The Great Gatsby is a look into moral decadence in modem American society. The corruption of values and the decline of spiritual life in the novel is a condition that is ultimately related to the American Dream. As Fitzgerald saw it (and as Nick explains in Chapter IX), the American dream was originally about discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness. In the 1920s, easy money and relaxed social values corrupted this dream, especially on …showed first 75 words of 963 total…

…showed last 75 words of 963 total…ough to create his perfect 'glittering surface', but because of social biases. He had financial success, lavish possessions, and tried to perfect his self-image, but he could not get Daisy without the proper social standing. "The failure of hopes and dreams, and the failure of the American Dream itself, is unavoidable, not only because reality cannot keep up with ideals, but also because the ideals are in any case usually too fantastic to be realized