 He posited that Fitzgerald created the character of Gatsby to serve as a false prophet of the American dream and to demonstrate how that dream no longer exists except in the minds of those as materialistic as Gatsby.Pearson concluded that the American dream pursued by Gatsby "is, in reality, a nightmare," bringing nothing but discontent and disillusionment to those who chase it as they realize that it is unsustainable and ultimately unattainable.Echoing Pearson's interpretation, scholar Sarah Churchwell similarly views "The Great Gatsby" to be a "cautionary tale of the decadent downside of the American dream."