-picture theater by a twenty-minute drive, they have radios, and they think nothing of jaunts to Atlantic City, Boston or Canada that many of the old residents never made in an entire lifetime. (19) As one can see, people throughout the Twentieth Century have thought nothing of the modern day conveniences they now have. The same is still true in today’s society, but people seem to be more aware of luxuries than people of the ‘20’s. One of the largest and most talked about parts of the American Dream, is that when one enters the real world he/she will enter the workforce as an employee in his/her desired career. In this career, he/she believes that if he/she works hard, he/she will earn great success. Sadly, in the novel The Great Gatsby and in the 1920’s this is, and was almost a myth. George Wilson is a mechanic, and in the novel it is unclear if that is what he always wanted to be. For the sake of this paper, one can assume that being a mechanic is his dream job. Unfortunately, George Wilson’s business seems to be on the brink of bankruptcy. One can also assume that his business has been like this for a long time and that he and his wife Myrtle have been saving every cent they earned just to get by. The following quote is from The Great Gatsby and it gives Nick Caraway’s view of George Wilson’s business: The interior was unprosperous and bare; the only car visible was the dust-covered wreck of a Ford, which crouched, in a dim corner. The proprietor himself appeared in the door of an office, wiping his hands on a piece of waste. When he saw us a damp gleam of hope sprang into his light blue eyes. (Fitzgerald 25) From the above quote, one should notice the bareness of the garage, and how eager George is, as he sees potential customers approaching. Although George does not receive much business from Tom Buchanan, he is very courteous to him. He believes Tom might send his “rich” frien...
