Comparing the American Dream of the Transcendentalists with that of The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Comparing the American Dream of 19th Century Transcendentalists with that of The Great Gatsby The American Dream remains viewed as the success which one obtains. The American Dream has had a great impact on literature as well as an impact on the changing of time periods. The 19th century Transcendentalists’ idea of the American Dream focuses on reaching one’s goals by honest, hard work. On the other hand, Gatsby’s idea of the American Dream in the 20th century centers on becoming successful by way of illegal money that was not acquired through working. Ultimately, the Transcendental and Gatsby’s beliefs reveal a great deal of contrast. The American Dream of the Transcendentalists centers on being all that one is meant to be. First of all, the ideas of the Transcendentalists did not revolve around society and materialistic possessions. Transcendentalists felt that â€Å"society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of everyone of its members†(from Self-Reliance 194). Also, Transcendentalists believed that â€Å"The nation itself, with all its so-called internal improvements, which, by the way, are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense† (from Where I Lived and What I Lived For 212) and for which the only cure is simplicity. In addition, Transcendentalists believed that man should live life to the fullest by seeking to reach their potential. Thoreau â€Å"did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I [Thoreau] could best see the moonlight amid the mountains† (from Conclusion 217). Seeking to reach one’s potential means that one must â€Å"Absolve you to yourself, and you should have the suffrage of the world† (from Self-Reliance 194). Furthermore, the Transcendentalists sought self-knowledge through the study of nature. â€Å"Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood† (from Nature 191). â€Å"The life in us is like the water in the river† (from Conclusion 217) because some days one rises like the river and drowns out all of ones problems. Most importantly, the ideas of nonconformity and individualism illustrate the Transcendentalist beliefs. â€Å"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist† (from Self-Reliance 194) shows that every man should have a unique quality that separates him from other men.