As Mulan from the Disney film Mulan, looks into a pool of water, contemplating her life, she sings: "Who is this girl that I see, looking straight in the eyes? Me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? …When will my reflection show who I am inside? (Mulan). Mulan is stuck between a rock and a hard place because people don't see her the same way she sees herself. Being a tomboy, Mulan does not act like a traditional Chinese girl. Later in the film, she becomes a strong soldier, willing and ready to fight in her father's place. Mulan's physique in the military camp outwardly shows her strength and independence, while inside she seems young and naive. These characteristics of Mulan also "reflect" the characters of The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the people of the 1920s. As real soldiers return from war, they seem truly strong and ready for anything. However, in the United States, soldiers and everyone else have nothing to do, turning to countless parties, alcoholism, and more to escape their lives. Compared to real people in the 1920s, the characters in The Great Gatsby also show signs of escapism and materialism. Because of their need to always have something on their mind and stay busy, Gatsby (because of his love and his mansion), Daisy (because of his relationships and desires), and Tom (because of his wealth and his emotions) in The Great Gatsby reflect the excesses of the 1920s. As Gatsby buys his house in West Egg, he reveals his motivation to pursue the American dream. First, commenting on Gatsby's green light, the Marshall Cavendish Corporation states: "I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first spotted the green light at the end of Daisy's dock... his dream must…… middle of paper… ....l three characters attempt to use excessive spending, partying, and drinking to escape the problems in their lives. The people in The Great Gatsby are clueless and have nothing to do because of the war. The same result occurred in the 1920s, after World War I, in the United States. People had nothing to do, turning to alcohol, parties, and materialism to escape their daily lives. People in the United States in the 1920s also represent a "lost generation" because excessive physical activities destroyed people's lives. People did not possess any personality type, as parties, drinking, and materialism were done for the purpose of keeping busy (not the original purpose). Parties and other sources of entertainment are intended for pleasure, but in the 1920s and The Great Gatsby, these sources are used to escape from problems..