`The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the `American Beauty' directed by Sam Mendes explores the concept of sacrifice as in many ways. The texts deal with sacrifice as not simply the destruction of something valued, but for a specific purpose and higher claim, where the gesture is carefully planned out, demonstrating a deep personal understanding by a character. It also highlights the fact that the society that a person lives in can have a huge impact on the sacrifices one makes. The characters Daisy, Gatsby and Myrtle form `The Great Gatsby' all show sacrifice and how their actions portray the corruption of the American Dream, while Carolyn, Lester and Angela from `American Beauty' also shows sacrifices made by individuals as a result of their relationship with society.

As one of the main characters in `The Great Gatsby', Daisy starts out in the novel representing all that...