Originally, the American dream of the first settlers was for their children, and they would have sacrificed everything for freedom of religion and thought. However, the American dream of the 1920s was to live happily through financial and social success. For many, this selfish dream is realized through illegal activities such as smuggling and gambling. This dream is reflected in many novels such as The Great Gatsby. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's disappearance to highlight both the fragility and unattainability of the American dream in the 1920s. The views of Tom Buchanan and Valley of Ashes people like Wilson reveal the fragile emptiness of the American dream in the 1920s. Fitzgerald uses the rudeness of Tom, an upper class man, towards a lower class man like Winston to show the fragility of this dream. Tom's conversation is: “'Let's get gas!' Tom shouted harshly. "What do you think we stopped for? To admire the view?" “I am sick,” Wilson said” demonstrates that there is no equality for all, as originally desired in the American Dream (123). This lack of respect demonstrates the upper class's view of the lower class. Tom believes Wilson is beneath him and treats him as if he were a worthless dog. Wilson is treated like a worthless dog when Tom insultingly asks him to put gas in the car. Also, Tom is having an affair with his wife, which is perhaps why he isn't feeling well. The fact that his wife is cheating on him makes him feel bad because she is everything to him. Because his wife is having an affair, Winston feels the desire to have someone to console him and returns to religion believing that Eckleburg's eyes are those of God. Dr. TJ Eckleburg's eyes help express...... middle of paper ......time is over. The faint movement of the water represents the little effect he actually has on people with his celebrations in an attempt to finally be accepted. As the water moves towards the drain, it is expressed how Gatsby is initially just a farm boy working towards his goal of wealth, and is once again unknown to the world around him, except for a select few like Nick and his father. This indicates that one fine morning, we too will die without our dreams coming true if we turn to money like Gatsby did. The ultimate end of Gatsby focuses on the distant and fragile American dream of the 1920s presented in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. This selfish dream had originally been altruistic when it was first presented to the new American settlers. These selfless people would sacrifice everything for a better life for their children, without desire for money and class.