until its downfall, ultimately proving that the American Dream is not solely about material wealth and status. Rather, it is about the pursuit of happiness and the ability to achieve one's goals through hard work and determination. The American Dream is not a guarantee of success, but rather a promise of opportunity. It is up to the individual to seize this opportunity and make the most of it. valid. Since Prohibition, drinking has been illegal, but that doesn't stop these people from providing it. Gatsby is able to get alcohol because he is a bootlegger. He does this for two reasons: to achieve a higher social status and to make money. Gatsby wants to get rich to impress Daisy. By doing this illegally, he reveals that he is not willing to work hard and would rather cheat to achieve success. Alberto Lena elaborates on this topic by saying, “Indeed, money earned without work was an invitation to corruption in the eyes of a republican nation, and hereditary wealth was assumed to have caused the decline of Europe” (41). People who earn money by cheating are destined to become corrupt. Gatsby himself is left with nothing at the end of the novel. The original definition of the American Dream assumes that an individual will only be successful if they earn their money through hard work. In the 1920s, people would do almost anything to raise their status in society, even if it was illegal. This reveals that the American dream was dead because the original definition attached to the concept was no longer valid. unattainable dream. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are a perfect example of what happens to people who get too caught up in materialism and status. Over the course of the novel, Nick begins to despise his cousins. As Fitzgerald writes, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy: they tore things and creatures to pieces and then retreated into their money or their immense carelessness, or whatever it was that held them together, and let other people clean up the mess they they had done." had done..." (179). Despite appearing to have a perfect life, Tom and Daisy are deeply unhappy both individually and in their relationship. They are corrupt, like many others in society, and sacrifice their chance at achieving true happiness for one luxurious lifestyle. The most important aspect of the American dream is happiness, which Tom and Daisy are far from achieving. This reveals their failure, along with many others, to truly achieve the American dream American created high expectations for an individual's later years and gave society a vision of how they wanted their lives to go Gatsby is undoubtedly one of these individuals, and the green light on Daisy's dock represents his unattainable dream..