Lavish Lifestyles in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Imagine that the thing you want most in life turns out to be the thing you despise most. Then picture that in order to discover this disillusioning fact, you have to watch other people destroy themselves in the process of achieving you goal. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald gives a scathing critique of the lavish and foolish lifestyle of affluent Americans, and of the inanity of the American Dream, the dream of equal opportunity for upward mobility--basically, the dream of wealth. The irony of this is that Fitzgerald himself lived like many of the wealthy character in the book, despite his contempt for the lifestyle. The story, narrated by a man named Nick Carraway, who is an aspirant of wealth, follows the quest of Jay Gatsby for Daisy Buchanan through decadent and frivolous parties, ash filled landscapes, and sinful cities, all during one summer in the 1920’s. Nick is in the East, where the story occurs, seeking his own fortune, when, in an effort to escape loneliness, he becomes involved with several very wealthy people and their childish dramas. By observing their mistakes and their fates, Nick becomes disillusioned about what wealth really means, and thus, in the end, decides to return to the West. Through the desperate striving and crushing disillusionment of key characters, Fitzgerald conveys his belief that the American Dream is an alluring, yet childish illusion. Using both Gatsby and Nick’s attraction to wealth, Fitzgerald shows how the AmericanShow MoreRelatedGreat Gatsby Film Analysis717 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Gatsby is a 2013 period drama film based on F. Scot Fitzgerald 1925 novel of the same name. The film was co written and directed by Baz Luhrmann and star Leonardo DiCaprio as eponymous Jay Gatsby. Other star casts include Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Egerton and Elizabeth Debicki. The Great Gatsby was release on May 10th, 2013 and is has since hit the market and made over 100 million dollars in profit. This movie was very realistic and portrayed the ideal lifestyle of people in theRead MoreViews of Entitlement in the Great Gatsby1596 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby as Fitzgerald’s explanation of an American Reality which contradicts the American Dream That was always my experience—a poor boy in a rich town; a poor boy in a rich boys school; a poor boy in a rich mans club at Princeton.... However, I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works.   —F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, 1994. pg. 352. The Great Gatsby, by F. ScottRead MoreThe Roaring Twenties By F. Scott Fitzgerald1263 Words   |  6 Pagessurrounding this time period greatly impacted the carefree, extravagant lifestyle. 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(Thompson p.152) This theme of a misinterpreted American Dream was portrayed throughout what is said to be one of Fitzgerald’s most influential works, The Great Gatsby. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in the great capital of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Born into an upper middleRead MoreThe Decay of American Dream in The Great Gatsby1289 Words   |  6 PagesDream in The Great Gatsby The American Dream is a worldwide known idiom and it emphasizes an ideal of a successful and happy lifestyle which is oftentimes symbolized by the phrase â€Å"from rags-to-riches†. It originated out of the ideal of equality, freedom and opportunity that is held to every American. In the last couple of decades the main idea of the American Dream has shifted to becoming a dream in which materialistic values are of a higher importance and status. The Great Gatsby is a novelRead MoreEssay about A Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby1555 Words   |  7 PagesA Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a universal and timeless literary masterpiece. Fitzgerald writes the novel during his time, about his time, and showing the bitter deterioration of his time. A combination of the 1920s high society lifestyle and the desperate attempts to reach its illusionary goals through wealth and power creates the essence behind The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, the narrator, moves to a quaint neighborhoodRead MoreThere have been many famous American authors; some better than others, but do we know who these1000 Words   |  4 Pageswe know who these people really are? In the case of F. Scott Fitzgerald we saw what he wanted us to see; for instance, a successful career, expensive jewelry and the nice cars. F. Scott Fitzgerald began to write at a young age and he is known for being a brilliant author and with a lavish lifestyle and great success, but his gilded life was often tarnished with alcoholism, overspending, and a sense of failure. Frances Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896Read MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of wealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the West