JOSE: Is Jay Gatsby's American Dream dead?
When thinking about "The Great Gatsby," the first thing that some people think of is their high school book report for English class. It is a beloved story about one man’s determination to get rich and marry the girl of his dreams.
But if we remember anything about our high school English classes, we will also remember that "The Great Gatsby" is a commentary on the American Dream. The 2013 adaptation of the novel was put on Netflix last month, and it is apparent that it could not be more relevant right now.
While watching the film recently, observing all of the colorful, glittering scenes, this concept of the American Dream was the only thing on my mind. "The Great Gatsby" is not only a thrilling story, but its commentary on the lives of the rich seems to permeate throughout the ages.
"The Great Gatsby" is ultimately the story of Jay Gatsby’s social mobility in 1920s America. Gatsby becomes rich and is able to buy a mansion across the bay from his long-time love, the old-money socialite Daisy Buchanan. But Daisy never chooses Jay, which makes us, as audience members, think: What was it all for?
In his story, author F. Scott Fitzgerald hints at just how unfulfilling it is to chase wealth in the U.S., as the uber-wealthy will always want to keep the wealth for themselves. This idea of unattainability and exclusivity is seen throughout much of the story. The elusive green dock-light comes to mind, and Fitzgerald infers that the American Dream of wealth and creating a better life for oneself is something people will always chase.
But "The Great Gatsby" takes place in the 1920s, before the Great Depression, so there is nothing to worry about right? In a world where the median household net worth of $192,000 is just below the amount that most U.S. families “should have in retirement savings,” there is some valid reason for concern.
In recent years, wealth inequality has actually come close to what it was during the Great Depression, with the top 1 percent receiving about 23.9 percent of all pre-tax income in 1928, versus the 22.5 percent that they earned in 2012 after the Great Recession. This comparison should be striking to people, as it means that the rich today are just as wealthy as the rich during the time of Fitzgerald and his beloved character Gatsby.
As a result of this wealth inequality, many Americans believe that the American Dream no longer exists, with 45 percent believing that if it was true, the dream is definitely over now. It seems that, just like Fitzgerald, many are disillusioned with the lack of social mobility that is available in today’s society, which has been exacerbated by class inequality.
But, just because the majority of people believe that the dream is dead, does not mean that it has completely ceased to exist. An Axios poll in the Axios Latino newsletter stated that “most Latinos believe in the American Dream” even after the recent pandemic.
While these optimistic statistics are not representative of the overwhelming majority, they make us rethink our definitions of success. For many minorities in America, the hope of a better future still exists, with many believing in the dream because they lived better lives than their parents did.
This sentiment makes us think again about the state of the American Dream. On one hand, wealth inequality is high, and social mobility is hard. It is disheartening to see that nearly a hundred years after the Great Depression, nothing has changed about class inequality in the U.S. But on the other hand, people still try their hardest to succeed and chase that American Dream because they see how it has worked for other people.
It is a complex topic to think about, but I would like to believe in the hope that exists amongst people who still champion the American Dream.
My own parents are an example of this dream. Both of them moved to the U.S. from the Philippines for college, hoping to build a better future for themselves during the 1980s and 90s. Even after our family returned to the Philippines in 2008, they still had us come back to the U.S. after nearly a decade, because they believed that my brother and I deserve to have the success they both had when they came to this country.
The American Dream may seem like it has been dying for nearly a hundred years now, and as a result, many have felt pessimistic about the future of the country. But if you just know where to look, you’ll find that there are people who actively keep this dream alive, meaning that the dream is still capable of being a reality.
Amelia Jose is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Political Science and minoring in International and Global Studies and Art History. Jose's column "Sip and Chat" runs on alternate Thursdays, and is best enjoyed with something to drink as you read.
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