THE STORY OF A CORRUPTED DREAM IN THE GREAT GATSBY
THE STORY OF A CORRUPTED DREAM IN THE GREAT GATSBY

Author(s): Stăncuța Dima-Laza
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, American Literature
Published by: Editura Universităţii Vasile Goldiş
Keywords: America; dreams; corruption; wealth; love;
Summary/Abstract: The article examines the themes of money, social class and love, as well as the characteristics of the American Dream as they were perceived by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. It is a thorough examination of the American 1920s, a period of opulent parties, extravagance, burning desires and obsessions. Gatsby’s wish to overcome his humble condition by all means, even if illegal, emphasizes the futility, the illusion and the corruption of the American Dream. He radically changes his existence, turns into an enigmatic millionaire just to win back the love of his life. Daisy’s shallowness epitomizes the shattered dreams and the ephemerality of the American Dream in an age of prohibition and excess. The paper presents the superficiality of the characters, their moral decadence and the insensitive attitude of the old aristocracy. The reader may observe how they indulge in a hedonistic and aimless lifestyle which, in the end leads to their destruction.

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