Almonds and the American Dream

Nut of the week: Almonds

There are actually two variants of almonds: sweet almonds and bitter almonds. Sweet almonds are the ones we consume normally. Bitter almonds contain small amounts of cyanide which is highly poisonous.

We have all heard of the American Dream. It is the motto of our country. It is the belief that through hard work and dedication, we will achieve prosperity and success. During the 1920's the meaning of the American Dream started to change. The end goal became obtaining material items and reaching the zenith of the social ladder. Money, cars, clothes, women, and class were the supposedly promised rewards of following the American Dream, but Gatsby learned that true prosperity does not come from just chasing a dream.

Gatsby was "a penniless man" when he first meets Daisy. He obtains his wealth through his bootlegging business. He spends his whole life believing in the American Dream. By obtaining enough wealth and material items, he hopes to become equal with Daisy. Although he is able to become wealthy, he never truly is accepted by the upper class. In the end, he is killed before he achieves his goal of being with Daisy. The American Dream is like an almond. The dream of prosperity we chase is the sweet almond, but underneath is the price of blood, sweat and tears we must pay to achieve our goals of fortune and success, which is the bitter almond. Gatsby shows us how chasing the American Dream can lead to consequences you aren't willing to accept.