Criticism, Sympathy, and Encouragement: Depicting the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Enrique's Journey' Jessica Wu 11th Grade

The American dream, the belief that one will be able to achieve success through hard work and sacrifice, is an overly romanticized concept that people have been actively pursuing for decades. Many individuals set out in pursuit of their own idea of accomplishment, many do not succeed, and for those who do succeed the outcome is often not as desirable as expected. Such circumstances can be seen in the two literary works, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the articles of Enrique’s Journey, by Sonia Nazario. In his novel, Fitzgerald takes on a slightly critical and later sympathetic tone while illustrating the protagonist’s journey towards his own idea of the American dream; whereas, Nazario, the author of Enrique’s Journey, takes on a more empathetic and encouraging one from beginning to the end. Using varying aspects of syntax and imagery, both authors highlight the concentration of the American dream on one individual, who is not significant as a person, but as the embodiment of the success that each strives to accomplish.

While describing each protagonist’s pursuit of the American Dream, Fitzgerald and Nazario take on varying approaches: Fitzgerald expressing initial disapproval which later shifts to understanding,...