Abstract: From the great Franklin, American Dream has a deep impact on American people. With the development of America, American Dream has changed a lot. Many critics think The Great Gatsby is a significant novel about this theme. This paper analyzes the causes of the disillusion of American Dream from historical and social contents and the character of the hero. The failure of Gatsby’ pursue is not only because of the social and historical reasons, but also for his own character. Through analysis we can see the essence of his dream. The naivety in his character and the cruelty of the society determine the tragedy of Gatsby.
Keywords: American dream; disillusion; two classes; money; love
CONTENTS
Introduction 4
1. The Profile of American Dream 5
1.1 The Origin and Development of the American Dream 5
1.2 A Look into Gatsby's American Dream 6
2. Causes of the disillusion of Gatsby's American Dream 8
2.1 Background of the 1920s 8
2.2 Deficiency of the Hero’s Character 12
3. Conclusion 15
Bibliography 17
