Final answer:
The common theme between the excerpts is the honest pursuit of the American dream, where characters strive for success while seeking to maintain their integrity and authenticity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best statement that compares two themes that both excerpts have in common is 'A. achieving the American dream honestly'. Both passages showcase characters who are grappling with the values of integrity and authenticity in the pursuit of success and wealth. In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha Younger is discerning what constitutes true success beyond material wealth, juxtaposing her wealthy suitor George's superficialities against more meaningful aspirations. Similarly, in the works of Fitzgerald, characters often face disillusionment as they encounter the moral center of wealth, love, and success, reinforcing that true happiness and integrity may not always align with wealth and social status.