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Gatsby and the Great Hoax


            In "The Great Gatsby," the American Dream is not only a myth but a disgusting hoax. Scott Fitzgerald presents the American dream as unimportant and a myth. In The Great Gatsby, old money people looked down on the newly rich. Jay Gatsby only wanted to have financial wealth so he could have his dream life with Daisy (Fitzgerald).
             Tom is from a family with "old money" and does not respect new money. Tom expresses this by saying, "a lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers, you know" (Fitzgerald 114). He says this to Nick, behind Gatsby's back. Tom hates Gatsby even before Gatsby tried to take Daisy from him, because of the traditions of old money. Tom is a hypocrite for having said this because he had been drinking during the prohibition era. The old money families would judge the newly rich, because everything had to do with status. .
             Jay Gatsby, originally from North Dakota, moved to New York City to make a fortune. "That comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work or rigid sitting in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness" (Fitzgerald 77). Nick said that the richest man can have everything, but will feel empty inside. Nick appreciates Gatsby's dream of becoming rich but does not think he is truly happy. Gatsby is chasing after a dream that is not possible. Gatsby has worked his whole life to be with Daisy but unfortunately Daisy does not accept to being with Gatsby. Daisy wants to be with Tom, because she would have financial security with an old money family, even though he is a jerk and a cheater. .
             Nick explains how Gatsby can see his dream but will never receive it. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther, So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" (Fitzgerald 180).


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