The Self-Made Man, The Epitome Of The “American Dream”

The self-made man, the epitome of the â€Å"American Dream† is a paragon of virtue, independence, and success. The American dream can be defined as a ‘rags-to-riches’ story. In his novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald challenges the reality of the American dream through Nick Carraway, a fairly well-off young man with no tangible life goals. Since Nick does not have a real dream, he compares the many dreamers in his life to the ideal self-made man. Fitzgerald conveys that upward class mobility is achieved only with help and fraud. First, Tom and Daisy Buchanan were born into massive amounts of wealth and fill the ‘riches’ qualification of the American dream but not the self-made element. Next, gas station owner Mr. Wilson and photographer†¦show more content†¦They are wealthy but not independently successful nor virtuous, and therefore do not exemplify the American dream. Conversely, working men, such as Mr. Wilson and Mr. McKee, have no real chance at realizing their dreams. For example, Wilson dreams of buying ‘the car’ that Tom has promised him. He is waiting for Tom to sell him the car and believes that this singular trade will boost his career. Wilson is at Tom’s mercy and his financial reliance contradicts the idea of independence as a part being self-made. Fitzgerald mentions Wilson, he mentions ‘the car,’ and describes him as having a â€Å"damp gleam of hope† (28). The word â€Å"damp† makes Fitzgerald’s language particularly depressing, because it paints an image of Wilson dejectedly holding on to his disintegrating dream. Moreover, Tom never sells Wilson the car, further highlighting the dream’s unattainability. Similarly, by campaigning for Tom’s invitation to photograph wealthy elites, Mr. McKee also contradicts the American dream’s linchpin: independence. Mr. McKe e needs Tom to open a door of opportunity, so he implores, â€Å"I’d like to do more work on Long Island if I could get the entry. All I ask is that they should give me a start† (36). Fitzgerald’s choice of the word â€Å"they† is telling as it speaks to the contrary notion that the permission of an entire class is needed for Wilson to be able to move up the ladder. Tom mocks McKee’s request by suggesting he take photos of Mr.Show MoreRelatedEssay Jay Gatsby: The Tragic Hero in The Great Gatsby1332 Words   |  6 Pagesa life lesson. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is the tragic hero who portrays the corruption of the American dream through his tragic flaw. His devastating death at the end of the novel portrays the dangers of centering one’s life on money and other materialistic things and warns the reader not to follow his foolish steps. 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