THE AMERICAN DREAM IN LITERATURE

« LITER AT U R E : T H E A M E R I C A N D R E A M Most of the American Civilization revolves around the theme of the American Dream. The American Dream is the belief that everyone can achieve success, if one takes the right opportunities at the right moment. It is deeply-rooted in American history and has an echo all over the world. Some countries adapted this concept to their own culture, but the original one- the American Dream- is what dreams are made of. According to the website www.masterpiecemiwers.com , ÒArt influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Research has shown art affects the fundamental sense of self.Ò Literature is an art, it creates connection between various human beings with fundamental truths and ideals in society. What is interesting in Te n d e r is the Night is that F.

S Fitzgerald offers a developing, even moving definition of the American Dream. How does Fitzgerald manage to portray different versions of the American Dream?ÒThere seemed no question about what was going to happen. America was going on the greatest party in its history and there was going to be plenty to tell about.Ò Tender is the Night is set in the 1920Õs, during the Roaring Twenties, a period famously known as the Jazz Age too. It paints a thrilling picture of prosperous and glamorous era. In Tender is the Night , Dick Diver appears as the character who embodies the American Dream. At the beginning, he is ambitious, charismatic, charming, popular and cunning. Dick symbolises the excitement and opportunity of the Roaring Twenties. He attracts people around him like a magnet but not because of his wealth. He is the son of a simple minister, and lives a modest life. So the reader understands quickly that it is not his background that brought him success. The novel opens with Dick married to Nicole, they live in a luxurious villa on the French Riviera. They are surrounded by friends and admired by many around them. They live a unique life characterized and defined by the American Dream. On an external point of view, the life of Dick and Nicole seems heavenly, sunny and enviable. However, Fitzgerald points out that this life is just an illusion and reveals that this period is not only characterized by. »