In the novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby, the characters sincerely believe that they can have everything they ever dreamed of and have a life that is others will envy. Myrtle and Gatsby both seem to have the same agenda for their lives; desperately seeking wealth, status, bliss and love. Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby are both determined to achieve their goals, but fail to realize that the American dream is just an illusion. The dream of finding fortune, fame, and true love is something almost every American aspires to achieve. Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby is no exception. Myrtle Wilson is "in her thirties and slightly fat, but she carries her excess flesh in a sensual way that some women can do" (25). She is the representation of those who will stop at nothing and do whatever it takes to get what they want. From the beginning, those who met her saw the cocky and cunning woman she was. She often pretended to be rich; dismissing compliments on her dress by saying "it's just a crazy old thing", when in reality she had no business doing it. his name. She is tired of living with the poor and is now ready to do what needs to be done to live the lavish life she desires without caring who she has to step on to get there. Jay Gatsby is the representation of every man trying to find the American dream. He seeks a better life than the one he grew up in, filled with fortune and wealth. When Gatsby meets Daisy, he finds what he is looking for. Gatsby, Daisy is his American dream. From then on, he does everything he can to be with her. Before making his fortune, Gatsby felt that “he was not fit to lick (Daisy’s) shoe” (34) given his social status. Believing that one must pay “a high price for living too long with a single dream” (161). Many people don't believe the American dream exists. They believe that the American dream is a saga that we created to have something to look forward to in our lives, but the reality is that the American dream exists. These are many things we wish we could have and there is nothing wrong with wanting the best in life, but when those desires start to hurt those around us, they can come back for us. Myrtle and Gatsby only thought of themselves as they imagined what the perfect American dream was. They didn't have the idea to think about what other people felt or wanted. They were consumed by greed and did not realize that the American dream they wanted and which led to their own downfall was only an illusion. They started to dream of an unrealistic American dream.