The American Dream Destroyed Willy Loman and the Great Gatsby

Everyone has a dream of their desired future, they dream of the one thing that makes them happy that they do not have now. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman and Gatsby are characters dominated by an American dream that destroyed them. Their dream comes from a fantasy past. These dreams were made outside from who they truly are. Gatsby tried to repeat his past, while Willy attempted to create a new past. The lack of control over their goals and dreams lead to their downfall at the end. The two novels show the various points of the American dream; either to pursuit of happiness, or to pursuit of material wealth. In the Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, many had pursued the American dream of†¦show more content†¦Daisy knows about Tom’s affair with Myrtle and does not oppose of it, she is too scared to leave him because if she does she will not be known as anyone’s wife, let alone Tom Buchanan’s wife. Jay Gatsby is deeply in love with Daisy and he shows it in every way possible, and yet she still stays with Tom. Daisy lets Gatsby know that she too is in love with him but can’t bring herself to say goodbye to Tom, except for when Gatsby forces her too. Daisy and Tom are perfect examples of wealth and prosperity, and the American Dream. Yet their lives are empty, and without purpose. In Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is a man who means well throughout his life, but he is quite imprudent; he is not an evil and selfish person like Daisy Buchanan. Willy Loman is a common American man; he’s nothing out of the ordinary. He followed the American dream as if it was the bible of life; it was a guide for a way of life. The American dream was Willy’s religion and it took him as a sacrificial human body. Willy had a strong belief in the American dream due to his brother Ben. Why boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich.(Miller Act1) This is when Willy took the American dream into account and made it the basis of his family’s belief system. Later, Willy begins to drill his personal belief system into his boys Biff and Happy Loman. Listen to this. This is your Uncle Ben, a great man! Tell myShow MoreRelatedPoem : The American Dream1037 Words   |  5 Pages What is the American Dream?-- The idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. It also represents that people, no matter who he or she is, can become successful in life by his or her own work. The desire to strive for what one wants can be accomplished