The American Dream
The American Dream. It's a common phrase. A phrase used regularly as a pedestal to put hope for a "better life" on. After scouring the internet, I've come up with the definition that the American Dream is the belief in the opportunity to work hard and elevate yourself within society, regardless of individual characteristics. I believe this to be the definition Fitzgerald functions on, my my own is slightly different based on some personal experience. I define the American Dream as the ability to elevate one's self within society through hard work, SACRIFICE, and a dash of LUCK.
My definition includes sacrifice and luck, because of what has happened to the two most influential men in my life. Those being my dad and my grandpa Mosler. My grandpa sacrificed a lot in my opinion during his life working as a janitor (during my childhood) and a butcher (ing my father's childhood) while trying to raise my father and his five other siblings. He was up and off to work before his kids got up to go to school and was only getting back home just before dinner (oftentimes with meat from the butcher's shop for dinner). Then as a grandfather he worked as a janitor until 2010, missing parts of his grandchildren's childhood. This man worked his tail off and missed a lot of precious moments to support those he loved. Only in recent years has he expressed his own thoughts on the sacrifices he made over the years, and despite missing all that time he's told me, " had to do what I had to do to make sure food was on the table.", which wasn't necessarily a luxury during his childhood. For this reason is why I believe sacrifice is a part of the American Dream.
As for luck, this is where I turn to my father. He started his own business when I was very little, and during this time of company start-up, he and his business partner had been putting all of their money into it. It got to the point that he, his business partner, and each of their spouses dipped into their 401k's for money to keep it afloat. Upon doing this, with this money they bought tickets to a biomedical convention in Italy and on there last day there they got a deal from a large corporation that allowed for them to continue their business. Had that company not been at that conference or not chosen my father and his partner's company to do business with each of our families would have been without any source of sustainable income.
Both of those stories I just told display the American Dream in action, and it's also clear to see how this dream can just stay a dream, because oftentimes hard work doesn't guarantee success. This in my opinion in the number one misunderstanding with the American Dream. I do think that this is also something that Fitzgerald also did, because he displays hard work as always equaling money (which defined success in the 1920's). For both Gatsby and Tom this was inherently true. Not once did Fitzgerald show the struggle to the top in either one of those characters. Even with Nick, who we know is attempting to better his own life by moving to New York and taking up a trade his family didn't necessarily agree with, not once is he ever shown to fiscally struggle or work tireless hours or give up certain things to survive.
I honestly believe that Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby, might be the primary reason so many people don't understand the struggles and chance that it takes to elevate yourself in society. However, I also believe that this book did/has inspired young makers and entrepreneurs to work hard and take risks to succeed, because of Fitzgerald's fantastical view of the top 1%. People want comfort, plain and simple. Fitzgerald through his work gave/gives people a goal and motivation to be the next Great Gatsby, but a lot of the time there is a true lack of understanding of what it takes to get there.
Works Consulted:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp
https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/the-american-dream/
My definition includes sacrifice and luck, because of what has happened to the two most influential men in my life. Those being my dad and my grandpa Mosler. My grandpa sacrificed a lot in my opinion during his life working as a janitor (during my childhood) and a butcher (ing my father's childhood) while trying to raise my father and his five other siblings. He was up and off to work before his kids got up to go to school and was only getting back home just before dinner (oftentimes with meat from the butcher's shop for dinner). Then as a grandfather he worked as a janitor until 2010, missing parts of his grandchildren's childhood. This man worked his tail off and missed a lot of precious moments to support those he loved. Only in recent years has he expressed his own thoughts on the sacrifices he made over the years, and despite missing all that time he's told me, " had to do what I had to do to make sure food was on the table.", which wasn't necessarily a luxury during his childhood. For this reason is why I believe sacrifice is a part of the American Dream.
As for luck, this is where I turn to my father. He started his own business when I was very little, and during this time of company start-up, he and his business partner had been putting all of their money into it. It got to the point that he, his business partner, and each of their spouses dipped into their 401k's for money to keep it afloat. Upon doing this, with this money they bought tickets to a biomedical convention in Italy and on there last day there they got a deal from a large corporation that allowed for them to continue their business. Had that company not been at that conference or not chosen my father and his partner's company to do business with each of our families would have been without any source of sustainable income.
Both of those stories I just told display the American Dream in action, and it's also clear to see how this dream can just stay a dream, because oftentimes hard work doesn't guarantee success. This in my opinion in the number one misunderstanding with the American Dream. I do think that this is also something that Fitzgerald also did, because he displays hard work as always equaling money (which defined success in the 1920's). For both Gatsby and Tom this was inherently true. Not once did Fitzgerald show the struggle to the top in either one of those characters. Even with Nick, who we know is attempting to better his own life by moving to New York and taking up a trade his family didn't necessarily agree with, not once is he ever shown to fiscally struggle or work tireless hours or give up certain things to survive.
I honestly believe that Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby, might be the primary reason so many people don't understand the struggles and chance that it takes to elevate yourself in society. However, I also believe that this book did/has inspired young makers and entrepreneurs to work hard and take risks to succeed, because of Fitzgerald's fantastical view of the top 1%. People want comfort, plain and simple. Fitzgerald through his work gave/gives people a goal and motivation to be the next Great Gatsby, but a lot of the time there is a true lack of understanding of what it takes to get there.
Works Consulted:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp
https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/the-american-dream/
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