Ellen+and+Kelly's+Thoughts

1.What is the American Dream? How does Gatsby represent this dream? Does the novel praise or condemn Gatsby's dream? Has the American dream changed since Gatsby's time? The American Dream is to be rich and happy, everyone wants a family, a good job and wealth. Gatsby is the ideal man of the American Dream. The novel praises Gatsby’s dream because he has everything. Even though he loves Daisy, they meet and end up together. He is rich, has a nice house and is always surrounded by people. The American Dream has not changed since Gatsby’s time, peoples values are still the same. Even though it has changed people change and so does culture, there will always be new things people want and that just adds to the American dream.

As Fitzgerald describes the two worlds, the Midwest and the East, life is better in the East, people move from the Midwest to the East to fulfill their dreams and live their lives. Gatsby and Nick were both born and raised in the Midwest and then went to the war and ended up on the East Coast. The East seems to represent a place to find love for Gatsby, he knows Daisy lives in New York and moves there in hope of finding her. The East seems to represent a new beginning for Nick. He moves there knowing no one but Daisy and has to start over.
 * 2. **Think about the two worlds, the Midwest and the East, as Fitzgerald describes them, and what they represent for Nick and for Gatsby.

Gatsby’s social class and social life is different from the Buchanan’s because Gatsby is always having luxurious parties at his home with tons of people he doesn’t even know while the Buchanan’s stay at home with their child. Geography contributes to the definition of social class in The Great Gatsby because Gatsby is able to travel the world and live different experiences. Gatsby lives in West Egg where people from all over come to party and meet others. East Egg is not as fashionable as West Egg and seems to be more conservative.
 * 3. **Compare and contrast Gatsby's social class with that of Tom and Daisy Buchanan. How does geography contribute to the definition of social class in The Great Gatsby?

Nick Carraway’s role in the novel is the narrator of the story. He is Daisy’s cousin, Gatsby’s neighbor and lives in West Egg. The telling of the story from Nick’s point of view does make it more believable because it makes him honest and open to other people, what they do and where they come from.
 * 4. **What is Nick Carraway's role in the novel? Consider Nick's father's advice in chapter one: "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Does telling the story from Nick's point of view make it more believable?

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Fitzgerald, F. Scott. //The Great Gatsby.// New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925. //Youtube//.//Great Gatsby//. March 17, 2010.  Photograph. March 17, 2010.<[]> Photograph. March 17, 2010.[|]