It’s very rare for life to imitate an art that came almost 90 years before it. It’s impressive because it proves as an example of how things change with time. The foundation may always be there, but the supporting structures will change. The comparison of Jay Gatsby and Jay-Z is a classic example of this theory.
Jay Gatsby. He is a character made up by Scott Fitzgerald in his classic novel “the Great Gatsby”. He grew up in North Dakota with his poor German family under his real name. James Gatz. During his teens, he dropped out of school to travel the world with his mentor, soon after he would participate in the First World War. When he returned, he returned to a new America, an America that filled with opportunity. Whether it be legal or illegal. Gangs, mobs, bootleggers, entrepreneurs, entertainers, business owners, and many more, opportunity was at its peak in the 1920’s, and Gatz made most of that. By this time he was sporting a new persona, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby took opportunity and turned it into profit, and within a matter of time he became one of America richest and most successful entrepreneurs and bootleggers. Scott Fitzgerald packaged Gatsby to be precepted as someone living their lie to the fullest. Gatsby can be viewed as the 1920’s incarnation of the American dream.






























Shawn Carter. He grew up in the government projects of Brooklyn, New York in the 1970’s. During his teens, Carter witnessed his father’s demise with drugs and eventually left the family. Carter turned to drug dealing to make a living. He became to produce music during the late 80’s early 90’s under the stage name “Jay-Z” and since then has transformed himself into one of Americas most prestigious and successful artist, designer, sports agents, and franchise owners of all time. He has had a heavy influence on culture throughout the years, and has basically developed himself into a live example of what has come to be known as the 21st century paradigm of the American dream

Jay Gatsby and Jay-Z. Both men compare and contrast in many ways. They both had their hard beginnings. They both had hard to make hard decisions to make a living at such a young age, and both have their stories regarding their triumphant rises to the top. Let’s observe the origins of these two men. James Gatz grew up in the State of North Dakota, whereas Shawn Carter grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Despite the area difference, both men grew up under harsh conditions. Both men are believed to have not completed certain levels of education. Shawn Carter did not complete high school, whereas James Gatz did not complete his post- secondary education. Both these men endure rough childhoods and teenage years. Shawn Carter became a drug dealer to support his family, after his father left at a younger age. James Gatz decided to leave university to travel the world on a ship with a man who is believed to have been his mentor.

These two men are viewed as cultural symbols that unquestionably represent the results of success in America. Frank Sinatra once said “if you can make it here, then you can make it anywhere”, and although those words are familiar with the State of New York, the very same can be said for the United States of America, and Jay Gatsby and Jay-Z are examples of people who have made it in America. This is what we refer to as the American dream. The American dream is the theory that in the United States, the opportunity to produce prosperity, wealth as well as success is endless, because freedom has no limits and no one can stop you from achieving your goals but you. The public paradigm of the American dream has and will most definitely see changes as years go by, for this is because the world is always changing and people’s desires change with it. Humans will never stop inventing, products will never stop defying the odds and the world standards will never be met.

When you look at the 1920’s, it’s easy to see why this decade is referred to as the “roaring twenties”. Business in the country was bigger than ever. For the first time in the history of the United States, majority of the population were settled in cities over farms. The country had shifted into a “consumer society”, and with the economic growth that had produce wealth for millions of people, the American dream had been precepted as living an exciting life, with money, big houses and all the fancy suits and cars to show it. It’s as if most Americans dreamed of being a successful business man. Gatsby lived a life very similar to the definition of the American dream in the 1920’s. In Gatsbys’ case, his type of wealth is what we know as “new money”. New money is a term that refers to someone who is new to money and most likely did not grow up with it. Therefore they are fast to spend their money based on their desires at the moment. They are less likely to save their money for the future or even be responsible with their spending. Jay Gatsby was the definition of new money. He spent his money on parties, cars, entertainment, mansions, and probably a load of other things he probably never used in his lifetime. In the book “The Great Gtasby”, nick describes Gatsbys’ events as told “There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and he champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his motor-boats slid the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam. On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains.” This was the life style most people strived to obtain during the 1920’s. This is because most people thought the economy would always stay the same, of course the Black Tuesday stock market crash of 1929 proved that theory to be false.

At the turn of the century 15 years ago, it was indeed accompanied by a turn in the paradigm of what is known as the American dream. The amount of electronic products being introduced to the world was on the rise, and so was the demand. Fashion had taken a juristic change. The amount of jobs and services needed were more than ever, and the entertainment business, had already been established as a legitimate business. And one of the businesses brightest stars was Jay-Z. In a article written by Lisa Robinson of vanity fair, she says “Jay showed me the “Shawn Carter” watch he designed for Hublot, which will cost somewhere around $20,000 and will be out later this year”.Jay-Z had taken all the business teachings he learned from the music industry, and expanded into sports marketing, designing and athletic agencies. Shawn Carter has transformed himself into a 21st century incarnation of the American dream. The American dream has gone from lifestyle to more of a focus on materials. The American dream use to be wanting to live in a big huge fancy mansion, with your suits and your parties, while being the successful business man. Now the American dream is about having the latest accessories and electronics. It’s about having the fanciest cloths or the best looking shoes. It’s about getting that scholarship to that division one university, and being that star athlete or entertainer on the cover of sports illustrated or rolling stone. The American dream is much harder to achieve in today’s society. It’s so competitive in today’s society, and there are such little chances to truly get to where you want to be in life. Not everyone will make it. Only a handful of diamond in the rough individuals will truly live out their dreams. Jay-Z represents those who will make it. He is the result of what happens to a young diamond in rough living in America. That diamond will eventually shine.

In conclusion, it is amazing how a book written in 1925 that is based on a fictional business man, living his life, could ever be so similar to life of a non- fictional business man who continues to dominate his respective industries in 2014. Jay-Z and Jay Gatsby, that indeed is a classic example of life imitating art.