The Great Gatsby is an incredible piece of American literature with a permanent place in literary history. This work was a masterpiece, commenting on various aspects of social culture, economics and morality. The story mainly follows the extravagant but mysterious character Gatsby through the eyes of another character, Nick Carraway. Carraway has several social encounters with successful, rich families of the 1920s, and learns much about corrupt behavior amidst high society. Gatsby, a lonely and eccentric man, attempts to win back the love of a married woman, Daisy. Eventually, the novel culminates in two murders resulting from extramarital affairs.

The novel comments on many key issues, but none so much as the ‘American dream.’ This idea grew from American expansion, which supported the belief that all Americans, regardless of social, economic or familial background, could achieve ultimate success. Gatsby flaunts this ideal as a poor man that has achieved overwhelming success – and in many ways, the main symbol of this are his cars. Expensive and luxurious, vehicles in the 1920s – especially the kind Gatsby owned – were representations of success and lavish living. The author of The Great Gatsby also shared a love of cars, and through this mutual affection with his greatest character, he highlights the difficulties with the ‘American dream.’

Like Gatsby, Fitzgerald lived in a time where wealth was supposedly achievable by anyone – as long as they worked hard. However, Fitzgerald saw this less as an opportunity and more as an insatiable drive. He often resented the constant push to increasing wealth, and this is ultimately reflected in his work. The symbol of wealth – in this case, cars – demonstrates wealth’s destructive impact. Gatsby prized possession, his unique, expensive car, ends up destroying him in the end – when it is discovered the same car is the perpetrator in a deadly hit-and-run accident. In the end, Gatsby acquired great wealth and excellent cars, but those same things contributed to his downfall. At the same time, though Gatsby achieved the great wealth he believed he needed, he never obtained what he truly craved – the woman he loved, Daisy.