The American Dream Within a Corrupt Society, a Comparison between Life and "The Great Gatsby"

In Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, all characters are, in one way or another, attempting to achieve a state of happiness in their lives, despite a troubled society. The main characters are divided into two groups: the rich upper class and the poorer lower class, a class struggling to attain higher status. Though only some characters seek to change their lives for the better, the idealism and spiritualism of the American Dream is inevitably crushed beneath the harsh reality of life during the time of the 1920's. Fitzgerald utilizes the social status of his characters to capture the sense of the time period. By exploring the importance and power of dreams, as they foresee the future of many, Fitzgerald explores problems with a growing, ever-changing society.…