Kane and Gatsby: Great American Characters

As part of our unit on class in American Studies, we read the book The Great Gatsby and watched the movie Citizen Kane. Fitzgerald's Gatsby is one of the most famous characters in American literature, especially after the 2013 movie version of the novel starring Leonardo Dicaprio came out.  The Great Gatsby is considered by some to be the "Great American Novel." Citizen Kane is a 1941 movie produced by, written by, directed by, and starring Orsen Welles, that contains many of the same themes as The Great Gatsby. In many ways, both Kane and Gatsby represent the "American Dream," or at least very American ideals.

In my opinion, The Great Gatsby and Gatsby's character represent the "American Dream" in many ways, making the novel the "Great American Novel" in many ways. First, Gatsby went from being "Mr. Nobody from Nowhere" (Tom calls him this on page 130 of the book) to being extraordinarily,

Leonardo Dicaprio as Gatsby 

immensely wealthy. This is the American Dream: going from rags to riches, all because of hard work and discipline and a little luck. Gatsby is also a "Great American Character." He spends his entire existence trying to "get the girl." This crazy-romanticness, I would argue, is very American. Additionally, the story is still relevant today, 90 years after the book was written. The themes in the book-new money versus old money, going from rags to riches, class, love, etc.- are still very powerful American literature and American society today.

Citizen Kane and Kane's character in particular are also very American. Kane, after his parents come into a lot of money, essentially goes from "rags to riches" like Gatsby. This in and of itself is a very American theme. Furthermore, the entire premise of the story- Kane's mysterious last word "rosebud" and the other character's attempt to learn more about Kane- is very American. Kane's (apparent) last word was "rosebud," which the viewer knows is the name of the sled he had as a child. "Rosebud" is a symbol of his childhood, and even after living a full life of riches and success, on his death bed, that is what Kane is thinking about. In my opinion, the romanticizing of one's childhood is a very American theme.

Citizen Kane 

Both Kane and Gatsby are very American characters, and Citizen Kane and The Great Gatsby are viewed today as some of the best representations of American society and relay very American themes and ideals. But to what extent can there be a "Great American Story?"