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The American Dream the idea that every person can prosper in America, provided he or she works hard, never gives up, and cultivates virtue is one of the central notions of American culture. Many pieces of art have discussed this idea, and one among them is Baz Luhrmanns (2013) movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgeralds eponymous novel. As is evident in the film The Great Gatsby, Franklins assertion that the American Dream is available to all is incorrect because neither virtuous character nor hard work leads to prosperity, and hope remains unrewarded.
One way in which the movie deconstructs the idea of the American Dream is by showing that prosperity does not necessarily come in hand with virtue. The titular protagonist is undoubtedly wealthy, but he still starts an affair with a married woman, which is hardly a behavior that Poor Richards Almanac would describe as conducive to the American Dream. Tom and Daisy are wealthy as well, but the narrator himself describes them as careless persons who smashed up things and people, and then retreated back into their money and their vast carelessness (Luhrmann, 2013).
This is especially true for Tom, who actually frames Gatsby to suffer for Toms own affair to be killed by a jealous husband. Wherever one looks, one will not find shining examples of morals among the wealthy characters, and this representation outright opposes one of the main facets of the American Dream.
The movie targets another facet as well by stressing that hard work is not a path to prosperity, and it is other factors that actually make people wealthy. George Wilson, a garage owner, the closest thing to a simple hard-working man in the movie, yet he struggles to make ends meet, and his wife is having an affair with wealthier Tom. Gatsby himself is rich but had gotten his money through the illegal alcohol trade during the Prohibition rather than honest work. Finally, Tom Americas Wealthiest Bachelor is an arrogant upper-class representative rather than a hard-working man. Thus, the movie suggests that wealth comes not from diligent labor but from illegal schemes or simply being born into the right family.
Finally, the movie opposes the idea of the American Dream in yet another respect by attacking the third of its main premises the hope for a better future. Hope is Gatsbys defining feature, as he always believes in the green light, the orgastic future that awaits him and the others (Luhrmann, 2013). At one point, the narrator outright says that reserving judgment is a matter of infinite hope, which connects directly to Gatsbys admission of trying to see the best in people instead of judging them (Luhrmann, 2013).
However, the line that sums up the movies approach to hope belongs to another character. When Daisy says that bright precious things fade so fast& and they dont come back, she may as well be reiterating the films central message (Luhrmann, 2013). For all of Gatsbys hope, he ends up dead, and the only reminder of his ambitious grandeur is his suddenly empty house and the memories of one Nick Carraway.
To summarize, The Great Gatsby debunks the idea that the American Dream is accessible to everyone by attacking all its premises. The movie shows that virtue is not conducive to prosperity, and the wealthy are often the most corrupt. It also demonstrates that hard work, unlike illegal machinations, does not pay well. Finally, it attacks the notion of hope the one thing that would cause the proponents of the American Dream to wake up every morning for their hard labor by showing how futile it can be.
Reference
Luhrmann, B. (Director). (2013). The Great Gatsby [Film]. Village Roadshow Pictures.
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