How does Gatsby achieve the American dream?

The American dream is one of the main themes of the story. Hopes and dreams are what fuels people to achieve a piece of that dream. The American Dream means different things to different characters. Gatsby represents this dream in a big way. Everything about his outward appearances is big except for the man himself. Gatsby is a self-made man which reinforces the possibility, although remote, for anyone to achieve the dream. Thus these words hope and dream resonate throughout the novel.

Gatsby's American dream was to be with Daisy. He tried so hard to achieve it but he didn't make it.