As American culture has evolved, consumerism has made a “picture perfect” life seemingly more realistic. In 1958, America changed when Bank of America introduced the BankAmericard (Source E). After its release, the accumulation of debt became normalized, but so did owning a house, car, and television. Consumer credit allowed almost anyone to achieve the American Dream. However, much like Gatsby, no one was genuinely successful. Behind every house, car, and television was a mountain of debt. Today, Americans know about the facade that Fitzgerald described in his novel. A CNN poll from 2006 found that fifty-four percent of people surveyed considered the American Dream unachievable (Source E). The results from the poll show that the corruption Fitzgerald illustrated through Gatsby can still be seen in the modern world. With the assistance of central themes like the ones from The Great Gatsby, Americans can identify the flaws in their goals and overall culture. In conclusion, Fitzgerald exposes the irrational and unattainable nature of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. The central theme of the novel placed a spotlight on the imperfections of American culture so readers from all time periods could identify the imperfections of their own societies. Fitzgerald is one of the few authors to curate timeless themes in their literary
As American culture has evolved, consumerism has made a “picture perfect” life seemingly more realistic. In 1958, America changed when Bank of America introduced the BankAmericard (Source E). After its release, the accumulation of debt became normalized, but so did owning a house, car, and television. Consumer credit allowed almost anyone to achieve the American Dream. However, much like Gatsby, no one was genuinely successful. Behind every house, car, and television was a mountain of debt. Today, Americans know about the facade that Fitzgerald described in his novel. A CNN poll from 2006 found that fifty-four percent of people surveyed considered the American Dream unachievable (Source E). The results from the poll show that the corruption Fitzgerald illustrated through Gatsby can still be seen in the modern world. With the assistance of central themes like the ones from The Great Gatsby, Americans can identify the flaws in their goals and overall culture. In conclusion, Fitzgerald exposes the irrational and unattainable nature of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. The central theme of the novel placed a spotlight on the imperfections of American culture so readers from all time periods could identify the imperfections of their own societies. Fitzgerald is one of the few authors to curate timeless themes in their literary