Comparing Gatsby's and Carraway's perspective of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby:While the American Dream and the concept of success...

Gatsby and Nick have somewhat similar perspectives of the
American Dream.  Gatsby's dream is formed by Dan Cody.  Through Dan Cody, Gatsby
experienced the "good life"--the luxurious life of fine clothes and a yacht.  Until
Cody, Gatsby's ideas of success were somewhat simple--work hard, be disciplined, set
priorities.  After Cody, Gatsby's idea of success takes a more tangible
shape.

When Gatsby meets Daisy, he finds that she
epitomizes the dream that was inspired by Cody.  She has "the voice of money," a fine
house, and a well established family:

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Her porch was bright with the bought luxury of
star-shine; the wicker of the settee squeaked fashionably . . and Gatsby was
overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of
the freshness of many clothes and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above
the hot struggles of the
poor.

Gatsy's dream involves
Daisy because she is wealthy, the wealth that Dan Cody had, and that Gatsby (as a young
military officer) has yet to attain.  Wealth is associated with youth, mystery, love,
and security.

Nick's idea of success is somewhat akin to
Gatsby's.  He too wants to make money, so he enters the bond business--the gold rush of
the 20s.  Gatsby is to Nick as Dan Cody was to Gatsby.  Nick's ideas of true wealth are
defined by his exposure to Gatsbyas well as to the Buchanans.  The difference is that
Nick's family was of a higher economic class than Gatsby's, so Nick doesn't have that
far to climb.

Yet, Jordan does not offer the same type of
inspiration to Nick as Daisy did to Gatsby.  Nick sees through Jordan's "carelessness"
and superficiality.  He drops his relationship with Jordan shortly after he realizes
that he is thirty.  Nick finds out that wealth does not make one responsible, honest, or
compassionate.  Nick abandons his dream and heads back
home.

Gatsby never has such a realization.  His entire
adult life has been to become the man that Daisy would find attractive, so that he can
be the man that he only pretended to be when they first met.  Gatsby's dream is
impossible to fulfill.  His enormous wealth cannot buy him time; it cannot by him Daisy.
 And Daisy betrays Gatsby just as Cody's Ella Kaye betrayed him.