The American Dream and the Destructive Influence of Distorted Values in an American Tragedy and the Great Gatsby

Key Points

• This article examines how the American Dream is transformed into distorted values in two literary works.
• Analysis of character transformations in An American Tragedy and The Great Gatsby.
• Utilization of literary criticism linked to socio-economic contexts.
• Examination of themes of ambition and moral responsibility.
• Demonstrated that ambition, detached from ethics, leads to tragedy for characters and society.
• Both novels reveal the illusion of success based solely on wealth and status.