Miguel Ramos ENG- Final Exam

The American dream can be seen in The Great Gatsby because he has what we all want, which is money. For most people money is the American dream because they feel that their problems will be over when they are rich. In Gatsby's case he had the money but not the happiness. What he wanted most in life was Daisy, which is the reason he set out to become rich. When he returned he discovered that Daisy had married for the money and not waited for him to return.
Another part of the American dream is settling down and having a family. Gatsby was not able to do this because the girl of his dreams is married. He loves someone that he can't have. He did not really have any respect unless you wanted to party at his house. When he died he was forgotten like nothing.
In Hamlet, the American dream is being wealthy as well. Hamlet is the son of a king. However the American dream is disrupted when Hamlet's uncle kills his dad in order to be crowned king. Soon after Hamlet's mom marries the uncle and he becomes king. The king becomes a thing of the past because everybody thinks the king dies from a snake bite. Hamlet, enraged by all of this, is suspicious of his fathers death. Soon after he is visited by a spirit which turns out to be his father, who tells him what really happened.
After he hears his father he sets up a play similar to his family in which the uncle kills the king to let the uncle that he knows. The American dream is only here because of the money, power, and respect that they have. There is no happiness at all. In a way you could say that the American dream is an illusion in this story.