When America was first discovered and civilized by Europeans, it was considered the land of freedom and opportunity. The goal of many immigrants was to arrive penniless from an insignificant background and work hard to eventually reach the top of the social classes; thus the American Dream was born. Yet as Scott Fitzgerald emphasizes in The Great Gatsby, this dream is a hoax in contemporary America. The protagonist, Jay Gatsby, is a wealthy bootlegger in pursuit of his own version of the American Dream: to win back the love of Daisy. This dream of his is split between his belief that money can buy happiness and that he is able to relive the past. As like many of those caught in the trap of the American Dream, Gatsby realizes that his goal is unattainable, and is eventually, yet inevitably, led to his downfall.

As a young man, Gatsby...