ar accident with Myrtle Wilson, Tom and Daisy flee the area to avoid the police and the press. Tom even admits to holding some of the responsibility for Gatsbys death, but dismisses it saying, "I told him the truth... What if I did tell him? That fellow had it coming to him" (187). At this point Nick finally realizes that "They were careless people, Tom and DaisyThey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made" (188). In a class of careless people and immorality, Gatsbys illegal businesses seem inconsequential. In fact it is Gatsbys dedication to Daisy and his determination for his dream that keeps him from fleeing his house, ultimately results in his death. Fitzgerald seems to raise the question of whether it is possible for one to advance financially and socially while remaining virtuous.The American dream, a hope held by many people throughout the history of this nation, is a very prevalent theme in Fitzgeralds novel. Gatsbys financial rise from a homeless teenager to affluent party-host is one piece of the dream, but what he truly longs for is social acceptance from the elite leisure class. His love for Daisy and his longing to transcend social barriers drive him to constantly strive for his dream, even until death. Even in Americas financial golden age, the exclusive powerful make it impossible for "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere" to climb the social ladder. Fitzgerald shows that this American dream which so many have pursued, is corrupt, and is an impossibility. The average American, like Gatsby, will always remain separated by the bay, only able to watch our own green lights from a distance....
