On April 10, 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, a novel that would later become one of the most famous pieces of classic literature in history. However, at the time of its publication, Gatsby was quite unpopular and reviews were never consistent. As shocking as this may seem, I believe it is because Fitzgerald's levels of intelligence and creativity were far ahead of his time, which is evident when one pays close attention to the themes of the novel. Forgiveness, love, and remembering the past are just a few themes you will encounter in this story. Apart from these, there is another theme that is much more dominant and could have been the cause of The Great Gatsby's slight lack of initial success. It is the basis for everything the characters in the novel do as well as everything they feel. This is what they use to justify their actions, and this is what everyone aspires to. This theme is better known as the American Dream. The Great Gatsby is representative of the American dream in many ways. Certain aspects of the novel symbolize the overall corruption of the American dream; there are others which symbolize the love of wealth and the division between rich and poor. What exactly is the American dream? The American Dream can be described as an idea, a concept and a way of life. It can even be described as a form of ignorance. According to SinišaSmiljanić, some say it is the search for wealth, prosperity and higher social status. Others believe it's all about having a good life – settling down and being able to provide for their family. All of these ideas can be traced back to the fundamental idea of ​​the American Dream. Robert L. Pearson summarizes the American dream as the beautiful...... middle of paper .......Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. The Great Gatsby and the Fall of the American Dream, The. .“Great Gatsby’s American Dream Essay.” 2013. May 2013. Pearson, Robert L. “Gatsby: False Prophet of the American Dream.” The English Journal Vol. 59, No. 5. May 1970: 638-645Saveriano, Jerry W. World's Fairs - Back to the Future. 2014. December 2010. .Smiljanić, Siniša. The American dream in The Great Gatsby. 2013. April 2011. .SparkNotes Publishers. Sparknote on The Great Gatsby. 2002. January 13 2014 .