American Dream Compare/Contrast Great Gatsby And Citizen Kane Essay Example For Students

American Dream: Compare/Contrast Great Gatsby And Citizen Kane Essay The United States of America is the most powerful, wealthy, and attractive country in the world. The varieties of class, individuality, religion, and race are a few of the enrichments within the melting pot of our society. The blend of these numerous diversities is the crucial ingredient to our modern nation. Even though America has been formed upon these diversities, its inhabitants- the average American- have a single thing in common; a single idea; a single goal; the American Dream. The Dream consists of a seemingly simple concept; success. Americans dream of a successful marriage, family, successful job, and own a Victorian-style home with a white picket fence and an oak tree with a swing tire in the front yard. The accessories add to the package according to the individuality of the American Dream. And, perhaps along with the melting pot includes the entangled extremes of each Americans dream; the degree of the Dream is now ambiguous in terms of boundaries. Perhaps the American Dream varies for the individual as the individual varies. Charles Foster Kane possessed everything the materialistic man could hope for. Kane had more money than he could count, power, a successful job, women at the crook of his arm, and expensive possessions some men would go to the extremes to have. Yet, Charles constantly had a vast void within him. The most important element Kane lacked was the single thing he couldnt have; that was love. You wont get lonely, Charles Youll be the richest man in the world someday. Kanes mother and father try to use the image of money as collateral for giving him up. Charles experienced a great deal of loss in his early childhood. The traumatizing emotions of insecurity and disposition caused by his moving away from home are the roots of Charles agonizing yearn to be loved. Sadly, Charles didnt have a long bond from his mother, but he loved her; Charles mother never loved her son. Ive had his trunk packed for a week now. Charles mother had his trunk ready ahead of time in anxiousness for him to leave. She signed the contracts without any hesitation and showed no signs of emotion in her stone face. Charles unreturned love creates a sense of fear and hesitation to love something, only to experience abandonment again. Ironically, even though Charles becomes the richest man in the world, he also becomes the loneliest man in the world; despite all his possessions, power, and potential, Charles didnt posses the single element that became vital to his self-worth; love Inevitably, Charles foster Kane becomes the rich man everyone predicted he would be. In responses to the letter sent to Charles offering numerous businesses to own, he writes his disinterest in all of the sure-money businesses except the New York Inquirer. I think it would be fun to run a newspaper. Charles absence of seriousness in the awareness of the gross profit conveys his carelessness about money. Instead of running a mining company and gaining a definite profit, he chooses to run the Inquirer because it would be fun. Charles conveys his carefree emotions about his money and concentrates more on his own personal enjoyment. At a million dollars a year, Ill have to retire in sixty years. Charles snickers at the rate of his money loss and again he shows no interest in his mass money, his only interest is in keeping himself busy and happy something he cannot maintain. So were bust. Just give me the paper so I can sign it and go home. Even after learning that the Inquirer had to be shut down because of lack of money, Charles signs the paper as if its only value was his ticket home. Throughout the reporters interview with Mr. Bernstein, many clues to the Rosebud mystery were revealed but never deciphered. Maybe this Rosebud maybe its something he lost. Mr. Kane was a man who lost almost everything. In addition to Mr. Bernsteins statement, Charles Foster Kane was a man who had everything- according to by-standers- but at the same time, he had nothing- according to close relations. Charles Foster Kane possessed everything, materialistically, ones heart desires. But, in a different aspect, Charles Foster Kane had nothing. He married for love. Thats why he did everything. Thats all he ever really wanted was love. He just didnt have any to give. Love; the single thing Charles wanted, and needed, but could never grasp because he was incapable of loving someone else. In his battle to be elected governor, Kanes primary campaign idea was formed to benefit the underpaid and the underprivileged. His efforts to benefit the lower-class citizens seem to create of compensate for his early childhood deprivations. Absurdity Of Catch-22 Through Comedy EssayJay Gatsby held enormous social gatherings at his immaculate mansion, but he didnt usually socialize. The parties seemed to bring the mansion to life; the only life it sees, for Gatsby lives alone and lonely. Even though the guests come to his parties, Gatsby, no matter how many people try to exchange some insight with him, is still detached from the crowd. As the drinks run dry and the gossip grows old, guests disperse and once again the mansion becomes a lifeless structure tailored with elegant details. A sudden emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great doors, endowing with complete isolation the figure of the host who stood on the porch, his hand up in a formal gesture of farewell. Gatsbys isolation in the doorway portrays his solidarity in life. The only ray of sunshine in Jay Gatsbys life is a woman whom he has loved for a great while. Daisy Buchanan completed Gatsbys dream. Simply her presence satisfied his burning hunger for a sense of love and belonging. it couldnt be over-dreamed- that voice was a deathless song. Jay Gatsbys embellishment on the simple things such as Daisys voice conveys his hopeless love for her. If only he could have Daisy, his wealthy life could then be rich. Much like Charles Kane, love is the only element that could fill the lingering emptiness withing their souls. Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay. Gatsbys infatuation with Daisy grows into perspective as we learn that he bought his mansion purely to be within sights distance of his love. Gatsby would look at the green light at the end of Daisys dock every night as if it were her. If it wasnt for the mist, we could see your home across the bay. You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock. The burning green light symbolizes Gatsbys burning desire for Daisy, but the mist of reality blocks his view. The light is just out of Gatsbys vision, as if Daisy were just out of his grasp. Daisy, much like Susan Alexander, always convinced herself that she knew what she really wanted out of life. Daisy, being married to Tom Buchanan, had more than enough money and all the luxuries anyone could imagine, but she seemed discontent with what she had. Unhappy, Daisy ventures to try and find something she doesnt share with Tom; love. In her search, she realizes that Gatsby could fulfill her emotional emptiness. Daisys face was smeared with tears and when I came in Gatsby was literally glowing. Realizing Gatsbys feelings, Daisy cried for joy, and perhaps she also cries out of sadness, for she always subliminally knew she could never be with Jay. As Daisy gains more of Jay Gatsbys affection, he marriage becomes unstable, and scared to lose her materialistic things in life, she turns back to Tom. Daisy knows she cannot have both. Even though her marriage with Tom does not consist of love, it is stable. Daisy, conscious of this stability, stays with what she feels secure, ignoring the bond she has formed with Jay. Similar to Susan Alexander, when Daisy Buchanan finally achieves what she thought she needed in her life, she returns to what she had before. But for Daisy, she returned to aristocracy and Susan returned to a more subtle, ordinary lifestyle where she could blend with society as Susan Alexander, not as an aristocrat. Along with the ingredients of the melting pot are the jumbled ideas of the American Dream. Is there only one Dream? Perhaps it is simply happiness. No matter if its money, love, security or a palace, a snow sled, or a green light, whatever it may be that fills the blank space in your heart, the Dream will create a sense of absolute contentment within yourself. As for some of us, simple, unconditional things can fill those blanks, and for others, possessions may occupy them, but the unbounded span of the Dream includes the unbounded span of the individual American.