In the early years of the twentieth century when immigrants flooded into Ellis Island, they came to enjoy religious freedom and to live the American Dream. Political thinkers painted a picture of America as the land of opportunity, and ordinary dreamers, the image etched into their minds, packed their bags and boarded ships destined for the promised land. But America changed in the face of industrial progress, and during the 1920s, the vision of what the country could offer became corrupt. No longer was the dream about building a better life, but about obtaining material wealth. Ordinary people, once content with enjoying freedom and comfort, now set their sights on acquiring commodities, often at the expense of morality and honor.
The Roaring Twenties marked a time in history characterized by excess. Images of the decade show elegantly-clad couples listening to jazz at cabarets or enjoying an evening at the theater. The mood of the country was rosy, a reflection of the bulging economy. Not only was America the land of the free but a land where paupers could become presidents and anyone could build a fortune.
In large part, these ideas were fueled by Hollywood. Movies glamorized American life. Celebrities wore stylish clothes, drove expensive automobiles, had lavish homes, and lived lives of leisure. The theater scene boomed in the 1920s, but only a few people got rich. Most people only dreamed of riches. They envied the life they saw on the screen, and so advertisers used celebrities to market products.
The rise of the theater, the automobile, the cabarets, and the growth of industry all supported the development of a consumer culture. Consumerism revolves around the idea that spending more money on commercial products boosts the country’s economy. And for a while, it did. In the 1920s, factories cranked out products, companies expanded, jobs became available, and wages increased. Then, people could afford to buy products. Many were more luxuries than necessities. Companies grew bigger to meet consumer demands, and stock prices soared.
What happened in America in the 20s was shift in thinking. In a land where possibilities seemed endless, Americans came to value wealth and prominence above honesty and hard work. Commercial products became symbols of status — they announced to the world that the person who owned them had the means to purchase the things they wanted and thus lived a life of privilege. At the time, even refrigerators and washing machines were enviable products. Only people with money could purchase machines that did their work for them — and the people who did purchase them boasted about their ability to spend more time on leisure activities.
In an age of mass consumerism, people lost perspective. Dreams of building a home became dreams of owning a mansion, and dreams of comfort became dreams of wealth. When people began to define themselves by the things they owned, they began to pursue money at all costs – and there were plenty of opportunities to engage in dishonest business deals, for the consumer mindset bred corruption and greed. Once people changed their vision of what America had to offer them, they shifted their focus from making the right decisions to impressing the right people, falsely motivated by the belief that money can buy happiness. Jay Gatsby, lured by the idea of riches, was very much a victim of the times.
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/americandream/transcript.html
http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/consumerism-america-1920s.htm
https://blog.prepscholar.com/the-great-gatsby-theme-materialism-money
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/ap/essays/consume.htm
The American Dream is the idea that any citizen can attain wealth and advance their social status through good fortune, hard work, and dedication. Jay Gatsby is the ironic epitome of the American Dream in the novel The Great Gatsby. Gatsby, who was born James Gatz, comes from humble beginnings as the son of poor farmers in North Dakota. As a young man, Gatsby falls in love with Daisy, a beautiful girl from a wealthy family. Gatsby realizes that because of his lower-class background, he will never be able to win Daisy's affection. This motivates Gatsby to become wealthy through illegal means after he returns from war. In Gatsby's pursuit of the American Dream, he enters the criminal bootlegging business with Meyer Wolfsheim. Gatsby ends up attaining the American Dream by becoming an upper-class, wealthy citizen, who enjoys a life of luxury in the West Egg. However, Gatsby becomes corrupt in his pursuit of the American Dream by believing that he can buy happiness. Despite Gatsby's fortune, he sacrifices his morals and does not develop meaningful relationships with people. While Jay Gatsby's intentions are genuine, every aspect of his luxurious life is a fraud. He loses his grasp on reality by acting like an aristocrat and pretends to be an enhanced version of himself. Unfortunately, Gatsby's efforts are in vain, as he discovers that he will never be able to provide a secure life for Daisy. Overall, Gatsby's pursuit of the American Dream does not result in his happiness and becomes a corrupting force. His emphasis on material wealth negatively affects his ability to form lasting meaningful relationships with others, and he dies an unhappy, lonely man.
No comments:
Post a Comment