F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby’s party’s guest list to illustrate what it means to become american. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s “wonder” at staring at the “green” light at the end of Daisy’s “dock” to symbolise everyone’s dream of becoming an american. Throughout the story there is plenty of examples of how the Great Gatsby relates to being an american. The clearest example of the american dream is in the very beginning of the book when Gatsby is looking off into the distance. He is looking off to a Green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. The greenlight represents what he wants to achieve. He is reaching out towards the green light as if he can tough it, just as any person admiring the American dream would. A second example comes from chapter 4 when we learn that Gatsby wants to get back with Daisy. Although Gatsby is a very wealthy man and has a big beautiful house, Daisy is what he desires. Daisy represents what Gatsby wants and what he dreams of. Another relation to the american dream are the East egg and West Egg guests lists that Gatsby has for his impressive parties.
In the book the Great Gatsby we hear about the East egg and West egg constantly. The clear difference between the two is the amount of time you have been wealthy. The West egg meaning you have been wealthy for a short amount of time and money. A quote from the Narrator Nick Carraway describes how West egg is. “I lived at West Egg, the?well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them”(pg.5). By saying this Nick means that West Egg isn’t as fashionable or as superior as East egg, however it is still a very likeable place. The people in West Egg have better morals and care more about life than money. West Egg is often described as “new money” because of the fact that they have been wealthy for as long as East egg which is named “old money.” East egg is considered “old money” because they have always had money. The have inherited money from parents or have been wealthy for a long time. The people of East Egg are generally are more rude and possessive.
