Many people throughout history have aspired to create a perfect life for themselves. However, this dream is not often easily achievable. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel about the decadence of society, the blindness of love, and the futile pursuit of the now nonexistent American dream. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows the United States not in the golden, shimmering light that many claimed, but rather in a dark, gloomy haze, polluted by crime, corruption, and moral decadence. Fitzgerald also rejects the idea that foolish love is harmless. Furthermore, the author illustrates that the American dream is a now non-existent and senseless quest. Many thought the Roaring Twenties represented the height of American society, but they were actually just the beginning of a downward spiral. America is no longer the glittering land of opportunity that it once was. Its cities were overrun by crime, smuggling, corruption and moral decadence. Many characters in the novel like Meyer Wolfsheim, "who fixed the World Series in 1919". p. 9 ea. 4 Are great examples of the crime we see in The Great Gatsby. Wolfsheim in particular is not only a denizen of New York's seedy underworld, but also an embodiment of the criminal world itself. In this era of criminality, corruption spread rampantly, “taking a white card from his wallet, he waved it before the [policeman's] eyes. You're right...you'll know next time, Mr. Gatsby” p.6 chp. 4. Although not directly stated in the text, it is implied that Gatsby gave the police commissioner a large sum of money and, in return, was granted certain privileges under the law. With crime spreading through cities and police becoming increasingly corrupt, it's middle of paper ......g in the same homes as everyone else. Plus, George Wilson says, “I've been here too long. I want to run away. My wife and I want to go west. (P. 8 chap. 7). George Wilson hopes that by moving west and rebuilding his life he can repair his relationship with his wife, but ironically this does not happen and Myrtle is killed. Fitzgerald seems to think that the pursuit of the American dream is pointless and futile. Scott Fitzgerald seemed to have written a novel about the brilliant American twenties, but his novel was actually about the decline of American society, the tragedy of love and the decline of the American dream. The Great Gatsby illustrates all of Fitzgerald's ideas about American society. Despite the perceived notion of glitz and glamor of 1920s society, it was all a thin veneer of extravagance covering a dark and gloomy world..