modern day drug cartels, made large profits off of smuggling liquor into the United States and selling drinks through speakeasys.
Another interesting idea that I encountered through the scavenger hunt was the 18th Amendment and its effects on women's rights. Once again, I had always imagined that women gained the right to vote much earlier than the 1920s. The increase in women's rights is also shown through the rise of the flappers. For the first time, women could wear short, low-cut dresses and go to bars alongside their male counterparts.
Finally, I found it ironic that the Prohibition, a series of laws that banned the sale and manufacturing of alcohol with the ultimate goal of eliminating America's drinking culture and making citizens more devout, ultimately led to widespread corruption and crime. Gangs, not unlike modern day drug cartels, made large profits off of smuggling liquor into the United States and selling drinks through speakeasys.
Suburbs, which are now an important aspect of any American city, were nonexistent before the commercialization of the automobile. The widespread sale of cars was therefore revolutionary. The image above depicts one of the earliest American suburbs. As one can see, each house had a car, without which this method of living would not have been possible.
Future Encounters: Making Predictions
Based on the information I've gathered through the scavenger hunt, I predict that The Great Gatsby will be filled with parties with illegal alcohol consumption, automobiles. and 1920s slang. As for the characters, there will likely be a few disillusioned war veterans since the story takes place soon after World War I. There might also be empowered female characters since the 1920s are when women gained the right to vote. Finally, there will probably also be wealthy people who made their fortunes by tricking or deceiving others.
One possible theme, prompted by the speakeasys, is whether it is morally justifiable to break a law if doing so is socially acceptable.
The idea of the American Dream which is prevalent in the novel also connects to a few themes. One example might be: is a national dream an inherently positive thing (due to its ability to unify diverse groups of people?) or is it inherently negative (because it creates an illusion that blinds many to the reality around them)?
One possible theme, prompted by the speakeasys, is whether it is morally justifiable to break a law if doing so is socially acceptable.
The idea of the American Dream which is prevalent in the novel also connects to a few themes. One example might be: is a national dream an inherently positive thing (due to its ability to unify diverse groups of people?) or is it inherently negative (because it creates an illusion that blinds many to the reality around them)?
I chose this image because it is a screenshot from the film adaptation of The Great Gatsby so I believe it says quite a lot about the setting. As shown in the picture, the story deals with the idea of the American Dream since a large home is exhibited, serving as a sign of wealth. In addition, there are many flappers as well which shows that there were improvements in women's right in the era of the novel.
Who is the narrator?
In the opening pages of the novel, readers learn a great deal about the narrator's upbringing, background, and beliefs. The narrator was brought up in the Midwest in a seemingly wealthy family. When the narrator gets older, he decides to move east in order to pursue a career in finance. When discussing this choice, he simply states "Everyone I know was in the bond business" (Fitzgerald 3). This quote reveals quite a few things about the environment in which the narrator was brought up. Firstly, it highlights what people in his society value: financial success. They are a community of affluent people who choose to maintain their status by pursuing careers that guarantee financial gains. Through careers on Wall Street, members of the narrator's community can continue to purchase lavish goods in order to give a good impression to superficial viewers. Notice, also, that the narrator mentions that he is pursuing finance not because it is what he is passionate about but rather because it is what is expected; it is his predetermined fate, in a way. The narrator conforms by choosing this career and he follows the path of least resistance since everything he needs is already in place for him. Finally, the fact that everyone around the narrator chooses to follow the same career path, regardless of what it may be, shows that the place where he grew up was fairly homogeneous. It might be a place where those who behave in a way that contradicts traditional social norms may be alienated. This therefore shows that the narrator's exposure to the world around him might be fairly limited. Furthermore, the scope of the story is further narrowed by Fitzgerald's use of a first person narrator. Ultimately, one can see that the narrator comes from a sheltered, privileged background. Despite this however, he is acutely self-aware and acknowledges that he has been given uncommon advantages in life, making him a more dynamic character.
I chose this image because the narrator describes the area of the Midwest from which he hails as "a country of wide lawns and friendly trees" (Fitzgerald 3). Furthermore, this image seemed fitting because of previous knowledge of the Midwest's characterization as a place of open flat fields, breathtaking greenery, and numerous lakes.
Chapter 1: Critical Context
Goddard's Rise of the Colored Empires- In the first chapter of the novel, at an intimate dinner party, the spouse of the protagonist's cousin alludes to Theodore Lothrop Stoddard's book The Rise of the Colored Empires. The premise of the book is that the white race is supreme but that if its members are not careful, they may soon go extinct. The fact that this is considered acceptable dinnertime conversation is quite indicative of the explicit racism that prevalent at the time. Tom, the man who first brings up the book, goes on to describe its contents as "all scientific stuff" (Fitzgerald 13). By describing it as such, Tom is seeking to legitimize his bigotry as he considers it the law of nature. No one present at the table interjects or refutes Tom's ideas, showing that they must agree with it to some extent. In addition, Tom's allusion is indicative of his personal character. He is a person who has been blessed with many privileges throughout his life and instead of being grateful for and helping others gain the opportunities which he was handed, he chooses to feel a sense of superiority because of it. Despite receiving a top-notch education, Tom remains narrow-minded and of little intellect.
Chapter 2: Quotation Collaboration
Irony and the idea of paradox are both quite prevalent within the Great Gatsby. In this chapter, Tom drags Nick to New York to meet his mistress. When they begin to drink in a rental apartment, Nick reveals to readers that this is the second time he has ever been intoxicated. After a while Nick starts to feel trapped; he wonders where the nearest park is and states "I was within and without simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." (Fitzgerald 35). Nick's discomfort is aptly expressed in this quote. He is torn because although his morals urge him to leave this gathering, there is something about it that enchants him and keeps him put which in turn reveals an aspect of his character with which he is uncomfortable. This quote is in a way also a microcosm of the protagonist's general feelings about moving east; he originally drawn to the glamour and opportunity of the big city but he feels alienated due to his status as an outsider and the superficiality of the east. These ideas relate to John Steinbeck's article 'Paradox and Dreams' in that Nick's move to the east as well as his chase for financial success at the expense of personal well-being are both paradoxical in nature and reveal the inherent contradictions of the American dream.