The idea of materialism was held fast by many other characters other then Gatsby. ... This was showing that everybody can live the American vision if they work hard enough. ... The connection between Tom's mention of Stoddard's book The Rise of the Colored Empire and the sight of affluent African-Americans is as follows. ... So it is just ironic how he mentioned that we had to "keep down" the African-Americans when they were just rising up....

• Word Count: 287
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

The setting also is symbiolic of Fritzgerald's satire of 1920s New York lifestyle , most important of all , brings out the themes of American dream , money and romantic love. ... "I've never seen such beautiful shirts before (Daisy)" His parties and house shows the disillusionment of Gatsby , who was corrupted by the American Dream. ... This shows the materialism of the people during 1920s in New York. ... (Tom) "Dollar twenty " (Wilson) " Even though people are poor here , they still believed in the glamour of the American Dream, they believed that if they work hard enough ,...

• Word Count: 1247
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The automobile in The Great Gatsby serves as a metaphor for the effect that the American Dream has on the different classes in society. ... The American Dream and the automobile was what led Myrtle Wilson to her death. ... She left the man she loved because she fell in love with the American Dream, and thought she could attain it through Tom Buchanan. ... Scott Fitzgerald effectively and repeatedly uses the automobile to shape his view of American class and society during the 1920's. Almost a century later, America's materialistic fascination with the automobile continues today. ...

• Word Count: 953
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School