Why Did F. Scott Fitzgerald Write This Book? (Willie)

The Great Gatsby could be picked apart for likely one's entire life just to search for hidden meanings and commentaries from F. Scott Fitzgerald, just as most any other novel could. However, with this multitude of messages, it is quite easy to get lost in the frenzy of it all and forget about the heart of the book. So I pose this question: on a fundamental level, what does F. Scott Fitzgerald wish to say his readers in this book?

In short, I would say he wishes to highlight the downfall–or, better yet, failing– of the American Dream, albeit in a very different way than Upton Sinclair did with The Jungle. As opposed to displaying the outright pain of the workers, Fitzgerald focuses on those who got rich from other's pain, a.k.a. prohibition. Jay Gatsby is a bootlegger, someone who illegally runs alcohol through the city. He is also a "self-made" man, truly discovering what the American Dream is. However, Fitzgerald is attempting to show how this "dream" has simply turned into something not actually American, but a thing that can only be achieved illegally. As mentioned earlier, Gatsby also earns his living from other people's pain. Though not as addicting as many other drugs, alcohol does not exactly make for a healthy life, and by illegally selling it, Gatsby hooks others on it, likely sending many into a depressing downward spiral of dependence. Is that what the American Dream is all about? I don't think so.