Is it true that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning Essay Example

Is it true that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning Essay Example Is it true that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning Paper Is it true that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning Paper Essay Topic: Play Shakespeares romantic comedy The Merchant of Venice features Shylock, although he is referred to by most of the other characters as the Jew. Despite all the wrong doings committed against him, it is suggested to us by Shakespeare that he is more of a villain than a victim; this is because Shakespeare uses him as a Daniel to test the personalities of the other characters and the audience. However we must consider the misconception of Jews and the anti-Semitism shown towards them in the Elizabethan era, which may be responsible for the treatment of Shylock. When we first meet Shylock in the play it is no coincidence that his first words are three thousand ducats. Shakespeare is subtly trying to suggest early on in the play the importance of money to Shylock. With our perception of Shylock of being attracted to money it automatically makes the audience think he is greedy and selfish. Shakespeare is trying to hint to us that perhaps Shylock isnt the kind of character you would like to be associated with. This is re-enforced by the fact that he says he hates Antonio. I hate him for he is a Christian; but more, for that in low simplicity he lends out money gratis. Shylock partly hates Antonio because he is a Christian, but more because he doesnt charge interest when he lends money so in effect he is putting him out of business. This would seem quite petty to the audience this early in the play because we dont know any background knowledge of the two characters and how they treat one another. It is because of his hate for Antonio that Shakespeares Shylock seems very interested in the offer made to him because it means he would be above Antonio, as Antonio would owe him money. On stage this looks like an act of kindness on Shylocks part because effectively he is helping out Bassanio. But it is a slightly suspicious act because in that scene he is insulted by Antonio, he is referred to as the devil having an evil soul. He is even compared to as a goodly apple rotten to the heart. On top of this Antonio says he is likely to spit on him again yet Shylock still lends him the money. This should make no sense to the audience because if anyone else as in that position of being treated like vermin by someone, they wouldnt go and do that person a favour. So if it werent for the terms of the bond an equal pound of flesh we would think that Shylock was a character full of forgiveness and kindness but we cant help but be suspicious by the terms of the bond, whether he really is going after a pound of Antonios flesh which might kill him. This act suggests early on that Shylock is plotting something against Antonio so we are left at the end of the first scene in which we see Shylock slightly confused at whether or not Shylock is the kind, forgiving character he seems. As we read on in the play, the doubt we have about Shylock not completely being the innocent character fades slightly and we can sympathise with him for the deeds being done against him. We find out that Antonio is not the only one who is constantly mocking and insulting Shylock and that almost all the Christians in the play regard him as a lower being, less than a man. He is called a cur, a dog and wherever he goes he is never referred to as Shylock but people simply know him as the Jew and he has to live with being called this all the time. For example in the court scene even the Duke directly calls him Jew. Shylock shows a great sense of character throughout the play, even though he and his Jewish faith is always insulted he doesnt seem like he is affected by it and most of the time stays calm and pleasant like nothing has been said. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn Jew. Shylocks reaction to this is very surprising. He ignores this comment as it were nothing and carries on talking to Tubal. Being a contemporary audience we find these sorts of comments outrageous and would not think of using this kind of language because it signifies deep hatred and insult that we do not use any more. So we immediately sympathise with Shylock and now consider him very much as a victim. However at the time the play was written this sort of abuse towards the Jews was closer to the norm, so to an Elizabethan audience it would not have seemed at that time that the Christians were doing anything wrong. This is because in that era when countries were being colonised and nationality was very important, people had a very low opinion of other nations because every nation saw themselves as great, so racism would have been high. Nowadays with so much immigration occurring all over the globe people have become much more tolerant of other nations so racism has decreased. In Act 2 Scene 5 we are shown yet another side of Shylock, we are shown him as a father. We would expect him to be the gentle, kind figure we recognised him as in the opening scenes but to our surprise we see him as almost the opposite of this. We find that he treats his own daughter as you might a prisoner, she is left with his instructions and is supposed follow only what he wants her to do which is Lock up my doors stop my houses ears. She is told to stay inside, lock the doors and bar the windows whilst there is a party happening outside and she is practically forbidden to even look out the window. Being a young lady well capable of looking after herself this must seem like torture to Jessica because she is being treated like a child. Again though this only seems like a harsh act to the modern reader, in the Elizabethan era daughters were expected to follow her fathers orders word for word so this would not have been to sympathise with Jessica for. In fact her reaction to this might have cost life. Farewell, and if my fortune not be crossd, I have a father, you a daughter, lost. It seems that she had planned her runaway before hand so this sort of treatment was probably normal for Shylock. In contrast to the Elizabethan way of thinking, the modern reader might think that running away isnt such a bad thing to do seeing as she is capable of looking after herself. Even though we know the way in which Shylock treats his daughter, we have to sympathise with him because Jessica is his only child and however harsh a father he might be it obviously hurt him a great deal to lose her by the way he acts in the next scene. my own flesh and blood to rebel. The repetition of this phrase implies that Shylock is very upset by the loss of his daughter, we recognise this because the strong language he is using, for example to rebel is repeated along with flesh and blood. The repletion of these words suggests Shylock has become fixated on his daughter being his own flesh and blood. This suggests that because he has been tormented so much he has to hold on to the fact that his daughter is his flesh and blood as if it were slipping away. We are made to sympathise further with Shylock because as well as having to deal with the loss of his daughter he has to come to terms with the fact that she took money from him and also his dead wifes ring. Two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels! My daughter! O my ducats! Oh my daughter. Salarino is not helping Shylock in any way; in fact he tries to make his misery worse There is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory. This comment is aggressively thrown at Shylock purposely trying to get a negative reaction from him and is typical of the abuse being constantly thrown at him. In response to this, Shylock starts talking about his bond with Antonio, which signifies again his ability to ignore the insults being thrown at him. Based on this evidence it would seem that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning but more evidence is yet to be uncovered. After this it seems as if Shylock has had enough and is about to break down from all the abuse hes suffered and this is explored in his emotional speech in the scene. Shylock pours out his heart in this speech at first telling of how Antonio treats him and then delves deeper and painfully recalls about his own race: (He hath disgraced, hindered, laughed, mocked, scorned and thwarted me because I am a Jew). We can tell he has put his heart behind what he has said because of the strong emotive language that is used such as disgraced Shylock is telling us for the first time the pitiful and numerous ways in which he is being treated. It proves to the audience that his life must almost be a living hell. He tells us how he is not just hated and used at peoples leisure, he is made to look like a fool which can often hurt more and people go out of their way to do it. Being aware of the way he is treated and the feeble reason for it (in our eyes) we are able to understand why Shylock hates him so much and from this example it seems he has a very good reason to. Shylock goes on to try and make Salarino and Solanio understand that there really is no reason for Christians to hate Jews. Hath not a Jew eyes if you prick us do we no bleed. Shakespeare makes many of these sorts of comparisons between the Jew and everyone else. These being genuine characteristics of men Shakespeare makes us feel genuinely sorry for Shylock himself and not just for Jews in general. It seems like after this point in the play Shylock turns into a different character. We can notice this change because his obsession with money comes to an end and he is no longer interested by it. Shylock suddenly becomes so blinded by his bond and revenge that he loses most of our sympathy very quickly. if you wrong us shall we not revenge he villainy you teach me I will execute. To the audience, this sounds like an act of villainy is to come because of the strong and hate driven language used by Shylock, e. g. revenge execute. From now we fear that Shylock is going to try and get something out of this. It is as if all the ill treatment he has been receiving is going to come out and he is going to release his anger. In the last scene we see Shylock in, it is not the same Shylock we have witnessed in the early stages of the play: he is now a man fuelled by hate and anger who has set out to achieve one thing, revenge. Nothing is going to stop him from getting what he thinks is rightfully his. I shall have my bond. Even after several reasonable and eloquent pleas for mercy and offers of very generous sums of money (which used to be his life) Shylock is still intent on having his bond. We can tell this because he whets thy knife on the sole of his shoe. This action makes the scene more dramatic and we really start to see the product of all his hate bubbling inside of him. It is as if his loathing for Antonio is seeping out now because even the thought of cutting the flesh off Antonio excites him a great deal. Most learned judge. Shylock goes as far as to flatter the judge because he is so happy. This gets sickening to hear because he is not out to just prove a point, Shylock is after Antonios life and this in most peoples eyes in an unmistakeable act of villainy. When at last Portia puts an end to Shylocks cruel intension, it is not surprising that we find Shylock broken and feeble. He has been stopped dead in his tracks trying to fulfil what he thinks would be getting back some of the injustice that has faced Jews all over the world. As the penalty of Shylocks actions is given out no one stops to think about why he wouldnt give up his cause, no one cares because he is a Jew even though Antonio can see the reasoning behind it. He seeks my life, his reasoning well I know (Act 3 Scene 3). The terms he has to deal with are very severe, he has to be content with losing all his possessions and horrifically he is forced to convert to the Christian faith. It is because of these conditions that it doesnt come as a shock that his last lines are I pray you give me leave to go from hence; I am not well. These touching words are the last of a man torn by anger, hate and sorrow. This is where Shakespeares genius shows because it leaves us with the difficult task of deciding whether Shylock has got what he deserved or has been subject to an incredible injustice. To say that Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning is a reasonable thing. As we have heard, Shylock has had so many wrong doings against him and was constantly being bombarded with acts of cruelty, that it has ultimately resulted in him losing everything he has ever cared about including his sense of self and his health. Shylock is meant to be ridiculed by the audience and even though the play is supposed to be a romantic comedy there is a hidden depth to the play. We must recognise the difference between Shylocks apparel and his personality and if we look deeply we can see that Shakespeares Shylock is not the villainous character he is made to be.

Television Violence and its Impact on Society essayEssay Writing Service

Television Violence and its Impact on Society essayEssay Writing Service Television Violence and its Impact on Society essay Television Violence and its Impact on Society essayMany people believe that television violence has a negative effect on society because it promotes violence. Do you agree or disagree?Today, the impact of television on the audience is still significant that raises the public concerns about the possible negative impact of television violence on society (Machlis Forney, 2010). On the other hand, some people argue that the negative impact of television on society is insignificant because people are rational and can distinguish the real world from the imaginary one. However, the television violence does have the negative impact on society because people see violence on the regular basis. As a result, they grow accustomed to violence and take it for granted. If they see violence on television over and over again they start believing that violence is a norm and comprises an integral part of their life.In fact, people become vulnerable to the impact of television because, if they see viol ence, for instance, they may grow disturbed about cases of violence occurring in society. Steadily people may grow anxious about their own safety and start expecting violent and aggressive behavior from the part of their social environment. Eventually, they may slip to the aggressive and violent behavior as the means of self-defense and, more important, they steadily learn that the aggressive and violent behavior is a norm since they watch violence on television day after day and there is no effective counteraction to the violence in society.On the other hand, it is possible to argue that people should be reasonable and rational in the perception of the information which they receive from mass media, including television. Therefore, they should not necessarily behave in the violent way as they watch other people behave on television.In fact, people live in society and they respect existing social norms and standards (Moy, et al., 1999). Therefore, if violence is anti-social, then th ey will never behave in a violent or aggressive way, unless they are inclined to the anti-social behavior because of some reasons (Machlis Forney, 2010). Instead, they behave in the rational way and respect social norms, while the violence on television cannot change the existing social norms and values. People are just living according to rules and legal norms that are acceptable within their community.However, arguments of opponents of the belief that television violence cannot have a negative impact on society are inconsistent because they apparently underestimate the depth of the impact of television on the audience (Lawson Stowell, 2009). If people are always exposed to the violence on television, they stop perceiving it as something abnormal. In fact, the normal psychological reaction of the average viewer on violence is repulsion. However, if that viewer watch the violence on television over and over again, it becomes less shocking, until the moment, when the viewer perceiv es the violence as a norm. As the attitude of the viewer on the violence on television evolves, so does change the viewer’s attitude to violence in the real world (Lawson Stowell, 2009). The viewer just starts believing that violence is not abnormal but a routine part of social life. Therefore, the viewer starts believing that violence is a plausible means of resolution of any problems fast.In addition, viewers are vulnerable to the impact of violence from the early childhood. As a result, children are also vulnerable to the impact of violence on television (Moy, et al., 1999). At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that children perceive television in a different way compared to adults. They cannot always distinguish the real world and fiction on television. They cannot clearly say what is good and what is right because their personality and values are just forming. As a result, the exposure of children to violence leads to the development of negative behavioral pat terns, such as violence and aggression that influence their social relations and may cause deviant behavior.Thus, the violence on television is dangerous because it has a negative impact on society. Arguments of those, who believe that violence on television does not have negative impact on society, are inconsistent because people cannot always think rationally and perceive the information they receive from television critically. Moreover, they learn negative behavioral patterns and become violent and aggressive under the impact of the violence on television. In such a way, the violence on television does have a negative impact on people, their behavior and social relations.

Network letter Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Network letter - Article Example end the show for further strengthening that persona within the character during the â€Å"Dead Again† episode that dealt with the underground zombie lifestyle of New York City. In this particular episode, we saw a significant character development for Kate Beckett as she finally came close to the full understanding and acceptance of the events that happened in her life during the past year. That includes being ready to put her emotions on the line and accept the love being offered to her by a man who has stood by her for the past 4 years of her life. It was important to me, as a person who believes in the healing powers of psychiatry, that the episode portrayed her visits to a psychiatric professional as one that truly helps her get her life back together after her shooting in the previous season. By showing the analytical aspect of the doctors visit and allowing her to figure things our for herself with her doctor acting only as her guide, her character as a strong, intelligent, and logical woman is further reinforced. I applaud the team behind the show for such an accurate and convincing portrayal of the true way that a psychiatric visit takes place. In closing, I would like to encourage your program to continue its true to life portrayals of the steps that Kate Beckett must take in her life in order to become a truly whole and well person, finally capable of accepting a special kind of love and giving back the same to Richard Castle. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I realize how busy a person in charge of a network must be as you receive numerous letters and communications regarding all types of matters pertaining to your programming. I look forward to possibly hearing from you in the

Administrative law theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Administrative law theories - Essay Example Administrative law deals with the decision-making of administrative units of government that are part of a state regulatory scheme in such areas as international trade, manufacturing, the environment, taxation, broadcasting, immigration and transport. Administrative law extended greatly during the twentieth century, as legislative bodies world-wide created more government agencies to regulate the increasingly complex social, economic and political spheres of human interaction (Administrative law, 2006).Most countries that follow the principles of common law have developed procedures for judicial review that limit the reviewability of decisions made by administrative law bodies. Often these procedures are joined with legislation or other common law doctrines that set up principles for proper rulemaking (Administrative law, 2006). Administrative law may also apply to review of decisions of so-called quasi-public bodies, such as non-profit corporations, disciplinary boards, and other de cision-making bodies that influence the legal rights of members of a particular group or entity (Administrative law, 2006).While administrative decision-making bodies are often controlled by larger governmental units, their decisions could be reviewed by a court of general jurisdiction under some principle of judicial review based upon due process (United States) or fundamental justice (Canada) (Administrative law, 2006).... traditional view of administrative law is that it should aim to reinforce the rule of law, and ensure the liability of Executive government to the will of Parliament and, at least indirectly, of the people. However, in practice the courts sometimes thwart the will of Parliament while professing to uphold it. The trend of judicial activism in immigration law cases during the late 1980s and early 1990s exemplifies a open-minded view by the courts of the rights of refugees and other visa applicants which was clearly in conflict with the bipartisan view of Federal Parliament that a more restrictive approach was required. Every time the courts handed down a pro-rights decision, Parliament effectively nullified it by amending the Migration Act (Administrative law theories, 2000). Green Light Theorists versus Red Light TheoristsThe green light theory and red light theory were analysed in Harlow and Rawlings (1984) Law and Administration, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London. The Red Light approach advocates a strong role for the courts to review administrative decisions. It considers that the function of law is to control the excesses of state. As Harlow and Rawlings put it: "Behind the formalist tradition, we can often discern a preference for a minimalist state. It is not surprising, therefore, to find many authors believing that the primary function of administrative law should be to control any excess of state power and subject it to legal and more especially judicial, control. It is this conception of administrative law that we have called 'red light theory' (Administrative law theories, 2000)." The Green Light approach considers that the function of administrative law is to make possible the operations of the state. It is based on

DISTRIBUTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DISTRIBUTION - Essay Example The distribution networks ensure efficient number count and accountability of the products in the firm. The customers are satisfied with the goods of high quality. The displays are made in such a way that furnitures, clothes, utensils and foods are arranged in different places. (Mark) On the other hand, Macy’s company generally deals with men, women and children’swears.It also deals with accessories, jewelry, furniture, home dà ©cor and utensils which are displayed at different places. The stock is not that much compared to Walmart.The brand name is also not well established as compared to Wal-Mart and therefore the customers have no loyalty to the shop. (Anonymous) The two companies source their goods from Germany, Japan and China. The companies buy goods in bulk so as to take the advantage of the economies of large scale. The goods are kept in their ware house and then they are distributed to the wholesalers and theirs shops for sale in retail. The companies have fleet of vehicles to facilitate this distribution of their goods to their destinations to save time.

Failure Analysis Strategy Change Essay Example for Free

Failure Analysis Strategy Change Essay Movies have always been a past time enjoyed by many. As the technology continues to grow, many video stores are going out of business and digital or online movies are rising in popularity. Blockbuster Video and Netflix are businesses that have been affected by these changes. Blockbuster opened in 1985 with the mission statement of â€Å"Our corporate mission is to provide our customers with the most convenient access to media entertainment, including movie and game entertainment delivered through multiple distribution channels such as our stores, by mail, vending and kiosks, online and at home. We believe Blockbuster offers customers a value-prices entertainment experience, combining the broad product depth of a specialty retailer with local neighborhood convenience† (Farfan, 2010). Blockbuster continued with the vision statement of â€Å"At Blockbuster, diversity means valuing differences. It’s corporate value that must be continually developed, embraced, and incorporated into the way we do business† (Farfan, 2010). Blockbuster operated with more than 7,400 stores worldwide and also operated through 1,600 franchise stores. As technology started to change, customers began streaming movies from the Internet as well as using kiosks, such as Redbox, for movie rentals. Competition became a large factor in Blockbuster and the failing of the company, but a large part of the failure was due to manage changes and misunderstanding of the business as a whole (Dunston, 2014). Blockbuster Failure In 2006 and 2007, Blockbuster was approached by the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, asking them to acquire Netflix. Hastings knew that Netflix had not formulated a plan to stop Blockbuster from stealing their customers, at the rate of a million per year. Blockbuster decided that the company did not  need Netflix because Blockbuster had a stronger and larger growth, but then a change that was never expected happened. A new CEO was named for Blockbuster after a boardroom dispute. The man appointed CEO didn’t fully understand the business and what Blockbuster needed in order to remain above the competition, especially Netflix. The CEO started changing plans for the company and even pulled out the Internet efforts that had been in place for Blockbuster. Within 18 months, 85% of the capital value of the company had been lost; within in 2 years, it was completely gone (Dunston, 2014). Netflix Netflix views themselves as â€Å"freedom of on-demand and the fun of indulgent viewing† (Netflix, 2014). Netflix also focuses on the convenience of the no-hassle, online cancellation and offer movies and TV series network. Technology and good leadership is how Netflix became the leader in the industry (Halal, 2010). Netflix executives understood that the emerging technology was rapidly changing the delivery of movie rentals. CEO, Hastings, developed â€Å"strategies involving Internet streaming, convenient customer service, and the virtual organization to deliver it cheaply and flawlessly† (Halal, 2010). Another part of Netflix’s technology strategy was to avoid the burden of having to go to a video store for customers. Customer service is key to a successful business, so Hastings used a monthly subscription to allow customers to have access to unlimited rentals, including no late fees. Instead of the hassle of renting movies, the focus is providing convenience. With the mission statement and vision of â€Å" Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and globally. We are continually improving the customer experience, with a focus on expanding our streaming content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices, while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income and operating segment contribution profit targets,† shows that the company wants the best for the company as well as their customers (Netflix, 2014). NetFlix Organizational Theories In reading many articles online about the success of NETFLIX the two organizational behavior theories that have been seen in this company have been decision-making and system approaches. Netflix’s huge decision to become a virtual DVD rental via online instead of going to actual in-store purchases like Blockbuster, has placed them at the top of the food chain. The technological advances alone for Netflix has change the industry forever, they took the systems approach by understanding the company’s input and output process and integrated the drive in developing new adaptive capacities and innovation. Blockbuster’s organization theory of scientific leadership placed a great deal into how the company ran it’s in store business and how the objectives and decisions were placed within the company. If Blockbuster could focus more on the click feature like how Netflix did, and not dismiss the idea that it would be a revolutionary change in the industry and within Blockbusters stockholders. Roles of Leadership and Management Per Netflix (2014) it has a â€Å"functional organizational structure, which aims at its functions themselves, rather than by customer segments or regions†. They have a CEO; Reed Hastings has 6 departments that have managers within them that run it. The organization beyond those 6 managers is not as structured as the top echelon is, they run their departments as they see fit. The CEO has instilled in their managers the management style of â€Å"Context, not Control† (Siegler), implying that very little control is given to employees, rather employees are held responsible for their actions and are expected to work efficiently and independently. Because of this idealists approach to management and how successful the company has been with it, they have found that they have no need to change their management style yet. Organizational value within Netflix has been on promoting the â€Å"stunning colleagues† (Netflix.com, 2014), and their importance in a great workplace. They have 9 values that they show is priority number 1 at Netflix, â€Å" judgment, impact, curiosity, innovation, courage, passion, honesty and selflessness (Siegler). The basic values that they believe as a company are workplace efficiency, emphasis on effective over effort, management best practices, retention practices, and large emphasis on a large salary, rather than stock options and bonuses. They believe that this  creates an environment that promotes productivity, and efficient work environment, which shows in colleague retention and overall happiness at Netflix. Part 2: Leading Organizational Change As the CEO of Blockbuster it is my responsibility to evaluate the organizations structure as well as the power and political issues within the company. The CEO can be disconnected to what is going on at the operations level of the company if he or she does not put forth the effort to be involved. As the CEO I will be involved in the operations of the company and be a leader employees can look up to. To implement the organizations change I will use a strategy based on John Kotter’s 8 step plan for change. John Kotter’s 8 steps are â€Å"establishing a sense of urgency, forming a powerful guiding coalition, creating a vision, communicating the vision, empowering others to act on the vision, planning for and creating short-term wins, consolidating improvements and producing still more changes, institutionalizing new approaches†(Mintzberg, Lampel, Quinn 2003). As the CEO of blockbuster I see that technology is changing and we must keep up. If we do not keep up with the technological advances we are doomed to fail. I see the company as a technology company and not just a movie rental company. I do not want Blockbuster to just survive, I want Blockbuster to thrive. Blockbuster will start investing in new internet technologies and streaming services. We will align ourselves with major motion picture studios to ensure that we get the newest movies and offer our customers the best services possible. Upper management will actively seek new opportunities and new world markets to expand our services. All employees will be encouraged to provide new ideas and mediocrity will not be accepted. Every aspect of the company will be evaluated and our services will provide our customers with the greatest movie streaming value. Reference Dunston, Dain (2014). When Blockbuster Forgot What Business They Were In. Retrieved from www.daindunston.com Farfan, Barbara (2010). Company Mission Statements – Complete List of World’s Largest Retail Missions. Retrieved from www.retailindustry.about.com Halal, Bill (2010). How Netflix Beat Blockbuster: An Exemplar of Emerging Technologies. Retrieved from www.billhalal.com Mintzberg, H., Lampel, J., Quinn, J. B. (2003). The Strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Cases (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Netflix Long Term View (2014). Retrieved from http://ir.netflix.com Netflix Capstone and Final Report (2014). Retrieved on January 7, 2014. http://mgmtclarity.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/capstone_final_report.pdf

Free Great Gatsby Essays: Reflection of an Era :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Great Gatsby - Reflection of an Era During the 1920's America was a country of great ambition, despair and disappointment. The novel The Great Gatsby is a reflection of this decade, it illustrates the burning passion one man has toward his "American Dream" and the different aspects of the dream. Fitzgerald's work is a reflection of America during his lifetime. The Great Gatsby shows the ambition of one man's reach for his "American Dream," the disappointment of losing this dream and the despair of his loss. In the 1920's the spirit and ambition of the American people soared.   Unlike their European counterparts who were trapped in the social class to which they were born, the American people knew that if they worked hard then they could rise to a higher social class. The flappers and the women's liberation movement were just two examples of how Americans expressed their newly discovered social freedom.   It seemed that nothing was impossible to achieve. James Gatz, shared the spirit and ambition on the American people and fought long and hard to earn his place in the world. He had dreamed of transforming himself from the poor, young man that he was into the wealthy celebrity that he would soon become. Gatsby, as a child, had a daily schedule that he followed. He knew from childhood that he had to work for his fame. "Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something" (175). Gatsby's ambition lay not only in his future, but as he grew older it would be found in his love. He had an obsession with Daisy Buchanan and tried everything in his power to bring things back to they way they used to be when they first met. He thought he could relive the past. He threw lavish parties to get her attention. He did everything in his power to be near her. " ‘Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay' " (79) He earned his wealth so that they could finally be together. Like Gatsby, the American people of the 1920's followed their hearts, and their ambition. Through World War One, American men fought to save their country and woman fought to win the right to vote. Even in fashion women were liberated, as the hemline on an average skirt was raised.