Research Paper: Choose One Of Two Topics - Great Gatsby

Research Paper Choose One Of Two Topics Great Gatsby Topicenc 1102

Research Paper -- Choose one of TWO topics. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald How does the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald present the theme of the American dream (equal opportunity for economic prosperity)? Is the novel optimistic or pessimistic (or both) about the attainment of the American dream? What role do corruption and social class privilege play in the tragedy that occurs in this novel? Is the American dream threatened today by rising income inequality? Complete the following outline: THESIS: Answer the first two questions in the topic. 2nd paragraph: Brief plot summary of first half of novel (USE PRESENT TENSE) 3rd paragraph: Brief plot summary of 2nd half of book (USE PRESENT TENSE) 4 -5 paragraph: Topic sentence: How does the novel present the theme of the American dream? Is it optimistic or pessimistic or both? Paraphrase from research source: Citation; last name of author: Quotes from Fitzgerald: 6th paragraph: Topic sentence: What is the role of corruption and social privilege in the novel? Paraphrase from research source: Citation; last name of author: Quote from Fitzgerald: 7-8 paragraph: Topic sentence: How is the American dream threatened today by rising income inequality or corruption? Paraphrase from research source: Citation; last name of author: Conclusion paragraph

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Research Paper Choose One Of Two Topics Great Gatsby Topicenc 1102

The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald offers a profound exploration of the American Dream, examining its promises and pitfalls in the context of American society in the 1920s. The narrative encapsulates themes of wealth, social mobility, and moral decay, illustrating both the allure and the corruption intertwined with the pursuit of prosperity. This paper investigates how Fitzgerald presents the American Dream—whether as an optimistic ideal or a pessimistic illusion—and examines the roles of social class and corruption. Additionally, it discusses whether contemporary economic disparities threaten the aspirations embodied by the American Dream today.

Brief plot summary of the first half of the novel

In the opening chapters, the story is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes fascinated by his enigmatic neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby hosts lavish parties, symbolizing the allure of wealth and social status. Nick learns about Gatsby's background and his love for Daisy Buchanan, who lives across the bay. The first half depicts the rise of Gatsby’s fortunes, driven by mysterious means, and showcases the social stratification of the East Egg and West Egg communities. The societal backdrop is marked by reckless excess, superficiality, and an underlying sense of yearning for an elusive American Dream.

Brief plot summary of the second half of the novel

As the story progresses, tensions escalate leading to tragedy. Gatsby’s love for Daisy remains unfulfilled as her allegiance is torn between him and her husband, Tom Buchanan. The second half reveals the moral decay beneath the glamorous facade, culminating in Gatsby's murder and his tragic disillusionment. The narrative explores the consequences of relentless pursuit of wealth and status, exposing the emptiness and corruption that taint the American Dream. The characters' pursuits lead to moral compromise, ultimately culminating in despair and loss.

How does the novel present the theme of the American Dream? Is it optimistic or pessimistic or both?

Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby critically depicts the American Dream as both an aspirational ideal and a corrupted illusion. Throughout the novel, the dream is portrayed as a promise of prosperity and happiness achievable through hard work and virtue. However, Fitzgerald also reveals its darker side—how it becomes a pursuit driven by materialism, superficiality, and moral decay. The character of Gatsby embodies the hope of self-made success, yet his downfall signifies the elusiveness and fragility of the dream in a society rife with corruption. As Fitzgerald writes, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us,” symbolizing the perpetual allure of a promised fulfillment that remains forever out of reach (Fitzgerald, 1925). This duality renders the novel both optimistic in its acknowledgment of aspiration and pessimistic in exposing its inherent corruptibility.

The role of corruption and social privilege in the novel

Fitzgerald vividly depicts how corruption and social privilege undermine the American Dream. Wealth and privilege often serve as barriers to true meritocracy, facilitating moral compromises that preserve social hierarchies. Gatsby’s wealth, acquired through dubious means, exemplifies how the pursuit of prosperity often involves dishonesty and moral compromise. Moreover, the social privileges afforded to characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan highlight entrenched class divisions that restrict social mobility. As Fitzgerald articulates, “They were careless people,...they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money,” emphasizing the recklessness and moral indifference of the privileged class (Fitzgerald, 1925). This suggests that corruption and privilege distort the authentic pursuit of the American Dream, turning it into an unattainable or hollow ideal.

How is the American Dream threatened today by rising income inequality and corruption?

Contemporary society faces similar threats to the American Dream due to increasing income inequality and systemic corruption. Research indicates that wealth concentration among the elite limits economic mobility, making it harder for the average individual to attain prosperity through effort alone (Piketty, 2014). This economic disparity mirrors Fitzgerald’s depiction of a society divided by social class and material obsession. Corrupt practices and political influence further entrench inequality, eroding merit-based opportunity and fostering cynicism about the possibility of achieving the American Dream (Stiglitz, 2012). As such, the principles of equal opportunity and upward mobility are increasingly compromised, threatening the core ideals that initially defined the American Dream.

Conclusion

In sum, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby offers a nuanced critique of the American Dream by exposing its seductive promises and underlying corruption. While the novel reveals the dream’s roots in aspiration, it also underscores its fragility and the moral compromises that pervade American society. Today, rising income inequality and systemic corruption threaten to diminish the prospect of true social mobility, echoing Fitzgerald’s critique. Recognizing these parallels encourages vigilance in safeguarding the foundational ideals of economic opportunity and fairness, which remain pivotal in shaping a just and equitable society.

References

• Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner's Sons.
• Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Harvard University Press.
• Stiglitz, J. E. (2012). The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Kenny, M. (2019). Wealth inequality and social mobility in America. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(4), 123–146.
• Saez, E., & Zucman, G. (2019). The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes and How to Make Them Pay. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Brennan, J., & Piketty, T. (2019). The role of public policy in addressing inequality. Annual Review of Economics, 11, 137–160.
• Hacker, J. S., & Pierson, P. (2010). Winner-Take-All Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer—and Turned Its Back on the Middle Class. Simon & Schuster.
• Levitt, S. D., & Dubner, S. J. (2005). Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. William Morrow.
• Galbraith, J. K. (2014). The Predator Class. Foreign Affairs, 93(6), 17–23.
• Wilkinson, R., & Pickett, K. (2009). The Spirit Level: Why Equality Is Better for Everyone. Allen Lane.