CHAPTER - I
AMERICAN DREAM
1.1
INTRODUCTION
The American literature is quite fabulous due to a number of
national and international literary and philosophical movements which play
a crucial role in expanding and strengthening the various forms of
literature.
The
trends
and
movements
like
the
frontiers,
the
transcendentalism, the enlightenment, the puritanism, the expressionism,
the Adamic myth etc. played vital role in shaping American history and
literature. The pioneers of these movements were either men of letters or
philosophers who genuinely contributed to the development of American
literature. Mention must be made of transcendentalists, who, in different
forms of American literature brought fresh, innovative and rhetoric
contribution and paved the way for forthcoming generation. Each
movement has its unique contribution.
The American Dream is one of the important movements which has
been playing the significant role throughout the history of American
literature. It is appropriate to say that the American Dream does not merely
refer to the identity of an individual; it also refers to American society
which was consistently struggling hard to escape from the clutches of the
orthodox religious conventions. The American Dream, unlike other
movements has unlimited horizon. In poetry, in the novels, in the drama
and in other forms of literature, one can witness the reflection and different
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
2
implications of American Dream. Hence it is very paramount to dive deep
and see the various colours of American Dream in American literature.
A separate study in detail compels us to see how the American
Dream has moulded, shaped and affected the American literature. With this
perspective at the back of mind, let us see, what is an American Dream?
How has it shaped and affected the society? What kind of role has it played
in the society – whether constructive or destructive? How, still has though
eclipsed but not ended? And how has it expanded and shifted from
American to European countries?
One thing is clear, it is to be noted seriously that all the literary
movements of American literature, in the course of time, came and
disappeared but the American Dream is still persisting and influencing. It is
still seen and felt in every walk of life.
The American culture is, more or less, found coloured by the
American Dream. It is commonly noted that the Americans are fond of
dreams and everything which is bigger as a result of American Dream. So,
let us see in detail the rise and growth of American Dream.
1.2
AMERICAN DREAM: RISE AND GROWTH
The concept of American Dream is the vision and the story of
American success. It is much cherished and envied philosophy of
American life. Consistent emphasis on unbridled opportunity availed
for
every individual in the way of the pursuit of success is the peculiar
characteristic of American Dream. Quest for success and material
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
3
prosperity were the driving forces for the historical divorce from the Old
World and consequent rise of the New World.
Don Vasco de Quirogo, a Spanish bishop of North America, rightly
appreciates the symbolic significance of the name ‘New World’ as: “for not
in vain but with much cause and reason is this called the New World; not
because it is newly found but because in its people and almost in
everything as were the first and golden ages” (1988:1).
Traditionally, history and nature of American Dream is analyzed
with religious orientation; particularly Puritans, long back in sixteenth
century protested catholic supremacy over Christianity. Religious as well
as social reformation was the matter of sensible concern for them. The
puritans, specifically, Calvinists, the followers of John Calvin (1509-1564),
were the pioneers who divorced Old World seeking religious liberation and
economic opportunity.
In the Freudian model, the dream is regarded as “the manifestation
of repressed and displaced instincts” (1994:11). Under the Catholic
authorities Christianity was repressed under the supremacy of Pope. The
church laws and rituals were the obstacles between the plain man and the
God. The puritans believed that they had found the truth as revealed in the
Bible. They believed that they are the ‘Chosen people’ of ‘Promised land’
and only they can create a society purified of corruption in the name of
religion and free from conventional church authorities.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
4
For this deservingness, the puritans insisted that the proper spiritual
condition for salvation must be fulfilled by material success which can be
the evidence of God’s favour, but all striving had to be unselfishly devoted
to God and His community. In short, religious repression generated the
idea of dreaming the new world, free from all the clutches.
To Freud, “acquisition of dream or the quest for fulfillment emerges
from stress crisis” (Lee 11), and strong urge to escape from the stress.
American Dream, too, is a fruit of crisis- rescue. The stress crisis created
by the supremacy of Catholics generated the idea of American Dream. The
objective was to become religiously free and materialistically sound. And
to attain the objective, it was their deep conviction that without the mercy
and sacred will of the God it is not possible.
American dream was the phenomenon of rescuing from stress-crisis
generated by the repression caused by the supremacy of Catholics and the
fulfillment of the promise made by the New World to the mankind that to
recapture the innocence, joys and eternal life, the freedom from cares and
labours, by material attainment. In fact, it was the way to new Garden of
Eden for new Adam.
Eric Sevareid, a Norwegian immigrant, a reporter and radio news
broadcasters, defines the American dream as a quest for change. He
comments that there had been no change in the Old World; no essential,
drastic change in relations of man to man for centuries. American dream is,
“the rebirth, the eternal haunting, craving of men to be born again, the
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
5
yearning for the second chance, the new world is the second
chance” (1985:3).
American dream is manifold in nature, it embodies many other
dreams. Many of the poor migrated to New World to become rich, rich
dreaming to become richer, the energetic came to have the work, the God
conscious came expecting to talk to Him directly; without any religious
intermediates. The weeks dreamt to be stronger. In other words, America,
the New World was the ultimate destination for every aspirer, where they
feel assured to get the remedies to their problems. It was the place where
everyone can see his or her dreams realized.
Many historians and critics have recorded that idea of success and
progress was the stimulating spirit for Americans. America has grown up
with the idea of Utopia, the dream land. Even before the puritan
forefathers, the migration leaders, too, have advocated advancement
towards the progress, assuring the favour of the God.
In a proclamation for the volunteers, colonizing New World,
Edward Johnson, in the year 1628, appealed to migrants that “for your full
satisfaction, know this is the place where the Lord will create a new
Heaven and new Commonwealth together” (1979:241).
The concept of American Dream is basically related to typical
American notion of freedom “to be free is to be secure is an idea for the
Americans” (2004:1). It is closely associated to autonomy, that is, if one is
autonomous, he or she is not dependent on others or vulnerable to
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
6
circumstances outside his or her control. This very idea of freedom leads
American Dream to an eminence of individual personal responsibility and
accountability. Too far centered personal advancement has to do nothing
with broader human welfare.
Personal advancement for an individual success to become
financially able was the earnest feeling of every American close to their
heart. As the concept of American Dream has intimate concern to
American idea of success, the analysis of the concept requires to go
through the comprehensive study of the American idea of success.
1.3
AMERICAN IDEA OF SUCCESS
Richard M. Huber, in his work, The American Idea of Success,
(1971) elaborately discusses the typical American notion of success. For
most of the Americans, “success is making money and translating it into
status” (1971: 1). Financial profoundness is the parameter of success, and
resulting this profoundness into the status and upward mobility towards the
higher rank was their ultimate objective. Intensely objective and
impersonal nature of success limits the orbit of American Dream. The selfcentered world of an unequal distribution of wealth and power, prestige
and fame gives rise to throat-cutting rivalry and competition. Harold Laski
rightly describes that “the vital roots of American spirit are either the
building of a fortune or by building of a reputation which makes you held
in a esteem by your neighbors”(Huber 2). Whereas, August B.
Hollingshead after doing laborious survey of small Midwest town, comes
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
7
to the conclusion that “to be sure, other cultural factors enter the picture,
but in success-dominated ideology the primary criterion of social worth is
measured in terms of dollars” (Huber 2). Bettering oneself was the ultimate
objective of American and the making of money was strongest possible
ladder in the way of upward mobility of status. As economic achievement
was becoming the social achievement, Americans, the social climbers
always dreamt for the long leap starting from ignored state of ‘rags’ to
recognized state of ‘riches’.
The most important ingredient in the pursuit of American Dream
was the exceptional religious heritage. It filled an air of confidence and
sense of security among the Americans. Their spiritual leader, John
Winthrop told his small flock at the arrival of their land of destiny that they
are ‘the chosen people’ called upon by God to be an example and light to
the world :
… for wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a
hill. The eies of all people are uppon Us, soe that if wee shall
deale falsely with our god in this worke wee have
undertaken, and soe cause him to withdraw his present help
from us... Wee shall shame the faces of many of god’s
worthy servants, and cause there prayers to be turned into
Curses upon us (Leo 23).
If, on the other hand, they serve their Lord by improving their lot,
God would look over them and reward them. Being an outstanding ‘chosen
people’ of the ‘promised land,’ Americans honestly felt the value of
success as the sacred task. It was their deep trust that God has rewarded
them for their faith and service.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
8
The peculiarity of the feeling of Americans as the ‘chosen people’
and America as the ‘land of opportunity’ makes American Dream uniquely
particular and strongly supported the idea that American Dream can be
achieved on the soil of America only. American Dream as the idea of
success was their lifetime motif. Being a ‘chosen people’ of God they felt
quite confident to attain their motif. The idea that they are the selected few
is encouraging them to march towards the greatness. Down through the
American history, the idea of ‘chosen people’ and ‘promised land’ is
frequently cherished as the common belief for generations and driving zeal
for American Dream.
Herman Melville, in his work entitled ‘White Jacket: or, the World
in a Man-of-War’ repeatedly emphasizes the American notion of ‘chosen
people’ in following words :
We Americans are the peculiar, Chosen People-we bear the
ark of the liberties of the world…. Besides our first birth-right
embracing one continent of Earth-God has given us… God
has predestined, mankind expects great things from our race;
and great thing we feel in our souls (Rifkin 18).
This peculiar notion instills typical sense of confidence. Though it seems
arrogance for many Europeans, it is true driving engine for Americans to
move the mountains.
Jeremy Rifkin registers precise observation in his work The
European Dream as :
Nearly half of all Americans (48%) believe that the United
States has special protection from god, some prominent
Evangelical Protestant leaders even suggested that the reason
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
9
the World Trade Center Towers and Pentagon were attacked
and nearly 3000 people sent to their death because god was
displeased with America’s errant ways and no longer afforded
special protection to his chosen people (Rifkin 19).
It clearly indicates that Americans belief in the God and Christianity
compels them to analyze the success and failure purely on the basis of the
blessing and the curse of God. If anything happens in their favour it is
because of the blessing of the God only. So the religion worked in harness
with economic towards the goal of individual success. Religious values
encouraged Americans to work hard to attain the success and ultimately
fulfil the American Dream.
Cotton Mather, the great puritan and convincing religious authority,
in the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century, talked about
an idea of success, referring religious orientation. He introduced the
Puritan concept that ‘every Christian has two callings. According to
Mather, the general calling was that a good Christian should serve the Lord
Jesus Christ and save his own soul in the service of religion’, and every
Christian should have a particular employment by which his usefulness in
his neighborhood is distinguished, is the personal calling. Mather, further
appeals to his emigrant flock that ‘Christian should spend most of his time
in some settled business…’ So he may glorify God by getting good for
himself and by serving the community as per callings require.
Mather relates the success with the glorification of God. To him, it
is the true service towards the God and Christianity. In short, American
Dream is inseparable from country’s religious heritage and spiritual faith
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
10
which makes Americans to trust America as a special place with special
callings. Mather convinces his followers as :
An allowable occupation is an ordinance of god. The true
Christian must engage in settled business responding the
‘personal calling’. He reaffirms the true Christian is a
gentleman who equally responds both ‘general as well as
personal callings. He equates an idle gentleman to idle beggar
who harms lot to the mankind and religion as well hi doesn’t
hesitate to declare that, any honest Mechanicks really are
more Honourable than idle and useless Men of Honour. Every
man ordinarily should able to say, I have something wherein
I am occupied for the good of other Men (Leo 297).
A Christian should put in all his strength and industriousness in an
occupation, which can be true service of Christianity, his fellowmen, and
obviously of the emerging nation.
In fact, religious authorities like Winthrop and Mather associated
the idea of American success to religious convictions which imparted
certain solid foundation to American Dream. The uniqueness of this special
feeling tends Americans to form a close knot between American Dream
and love for nation and above all love for Christianity. Their sense of selfesteem leads them to feel confident that here, in America anything and
everything is possible to achieve if one feels strongly enough and one is
determined enough to make the difference.
The
fulfilment
of
American
Dream
requires
the
strong
determination and sense of self-esteem. Jeremy Rifkin-one of the most
popular social thinkers of America recalls his mother saying :
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
11
Jeremy, in America, you can do anything you choose to do
and be anyone you choose to be, if you want to do it or be it
badly enough, personal willpower is the force that opens up
the door to all the possibilities of the future. Believe in
yourself and you will be able to move mountains (Rifkin12).
Whereas Jeremy’s father makes him aware of practical realities and
significance of dream in individual’s life. Rifkin records his father saying :
Son, a lot of people dream of doing great things but what
separates the dreamers from the doers is discipline and hard
work…. My boy, always remember that success in life is
result of ninety nine percent hard work and one percent
talent…. and don’t forget, no one is ever going to hand you
success in life or give you something for nothing, you are
your own (Rifkin12).
This was unique cultural legacy where parents passed on such
nobler teaching to their children. It makes them to realize the significance
and urgency of determination and hard work to attain the success.
After Mather and William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, in the
eighteenth century dedicated much of his writings to the idea of success
which was further handed down by Americans from generation to
generation. In his influential writings, he took the position that wealth was
the result of virtue. To become wealthy one has to be virtuous first.
Like Thoreau’s Walden a transcendental experiment in mid
nineteenth century, Franklin was a hardworking businessman, sage
philosopher, pioneer scientist, did experiments with his own ideas of
success and then appealed to the Americans to follow his experiments
successfully evaluated. His experiment was the proved theory of success.
For Americans he was supreme symbol of American spirit.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
12
In his popular work The Way to Wealth, the success-story of poor
Richard, highly stimulates to Americans. Similarly his autobiography is an
actual case study where he describes how an earnest young man, by his
disciplined hard work, emerges from poverty and obscurity to state of
affluence and reputation.
Franklin borrowed popular saying to support his stand. In his Advice
to Young Tradesman, he expects that an ambitious youth should cultivate
the two important qualities among them. First is industry, he appeals
“plough deep, while sluggard sleep and you shall have corn to sell and to
keep.” The second important quality is frugality, he advices “rather go to
bed supper less than rise in debt.” To him, the way to wealth, if one
desires it, is as plain as the way to market, it depends chiefly on two words
Industry and Frugality that is, waste neither time nor money but make best
use of both. To be industrious and frugal was the key to success, Franklin,
in his Autobiography, along with industry and frugality, adds eleven more
cardinal virtues such as temperance, silence, order, resolution, sincerity,
justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility.
Franklin, a sage philosopher and practical experimentalist has
drawn a systematic chart of virtues and the weeks and finally has
concluded that one could go through a complete course of virtues in
thirteen weeks. Franklin’s practical approach is based on moral conviction
and virtues cultivated by a success- aspirer. Importance of luck, native
intelligence, contacts and family influence are not the matters of more
importance than the virtues cultivated in the way of wealth.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
13
Both Mather and Franklin laid emphasis on the cultivation of virtues
in the way of attaining the wealth and success. The ultimate ends for both
are common; for Mather religious implication of ‘Eternal Blessedness’ is
the key factor whereas Franklin’s justification is primarily secular. It pays
honour to work ethic. It instills and deliberately cultivates the belief that
the success comes from one’s own efforts and the virtues. If there is a
failure it is merely because of lack of efforts and will.
It is strong belief of Americans that their deep religious conviction
and an idea of being a ‘chosen people’ of God has made American Dream
as driving engine towards the success aspired.
Winthrop and Franklin are the eminent figures to guide and instill
the trust in the vision of American Dream. Winthrop represented the
spiritual side of American Dream whereas Franklin provided the practical
guidance. His idea of American Dream is born from the Enlightenment and
his emphasis is on materialism, utilitarianism and individual self interest.
Franklin dreamt America as a kind of grand laboratory for science;
America as a nation of inventive genius consistently indulged into creation
of wealth and freely expanding market place. This very practical approach
of Franklin towards American Dream made American Dream household of
majority of Americans. In his vision of American Dream he saw his fellow
countrymen as industrious people, honestly practicing the opportunities
and abilities to fulfill their dream to be realized.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
14
On the other hand, Winthrop’s, idea of success and American
Dream was based on religious conviction. He, in his American Dream
assured salvation. Winthrop’s analysis of American Dream is focused on
Heaven and eternal redemption.
In the history of America and even in the tradition of American
literature many movements in the course of time emerged and eclipsed. But
American Dream is the movement highly cherished by Americans and the
rest of the world, because of its unique melding of religious fervour and
absolute utilitarianism. American Dream remained so durable because it
assures two most basic human desires – the happiness in this world; which
can be attained by material prosperity and the salvation in the next world;
which is promised by religious fervor of American Dream.
As American Dream was built on an idea of success that comes
from, firstly having deep faith in God and virtue and secondly, applying
oneself with all his potential to transform opportunity into prosperity, to be
an inventive and resourceful and becoming self-reliant. This combination
of Winthrop and Franklin’s notion of success made American Dream
everlasting vision for America.
After the Civil War, in America there were two great areas of
opportunity, agrarian and urban. It was soundest option to practise the idea
of success by staying at farm and cultivating the garden. At urban area,
there was a good deal of opportunity to indulge in mercantile, industrial
and financial business. But the Frontiers believed that the pot of gold is
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
15
waiting in the cities and towns than in the shading sweat at the farm. Of
course, there were limits to agrarian opportunities whereas ample urban
opportunities were inviting American youth looking forward to make
money out of anything and everything.
During these days, Horatio Alger Jr., William Thayer and Russell
Conwell were the eminent literary personalities who cherished the idea of
success in their writings and speeches. ‘Horatio Alger hero’ emerges as a
synonymous to success. It symbolized self-made image of man, coming
from adversities and finally attaining the affluence. Alger wrote most of
his novels on a monotonous theme of success and rags-to-riches. The
novels, he wrote for boys give profound moral lesson that a boy can rise
from poverty to wealth if he has a good character. The most popular
of his works are, Ragged Dick (1867), Luck and Pluck (1869) and Tattered
Tom (1871). He also wrote some biographies of successful men like;
Abraham Lincoln (From Canal Boy to President) and James Garfield
(From Farm Boy to Senator). Alger’s fictional heroes and the heroes from
the real world started poor and finished rich.
William Thayer emerged as a noted biographer in the concluding
quarter of nineteenth century. Like Alger his biographies are about the
successful people came from very marginal background and attained
outstanding success. His publishers recognized his works as Log Cabin to
White House series. In his biographical work Turning Points in Successful
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
16
Career, Thayer gives some valuable instruction or hints to become
successful.
Conwell delivered six thousand lectures advocating the significance
of success and importance of opportunity. He was well convinced to appeal
the Americans that materialism meant progress. Acres of Diamonds is his
work sparkled with enthusiasm and possible opportunity in life, to be
labeled as successful.
Alger, William and Conwell were the true spokespersons of success
and urban opportunities in America to inspire many of enthusiastic youth
marching on the way of wealth. By the end of eighteenth century, it seems
that religious value and ambition to be successful were the main springs to
upsurge American Dream.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the prominent essayist and philosopher with
great authorities, talks about America as another word for opportunity. To
him, growth factor in opportunity was mobility and willingness of the
people. His approach is quite democratic and intellectual one. He appeals
to his ambitious fellow countrymen to practise an intellectual bent of
personality and self-consciousness to make the fullest possible use of
opportunities available.
Individualism was encouraged by an optimistic belief that in
America, the land of opportunity, if an individual adopts an image of
self-made man, his virtues and work ethic enables him to materialize the
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
17
opportunity. Naturally, Americans have realized the significance of the
virtues and work ethic and its association with success.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed, to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door (Huber 111).
These words of nineteenth century young American poet, Emma
Lazarus, are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, echoed the promise since
1886. Holding the torch high, the Statue symbolizes that this is the land of
opportunity where everyone can make his fortune.
Americans are outstandingly passionate for wealth and achievement.
For them success can be written as ‘$ucce$$’. It is not less than any noble
title for them. They do not hesitate to admit the fact that they worship
wealth as ‘almighty dollar.” Concrete belief in religious conviction and
devoted work ethic were the sharp weapons in the hands of Americans to
please the ‘almighty dollar’. It was their strong notion that the wealth
accumulated is the true parameter of the success. Making money was their
passion as it is the mark of goal and power attained. For them money is
objective and impersonal. It does not posses quality but quantity which is
without prejudice and speaks only the universal language of clinking coins
and rustling papers. Crain, one of the renowned poets, in his poem
The Impact of Dollar, rightly observes the peculiar nature and value of
‘dollar’ as :
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
18
The impact of a dollar upon the heart
Smiles warm red light,
Sweeping form the hearth rosily upon the white table,
With hugging cool velvet shadows
Moving softly upon the door (Warner 193).
Intensely possessive feeling for money makes Americans to practise
their work ethic to materialize their dreams. To please and possess the
‘almighty dollar’, they were ready to put in everything what they were
having as the ‘chosen people’ of the ‘promised land’ of opportunities.
By the close of nineteenth century, ‘New Thought’ emerged to
assert the significance of power of mind, in the way of accumulation of
wealth. Specifically, ‘New Thought’ was religious movement played handy
role in encouraging failure-stricken souls and victims of frustration. As
American Dream was the throat-cutting rivalry with others as well as with
self, in a way of individual upward progress. It was quite natural that many
low-determining souls and day-dreamers failed to attain the pace of the
world around them leaping towards the success. They became victims of
frustration and it was the high time to encourage them for instilling the air
of confidence in them. ‘New Thought’ was the vital movement devoted to
the healing the sick mind and body by making them once again aware of
the fact that they are the chosen people, born divine and so, are one with
God. By making to think about their assimilation and oneness with God,
‘New Thought’ generated the faith that chosen people can not be sick
because the God is never sick. ‘New Thought’ was sensitive mental
attitude, rather it was mind cure movement and it was dire necessity of
the time.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
19
In the mid twentieth century, non-fictional works like A Guide to
Confident Living and The Power of Positive Thinking were the Bibles for
the Americans. The luminaries like Norman Peale, Emmet Fox, Earnest
Holmes took efforts to sustain the ‘New Thought’ and to console and
nourish the affected minds. As a movement, ‘New Thought’ was, though
not too familiar to most of the Americans, its message was known to all.
By the end of World War II, the message and teaching of ‘New Thought’
were the influencing elements of which necessity and requirement
intensely felt by the Americans.
Orison Swett Marden, famous advisor and the editor of Success
magazine wrote more than forty books on the theme of success. His
message through his literary endeavors was closely linked with ‘New
Thought’ philosophy. For him, “mind is magnet and poverty is mental
disease” (Huber 146).
His book, Pushing to the Front: or, Success Under Difficulties, was
the practical treatise of success. Marden himself had experienced both
upward and downward mobility in the life. Marden’s own story of failure
and success was so inspiring that the frequent reprinting and publication of
the book into some twenty five languages itself indicates the influence of
the ‘New Thought’ which he practised and theorized in his books.
Marden advises that “…the image of your creator is in you; you
must bring it out and exhibit it to the world. Don’t disgrace your maker by
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
20
violating his image, by being every thing but the magnificent success. He
intended you to be” (Huber 157).
He justifies his advice by appealing people to memorize the
following lines of Ella Wheeler Wilcox. The deep conviction in the words
Marden believes, definitely, uplifts the morale.
I am success. Though hungry, cold, ill-clad,
I wander for awhile, I smile and say:
It is but for a time- I shall be glad
Tomorrow, for good fortune comes my way.
God is my father, he has wealth untold;
His wealth is mine, health, happiness and gold (Huber 157).
In his means to success, infinite mind plays the major role. To him
healthful and hopeful joyous, optimistic and uplifting mind longing for
success helps to bring the dreams come true.
‘New Thought’ consistently generates the philosophy that our
character, health, and degree of success is determined by the thought we
hold in mind. Cultivating thoughts of higher degree by using divine power
of the mind, one can fulfil the desires of upward mobility.
Norman Peale associates health of mind with the doubtless worship
of the Creator. He believes, He, the Creator, is the ‘Divine Supplier’ of
every energy. The power in prayer is the strongest way to please the God
and to seek the ‘Divine Supply’ of genuine energy from Him. ‘New
Thought’ is the movement making Americans to strive for material success
and assures them character-ethic built with moral binding and unshakable
faith in God is the only assured way to bring the dream in reality.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
21
Altogether, American Dream is the consistent and persistent
pilgrimage of ‘chosen people’ of ‘promised land’ of opportunity,
confidently marching towards ‘city of success’ on the ‘high hill’. It is the
tireless endeavour to attain the long cherished idea of success and upward
mobility. The uniqueness of cultural legacy, deep religious conviction
and virtuous character ethic made the idea of success household of
every American.
An attainment of $ucce$$ in terms of ‘almighty dollar’ is the most
cherished quest of Americans to stand distinctly different from the rest of
the world, to prove themselves ‘special people of special callings’. It is
interesting to note that though the Americans are living the American
Dream since the birth of New Land, appreciating its virtues of economical
growth and personal wealth as a divine blessing and an honest response to
special callings, in 1931, the term ‘American Dream’ became the part of
popular lexicon. American historian James Truslow Adams in the year
1931, published a book entitled The Epic of America in which first time, he
used the term ‘American Dream’ referring American idea of success. In
fact, he expressed his will to his editor that to entitle the work as the
‘American Dream’. Regarding this incident the conversation between the
author,James Adams and his editor, Ellery Sedgwick is quite remarkable. It
focuses the American mentality about American Dream.
The editor refuses to name the book as ‘American Dream’ saying
that “no red-blooded American would pay $ 3.50 for a dream”, Adams
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
22
remarkably retorts, “red-blooded Americans have always been willing to
gamble their last peso on a dream” (Rifkin 13).
This American psyche and passion for unique American Dream is
the genuine driving force for every American towards success to fulfill the
dream. During the period of expansion and prosperity, particularly upto
late nineteenth century and pre-Depression years, American Dream seemed
to be the national virtue which provided factual base to the wide spread
belief that it can be attained with sufficient vitality and devotion.
Obviously, the religious, political and socio-economic platform created and
sustained for long, was distinctly favorable for the fulfillment of
American Dream.
Charles R. Hearn, in his work The American Dream in the Great
Depression, registers his conclusion :
… our belief in rugged individualism, equality of opportunity,
laissez-faire capitalism, social classlessness, the gospel of
work, self-reliance, material acquisitiveness and ambition is
no where more clearly illustrated in story of American
Success- the story of poor boy to raises himself
to prominence through hard work, preservances and
honesty (1977: 4).
American Dream is the story of obscurity to wealth. It was
significant journey of ‘chosen people’ of the land of opportunity residing
on the high hill to guide the mankind and making them to feel assured
about the success. The concept of American Dream captivated the curiosity
of the world. The definition of the better life and material success is closely
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
23
associated with the American Dream which appealed numerous immigrants
from every corner of the world.
Though American Dream of material success was the exclusive
worship of the ‘bitch goddess’ of success to William James, it was an
unique experiment of success showed way to wealth to every dream seeker.
1.4
AMERICAN DREAM IN AMERICAN LITERATURE
F. R. Leavis, in his treatise, Determinations elaborately focuses on
literary criticism. To him, “Literary criticism is concerned with more than
literature. It is likely to be drawn from a perception of – what must be
preoccupation with – the problems of social equity and order and social
health” (1940:1). Undoubtedly, American Dream is the everlasting
movement influencing American civilization, social order and social
health; it is quite natural to trace the reflection of American Dream as a
story of success as one of the predominant features of American literature.
Throughout the history, American Dream of success has had
extremely important influence on the values of ordinary Americans. It can
be observed that major quantity of American literature produced and read
by Americans is imparted to ‘bitch Goddess’ of success, the American
Dream which inspired and instilled an urge for material success and
prosperity. Every sort of literary genre was devoted to American Dream,
singing the story of success and its irreplaceable position in American way
of life. Success manuals, magazines, success stories, rags to riches
biographies and autobiographies, Algeresque novels and sermons on the
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
24
gospel of success have been among the most widely read forms of
literature. The values and the principles cherished in these literary forms,
nourish glory of traditional myth of success.
During the progressive era, (before the Great Depression)
particularly, in twenties, it was formula of literature that the fictional hero
must achieve material success before he can win the love of his dream girl.
As in twenties, idea of success, resulted through perfect coordination between principles and performance, was at its highest
prosperity. Fitzgerald remarks “America was going on the grandest,
gaudiest spree in history” (Hearn 92). It was true that, worship of success
and prosperity made America as prosperous Utopia, where the
opportunities for self-made man were limitless. The literary practitioners of
myth of success are quite careful, perceptive and imaginative observers of
the social and human reality reflected in American way of life. While
referring the literary specimen of the age, it seems that the primary purpose
was to focus on American Dream as cultural phenomenon. The literary
figures of America and the critics as well focused on American Dream as
an inevitable aspect of American society. So far, the study of literary works
contains the social approach towards the myth of success treating as social
and cultural phenomenon. Mere content interpretation was not the ultimate
objective of the critics of American literature but along with content
interpretation, the role of the myth of success is explored and analyzed by
many of the writers.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
25
As the firm trust in religion and its association with the material
success was the general conviction of Americans through religious
writings, it can be witnessed that interrelation between individual
acquisitiveness and the public good has been the traditionally dominant
doctrine of gospel. The self-success of self-made man and his religious
obligation towards the service of society is the safer way marching towards
the salvation.
Bruce Barton, in his best seller, The Man Nobody Knows, attempts
to magnify Christ’s appeal by describing him as successful business
executive. He uses the magic language of myth of success which
transforms Jesus as the inspirer character. The heading of the chapters, the
social man, the outdoor man, his advertisement, the founder of modern
business etc. depict the portrayal of Christ as the divine inspiration of
success. He equates Lord Christ with a successful businessman.
Barton frequently uses the Emersonian concept that there is in
everybody dwells the divine power. This potential divine power must be
practically performed by ambitious men to attain the material success. The
motto of Christ as business advisor, Barton imagines, must be “Never
explain, never retract, never apologize, get it done and let them howl !”
(Hearn 28).
The character-ethic as well as the work-ethic both are equally
developed and emphasized by Barton in his philosophy. Better character is
advocated through very portrayal of Lord Christ and the religious
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
26
conviction and dedication towards the work-ethic is appealed to the chosen
people believing in ‘personal’ as well as ‘general’ callings.
Barton, in his philosophy of success uses the concept of David
Riseman’s ‘inner-directed man,’ who received inspiration from within
himself- the true potential, one carries and further inspires him to attempt
the success. In his final chapter of The Man Nobody knows, he glorifies the
protestant ethic that the business is the religion. To him there is no
difference between business activities undertaken and religious services.
To be, wholeheartedly indulge in business activities is not selfishness
rather it is a will of God, sacred task and part of humble worship. It is the
work of almighty God which He cannot complete without the help of men.
The puritan ideal of work-ethic is reaffirmed in many of the literary
works with the common morale that lasting success can come only if one
practices conventional virtues, industriousness, aggressiveness and
ambition. The puritan ideal, persistently elaborated through religious
literature, instills the idea that hard work and success are the virtues.
Success and successful man is at the very center of the religious as
well as the historical novels.
Russell Janney’s novel, The Miracle of Bells (1946), Lloyd
C. Douglas’, The Hero of the Robe (1942) and The Big Fisherman (1948)
deal with religious conviction and its association with success, depicting
successful businessman is the great benefactor of mankind as well as
the religion.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
27
Captain John Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Russell Conwell, Andrew
Carnegie, Horatio Alger, Roger Bobson and Bruce Barton are some of the
eminent writers who professed orthodox gospel of success in their literary
creations.
The historical novels like, Captain from Castle by Samuel
Shellabarger and The Black Rose by Thomas Costain exemplify the theme
of importance of quest of success in life, the success which can be attained
by adventurous deeds. Whereas, Ardia Locke Langley’s work, A Lion is in
the Streets and Irving Stone’s Immortal Life portray the adventure seeking
high achievement. Morton Robinson’s The Cardinal and Morton and
Thompson’s Not as a Stranger are the historical chronicles concentrate on
self discipline and dedication to lead to accomplishment.
In a renowned historical novel The Money Man (1947) of Thomas
Costain, the protagonist, Jacques Coeur is an absolute entrepreneur, he
wants to extend his business because he believes in the expansion of
commerce and trade can only uplift the standard of living and the better
standard of living is only way to world peace. If the material needs are
satisfied, the hunger is fulfilled; half of the reasons of the wars and disputes
can be settled. Most of the historical novels, predominantly deal with
idealization of entrepreneurial dream of fabulous success which captures
the attention of American people and enroots the thirst for success
among them.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
28
In the realistic novels the success and isolation have complex
relationship but in the way of success and material attainment, an isolation
of the dream seeker is supposed as quite natural and as one of the
fundamental components of success.
Generally, the portrayals of the heroes depicted, if not shown
completely isolated at least, we can see them having weaker emotional ties
with others, in comparison with their commitment and dedication towards
their task producing material prosperity. At the end, always, the careerdominated isolated individuals are consoled by the reward of success and
when one is successful, he is successful by all means. The magnet of his
success makes people to gather around him to honor and appreciate. If they
are not willingly coming to him, using his monetary power he compels
them to come by him. So, individual isolation in the process of upward
mobility can neither be a sacrifice nor a compromise.
The social structure, in which the heroes and even conflict-ridden
women live to strive hard for the achievement is the general backdrop at
success literature. Where the success aspirers are at the center of the focus
ready to live and die for the dreams. In nineteenth century writers like,
Fenimore Cooper, Hawthorne and Mark Twain visualized harmonious
relationship in the society, along with the glorification of the harmony they
have boldly criticized the inadequacies of the fractured social structure.
Mark Twain’s, The Huckleberry Finn is much idealized world, the dreams
and actions are enough to inspire and cherish the social panorama.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
29
But in the following century, as the American society was struggling
to sustain through different kinds of confrontations and challenges of the
harsh realities of the time. The society fragmented and alienated,
competitive and individualistic, is the world of Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis,
Upton Sinclair and Fitzgerald to focus on the disillusions and degeneration
of the dream. Naturally, their respective novels like Sister Carrie,
An American Tragedy and The Great Gatsby comment on the success
theme and its tragic consequences. So to say, the American fiction and
other literary genres closely concentrate on social questions and boldly
tackle the realities of the age, interfering the attainment of success rather
the realities making the creative writers to redefine the concept of
American Dream proving disillusion to many optimistic souls.
In the history of American literature for considerable long time,
there was no space for drama and theatre. The novelist and poets were
winning the fame by making their literary creation public but the drama
was not getting enough exposer, nourish and the response.
After the Civil War, the plays of Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekov and
August Strindberg brought startling revelation for American playwrights.
Ibsen used drama as the effective tool to expose social changes and social
oddities. Many enthusiastic playwrights realized the significance of drama
to raise the voice against social questions. The impact of Ibsenian influence
proved as stimulus for many early playwrights. Among them Clyde
Fitch (Beau Brummet), Bonson Howard (Baron Rudolph the Heurietta),
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
30
Edward Sheldon (The Nigger), William Moody (The Faith Healer,
The Great Divide) attempted writing plays dealing with problems of social
evils such as corruption, racial discrimination, hypocrisy, etc.
James A. Herne, in his play, Mary Fleming, dealt with the problems
faced by prostitute heroine in a realistic manner. His honest treatment to
the problem made critics to honor him as ‘the outstanding realistic
playwright before O΄Neil.’
His sympathy for downtrodden and ignored people class of society
made him to bring them at center of focus in his plays.
In a real sense American drama and theatre started to flourish with
an emergence of O΄Neil on the horizon of American literature. This
realistic approach made him to portray the suffering, man’s search for
identity and his consistent struggle for self-realization and self fulfillment.
Inconsistent nature of the values to O΄Neil, is dual faced which brings an
anguish and tragic tension in the life. To him, human action is always
emerged from the earnest eager for self-recognition and self-identity. The
conflict between reality and dream or illusion is the dominant subject of his
plays. Unlike other American dramatists like Odets, Miller, Tennessee
William, Albee who interpret human effort undertaken in order to fulfill
the wills and aspiration based on false values bring inescapable sorrows in
the life. But to O΄Neil conception of fate is dominant aspect which brings
the happiness or anxiety in the life.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
31
Particularly, in twenties and post-depression period the theme of
success and struggle for fulfillment of American Dream occupied major
space in the development of drama. Earnest interest of Americans in day
today concrete problems always demanded and supported the plays written
as the theme of the success. Secrge Kelley’s The Show Off, Odets’ Awake
and Sing and Golden boy, Miller’s Death of Salesman, Albee’s Who Is
Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Tennessee William’s The Glass Menagerie and
A Street Car Named Desire, Elmer Rice’s The Adding Machine, Israel
Horowitz’s Stage Directions and The Farmer One-on-One Basket Ball
champion, David Mamet’s American Buffalo and Glengarry Glenn Ross
are some of the significant examples dealing with the theme of American
Dream giving different interpretations of material success assessed on the
basis of moralistic approach.
Sense of alienation and loveliness are other dominant features of the
drama closely associated with and resulted through American Dream can
be traced as the recurring themes in plays written by many of
the playwrights.
Broadly speaking, American quest for fulfillment of success, the
illusion, the dream and delusion were the prominent features of the
American drama. The dreams cherished and experimented by American
dreamers before the great depression proved almost futile and ‘pipe’
dreams made them feel more helpless, pessimistic and insecure. After
warm reception of O΄Neil’s The Iceman Cometh (1946), in an interview, he
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
32
rightly predicts the possibilities of happiness in future are utterly bleak. He
expresses his anxiety and pessimism about the success of American
experiments :
I am going on the theory that the United States, instead of
being the most successful country in the world, it the greatest
failure…. It is greatest failure because it was given
everything, more than any other country. Through moving as
rapidly as it has, it hasn’t acquired any real roots. Its main
idea is that everlasting game of trying to possess your own
soul by the possession of something outside of it; thereby
losing your own soul and thing outside of it, too (Hearn 96).
As for many American dreamers mobility is one of the vital tools of
success, O΄Neil counts it as an adversity. He holds mobility as the
responsible factor for the failure which does not allow dreamers to enroot
themselves. It causes the selfishness and materialistic betrayal. The
excessive selfish nature of dream and intense quest for material profit at the
cost of spiritual gain and own self, underlines the futility of the dream.
To him, truth, reality and the success are the elements of illusion of
protective sanctuary. It is an individual ambiguous nature of truth and
reality and even human life is beyond any dream. If life itself is like a
dream and faith in the meaning of the life is merely an illusion, then that
other dream – the American Dream of success and fulfilment – can have no
meaning. Life can be endured by the aid of pipe dreams and liquor but
beyond these there is nothing else but death. As one critic summarizes
O΄Neil’s philosophy is, dreams, drunkenness and death are the ends
of life.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
33
Similarly, The Time of your Life (1939) William Saroyan’s play
dramatizes dreams as the blessing and can be believed more than statistics
because dreams corrects the errors of the world but finally he suggests that
“believing in American Dream of success is foolish and destructive” which
entraps the human life in overwork, dullness, monotony which man to lose
his real identity.
Sense of alienation and dire frustration is an output of delusion and
broken dreams. The dreams and quest for fulfillment, once in progressive
era was the driving force which further in the period of depression and
post-depression era proved token of failure and frustration. A kind of
hollowness and spiritual poverty was the bitter fruits generated by
American Dream created illusion and self-deception.
Most of representative playwrights of the thirties and post
depression era viewed and depicted American Dream as junk heap of
delusions and bitter fantasies.
1.5
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE DEGENERATION
OF DREAM
Charles and Mary Beard, in their book, America in Midpassage,
record ten years journey of America, during 1930 to 1940, as American
voyage from ‘summer solstice of normalcy and prosperity to desert land
of forlorn’.
It was the decade of the Depression wherein American valley of
democracy turned into the valley of shadow of death. For millions of
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
34
Americans, the age was nightmare of dream degeneration. The land of
promises suddenly changed into broken promises and shattered aspirations.
In the midway of this our mortal life
I found me in gloomy wood, astray
Gone from the path direct: and e’en to tell
It were no easy task, how savage wild
That forest, how robust and rough its growth,
Which to remember only, my dismay
Renews in bitterness, not far from death (Rifkin 34).
The lines from America in Midpassage, depict photographically, the
picture of America as gloomy woods and the state of dark confusion,
wherein the miseries are resulted into the ‘bitterness not far from death.
In fact, it was the decade of the big ‘D’s. Many analyzers of the
history and researchers have used many words to describe the Depression
decade begin with ‘D’ – depression, disaster, distress, disillusion, despair,
dislocation, dole etc. Self-made man of America who believed in long leap
from rags-to-riches, by achieving prosperity and fulfilling the dream of
success, shocked by this abrupt shifting to devastating economic downfall.
Neither their work-ethic, nor character-ethic, nor even their religious
conviction could survive ‘promised land’ from downfall.
The prosperity of America, till twenties, came to an abrupt break in
October 1929. On Oct. 24th 1929, (later known as, ‘Black Thursday’), the
stock market suddenly flattered. The Wall Street made investors to sell
their securities. The farmers lost their lands mortgaged, the businessmen
went bankrupt. For the material-minded Americans this economic blow
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
35
was quite sensational. It was the most devastating incident that the nation
ever suffered from. The result of this blow dominated every aspect of
American life. Desperate economical conditions challenged the traditional
myth of success as it had never been challenged.
With stock market
crash and collapse of business and banks, diversification of the picture of
rags-to- riches was apparent as riches-to-rags. In fact, the results seemed to
destroy the faith in work-ethic and its association with material attainment.
The consequences of the Depression seemed to reject their assumption that
enthusiastic and studious young Americans had about success.
Certainly, the Depression shows significant disillusionment of many
of the ideals associated with the dream of success. Demoralizing
discrepancy between expectations and fulfillment rose doubt among
thousands of Americans about their religious convictions. The bitter
realities of the age of the Depression made Americans questioning,
rethinking, or rejecting the values they cherished for centuries. The grim
realities of the Depression touched personally to large number of people
belonging to all the classes. The unemployment rose to high range.
Now, the problem for Americans was, somehow, to survive
themselves from starvation and to provide jobs to their quiet hands. It was
all, but natural for them to be doubtful about their being, ‘chosen people’
of ‘promised land’. The farmers lost their lands mortgaged, the
businessmen went bankrupt, and the investors lost their savings.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
36
The Great Depression widened gap between the rich and middle
class and most affected poor too. The stagnant income and falling wages
affected abilities to cope with financial emergencies of middle class and
poor sector of the society. It was also observed by the economists that the
financial gap was increased between the whites and ignored marginal such
as blacks, Jews and up to certain extent women, too. It generated bitterness
among the blacks and affected the social structure where already the
minorities were marginalized. The economic downfall pushed majority of
the population to persistent poverty. The Great Depression was mental,
psychological and above all economical blow for the generations lived in a
period of adverse transition; from prosperity to Depression. It was difficult
for many American Dream seekers to accept the bleak realities which they
never have dreamt and predicted.
In his book, America Past and Present, Robert A. Devine, a fellow
of University of Texas, observes the effect of the Great Depression as :
It is difficult to measure the human cost of the Depression.
The material hardships were bad enough. Men and women
lived in lean-tos made up of scrap wood and metal, the
families went without meat and fresh vegetables for months,
existing on a diet of soup and beans. The psychological
burden was even greater. Americans suffered through year
after year of grinding poverty with not let up in sight. The
unemployed stood in line for hours waiting for a relief check,
veterans sold apples or pencils on street corners, their
manhood – once prized so highly by the nation-now in
question. People left the city for the countryside but they
found no salvation on farm, crops rotted in fields
because prices were too low to make harvesting
worthwhile (1984:24).
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
37
Thus, the Great Depression affected badly every aspect of American
life. The economic blow caused difficulties to socio-political run of
America. Demoralized Americans were looking forward with anticipation
towards the government. Naturally, The Great Depression presented
enormous challenges for American leadership. Inability of Republicans
availed of opportunity for Democrats to regain the power.
Herbert Hoover, then president of America, was the prominent
political victim of the Great Depression. To meet challenges of the
Depression, his nationwide appeal of voluntary co-operation failed to
regain the trust among the desperate Americans. His call for charities could
not do much for suffering citizens.
Franklin Roosevelt took an advantage of the opportunity affected by
the Depression. On March 4th, 1933 took the oath of an office when
economy of the nation was on the bank of total collapse.
As the philosophy of Franklin instilled value of character-ethic
among dream seeker Americans; the words of Roosevelt proved the ray of
hope to tackle against the Depression. His words; “First of all, let me assert
my firm belief that the only things we have to fear is fear itself –nameless,
unreasoning, unjustified terror.” The words of Roosevelt generated moral
courage among Americans. Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal Policy’ proved far
more successful in meeting the most immediate problems posed by the
Depression. Within hundred days (from March 9 to June 16, 1933) New
Deal programme aimed at industrial and agricultural recovery proved
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
38
amazing relief from historic economic sliding of the Depression. New deal
programme broadly influenced quality of life and reached into areas
hitherto untouched and reached to an apex in 1936. Consequently,
Americans showed their overwhelming confidence in him and his policies.
Of course, emergence of Roosevelt on the horizon of American
leadership consoled American Dream seekers. Apart from this, the
Depression era made Americans to introspect and reassess their faith in
American Dream. American Dream of success when collided with grim
realities of economic crisis their attitude towards the dream became
endlessly complex, confusing and contradictory. It was an era of
uncertainty and ambivalence. The cynicism and idealism clashed
one another.
Altogether, it was the age of reaffirmation of old faiths and search
for new ones. In fact America was entrapped between glorious past and
doubtful future as the consequences of bleak present of the Depression.
The idea of American Dream of success almost tended to American
Disillusion.
1.6
PLACE OF BLACKS, JEWS AND WOMEN IN AMERICAN
DREAM
In American presidential election, the historic victory of Barack
Obama, a dark skinned man, though glorified American liberalism and
equality, the history of America is marked with cry and protest against the
slavery and racial discrimination. Though the win of Obama celebrated as a
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
39
promising victory of a black as the fulfilment of American Dream and the
way towards the hope and change; the history records awfully inferior
treatment to marginalized blacks.
American Dream, promising better life and equal opportunities
and the way towards prosperity was deliberately denied to Negros.
Carl T. Rowan, a reputed journalist and author, in his essay The Negro’s
Place in American Dream, registers his observation as:
There were five million Negros in the United States and
eighty percent of them could read or write. Many states had
laws forbidding the education of Negros. The advocates of
slavery and white supremacy believed, correctly, that to keep
a man in bondage you must denied him the liberating force of
knowledge (1975:19).
America, the land of opportunity and equal rights, for considerable
long time denied civil rights to Negros. They were deprived of economic,
social as well as political power. Even after the civil war, Negros were free
on paper but they were still slaves and had not been permitted general
requisites for survival in competitive society. There were separate schools
and hotels for Negros. The conception of white superiority was advocated
and sustained by the progressives as the most conservative element of
the society.
So, it is quite natural for every Negro to adopt the yardstick to
identify his place in American society, asking the question. ‘Do I enjoy
freedom, opportunity and abundance to the same degree as other
Americans?’ And the answer is quite frustrating.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
40
Of course, this frustration and protest made their fight more fierce
which stirred American society. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was the
organization developed by the conservatives to keep the Negros ‘in their
place’. Even though the blacks were offered the rights, the Ku Klux Klan
threatened them to practise the rights. These conservatives demonstrated
their hatred against blacks, aliens, Jews and Catholics. Their violent
activities made life of blacks more bleak and miserable.
Alongwith Negros collective protest the Harlem Renaissance
consoled status of Negros but altogether American Dream for Negros was
the dire disillusion and nightmare. Forcibly they were kept aside of the
progressive path of American Dream. They were thrown by the bank of
main stream, marching towards the success.
In all adversities and difficulties, American Negros were first to be
squeezed in the hands of cruel discriminatory policies. The racial
discrimination and inadequate education made blacks to suffer a lot.
Naturally, fierce frustration among Negro youth burst out into the struggle
for ‘freedom now’ or ‘black power.’ The bitterness and despair among
Negros was the striking force for them, leading their movement to achieve
the place in the main stream. It was, in fact, the fight for existence and
identity. The hope and determination of Negros enabled them to sustain
consistency and conformity in their fight.
Throughout the prosperous era, generally, every American was
charged with the notion of fulfilment of success and to materialize
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
41
American Dream whereas in the post Depression period, they were all busy
with reshaping and sustaining the success. But it is quite contradictory to
observe that the marginalized Negros had to fight for their fundamental
rights and their social identity.
As the white institutions failed to fulfill the promises, the black
leadership thought of their own institutions to uplift their conditions. Their
self-help institutions functioned to survive better and console their
miserable state. Through these institutions they fulfiled their desire to get
education and freedom of religion. Black schools, like churches became
community centers. They published newspapers, provided training in trade
and farming and promoted political participation. These tasks undertaken
by the black self-help institutions set a certain platform to blacks to rise
from the oppressed and the ignored state.
The activists of anti-Negro movements targeted such self-help
institutions. In the year 1869, in the city of Tennessee alone, 37 black
schools were burnt to the ground. Yet, the consistent cry and protest
provided energy to blacks to survive and struggle.
Keeping the blacks aside, on the one hand, America was working to
fulfil the unique movement of American Dream whereas the Negros were
struggling for existence. It was their parallel movement marching slowly
but confidently towards their objectives. It was the dawn of twenty first
century, with the historic victory of Obama, ‘the black power’ enjoyed the
fruits of their long-tested hope.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
42
Like Negros in America, immigrant Jews, too, are marginalized and
ignored souls who realized most severely the American Dream as mere
disillusion. By the end of the twentieth century, Jews in America were
well-established and strongly protesting class. Harry Roskolenko, a Jewish
writer, speaks for many immigrant families that ‘the Jewish life at the
beginning of the twentieth century has been a span of horrendous days. The
Jews who came to America from old country with golden dreams soon
realized that they have so much to suffer to make a decent living’.
Oscar Handlin rightly registers his observation in sociological study,
entitled The Uprooted that “the immigrant life is burdened with a sense of
alienation and miserable consequences” (1990:42). Unlike Negros, the
consequences of the general social treatment and their ignored states never
made them pessimistic. But it was true that there was certain gulf between
American Dream and social realities. It was the problem with the Jews to
accommodate the past with the present. The present, making them to dream
for the decent life; and the past making them to recall the harsh social
realities. The conflict led them to wander between the extremes of
past and present. Consequently, it raised an issue of belonging and
individual identity.
In
America there
were six million
Jews
comprising of
approximately 2.3% of American population, with the heaviest
concentration in major urban centers, notably, New York, Los Angeles,
California, Chicago and Boston. Initially, most of the Jews migrated to
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
43
America from Spain, Portugal and Netherlands as the refuges from Spanish
Inquisition. In the decade of 1850, fifty thousand immigrants came to
America. Major bulk of Jewish immigrants came from Russia, during 1880
to 1924, to escape from discrimination and to build a better life.
Generally, the hatred of Americans for Jews was basically based on
religious indifferences. During the penultimate years of the nineteenth
century, the Jews faced discrimination ranging from street-violence to open
condemnation through news papers and other media. In fact, it was
systematic and deliberately organized scheme against them. The media
openly appealed to non-Jew Americans to exclude Jews from education
and employment opportunities.
As we have already traced that the education and employment
opportunities were the handy equipments to attain the material prosperity
and fulfil the American Dream. An exclusion from education and job
opportunities for Jews, was in fact, absolute denial of the platform where
they can stand by with the hope of prosperity.
Anti-Jewish or anti-foreigners movements of Nativists targeted Jews
violently and ruthlessly. These movements prohibited Jews from joining
social clubs, visiting resorts and hotels and even living in certain
neighborhood.
Even though after 1960, there was significant reduction in
discriminatory policies with the response to civil rights movements and
implementation of anti-discrimination laws by US government, in the
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
44
concluding decades of twentieth century, there can be seen some severe
incidents took place of violence against marginalized minorities. On April
19 th 1995, in the city of Oklahoma a serious violent act executed against
Jew community by the Hate Group. In an incident 168 Jews were killed
and 500 were injured. This was an act of sheer Semitism, a religious
prejudice against Jews.
Like Klans, ‘White Aryan Residence (WAR), an anti-Jewish group
aimed its hatred against Jews, blacks and other minorities, mainly because
of religious prejudice, declaring, ‘the religion that teaches Jews is offspring
of Satan, blacks are subhuman and America is new ‘promised land’ that
belongs exclusively to whites’.
Like blacks, Roman Catholics and Jews were harshly victimized by
the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activities of defamation and persecution. In the
period of the economic dislocation and socio-political unrest, particularly
after World War I, the activities of the Klan movement expanded into the
urban areas where Jew population density was thicker. As the alien
outsiders, the Jews suffered lot in the hands of Klan activists. Consistently
repeated violent acts of Klans and Hate Groups created the atmosphere of
threat and insecurity among the marginalized Jews.
America, the land of promises and assurance was though ‘dream
land’ for Jews but never proved a ‘safe land’. ‘The way of wealth’ for Jews
was more critical to march on. At the same time, they had to fight on many
fronts. They had to make natives feel that like them they too are the
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
45
children of America. Apart from all the adversities they had to work hard
to attain and sustain the American Dream.
The wide spread Semitism always kept Jews to struggle for their
survival. The struggle against the Semitism subdued their objective of
attainment of success.
The migrant Jews who came with the golden
dreams in their eyes suffered lot by the discriminatory powers. The feeling
of insecurity, inaudibility, invisibility and facelessness were the true
problems for the Jews. In fact their alien status kept them struggling for the
fulfillment of their objectives and made them to search their identity in the
course of American Dream and its realization.
Despite many oddities, their view and efforts towards fulfilment
were quite positive and optimistic but unfortunately it was ever ignored by
the natives. So the dream appears for many of the Jews, a disillusion and
degeneration of their hopes.
In American literature, specifically in American drama association
of American Dream and Jews is diversely presented. Mary Antin, a Jewish
American writer celebrates the American Dream in her work The Promised
Land (1917), as Abrahm Cahan in his work The Rise of David Levensky
(1917) appreciates the brighter side of the dream. Unlike them, the
playwrights like Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller, Israel Horowitz and David
Mamet record the ambivalent impression of American Dream.
In colonial America, as elsewhere in the world, civil law did not
recognize the equality of men and women. The perception of inequality is
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
46
based on the belief that women lack the capacity to reason as sound as man
can. This very reason excluded women from socio-political equality.
In the course of the time, suffragists worked to provide respectable
status to women. The consequences of the changing condition of
nineteenth century life altered the status of women. Hitherto, the women
were even considered as inferior and subordinate to male which denied
them access to the way of progress. In the 1970s and 1980s, women,
blacks and other minorities continued there struggle for the treatment of
equality and common opportunities. But the gender biased orthodox male
mentality was of the view that enough is done for them. This perception
slowed the pace and share of contribution of women to economic sector.
Yet, later on the affirmative reactions made jobs for women more
accessible. In fact, it was the result of shifting of rural or agrarian culture
to urban culture. The vital social and economic institutions began to
breakdown under the impact of economical and social change. Though, in
the beginning, most women workers got the low paying jobs and the fields
ranging from stenographers to maids, they had to work in the stereotyped
fields as teaching and nursing.
As men were principal bread winners, women were to cook, clean
and rear the children. Even though the opportunities availed in the
traditional and stereotyped fields, it was a kind of consolation to their
prolonged secondary status.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
47
The time and the space for the activities outside the home filled an
air of confidence, self-reliance and above all individual identity among
women. The feminist movement and the movement for women
emancipation played vital role in generating an awareness about equality
and opportunity for women. They did not merely demanded the
amendment of equal right but also the legal protection guaranteeing them at
least minimum wage and limiting the maximum length of work day.
The fierce and rebellious move of women further concentrated on
individual self expression along with their consistent crusading for social
progress. Their revolutionary perception of self-appearance, fashion, sex,
marriage, etc. stirred the conventional restraints. It was ‘new woman’
striving hard for her social, economical and political status by introspecting
and assessing her role in success mania.
As June Sochen, an American historian, describes “boys continued
play with guns and grew up the head their families, girls played with dolls
and looked forward to careers as wives and mothers” (Harrison 1). This
was the general scenario and status of women where marriage was the
ultimately approved destination for them.
The feminist and the emancipation movements, with an affirmative
and sympathetic view of progressives altered the lot of women and made
space for them in the way of prosperity and dignity. Along with American
feminists the reformists like, Franklin, Benjamin Rush, Thomas Paine and
many others supported the women cause.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
48
In American literature, it is quite obvious to witness the reflection of
conflict between male domination and ignored status of women. The
literature focuses on the themes ranging from the marginalized state of
women and absolute rejection to them to the main stream to the fierce and
rebellious struggle of women for the attainment of dignity and self-identity.
Willa Cather, Ellen Glassglow, Zona Gale are some eminent women
writers who gave voice to the cry, protest and conflict of women in their
literary creations.
1.7
DECLINE OF AMERICAN DREAM AND EMERGENCE OF
EUROPEAN DREAM
For almost two centuries, Americans have been living the American
Dream. The features of American Dream have been inviting the attention
of many American Dream seekers and outsiders as well. America, the
melting pot, creating the equal opportunities of prosperity and success.
Winthrop’s
Salvation,
Mather’s
callings
Franklin’s
self
improvement and practical guidance, Emersonian self-made man, certainly
assured dream seekers the value of prosperity and success. Its unique
nature of religious as well as utilitarian fulfilment proved a strong driving
force. The American Dream remained so durable because it assured both –
happiness in this world and the salvation in the next.
Jeremy Rifkin noted social thinker of America, registers his
observation in a book entitled The European Dream :
… to some extent, it is the American Dream itself that has led
us to our present sense of malaise. Its central tenets are less
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
49
applicable in a globally connected world, … just as important
is the fact that American Dream has been truncated
(Rifkin 192).
To him American Dream is languishing, but new European Dream is
beginning to capture the attention and imagination of the world. European
Union (EU) of twenty five states are joined together to frame European
Dream which is universally applicable and appealing.
European Dream is mirror opposite of the American Dream. In both
these dreams, ‘to be free and secure is the common vital idea’. But in
American Dream, ‘to be free and secure has a negative implication;
negative in the sense that the freedom is related to the autonomy and to be
an autonomous one needs to be financially sound. To Americans material
prosperity provides absolute independence. But this idea of freedom in
today’s global context provides an autonomy makes one to be self centered
and the resident of the world encompassed by definite orbit, cut off from
the world around. Whereas the European Dream believes in existing in
embeddedness. To be free for European Dream seekers, is to have free
access and free interdependent relationship. It enlarges the idea and canvas
of the success which imparts competitive and comparative analysis and
assessment of the success. All inclusive nature of European Dream assures
absolute security.
European Dream has been attracting success seekers as it promises
better quality of life, interrelationship and the consistent development
alongwith material attainment. Though, in the post Depression era
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
50
fractured money minded society bothered little about the religious and
spiritual conviction of American Dream. Basically at the primary stage of
American Dream it was the special calling of the almighty God and the
sacred way to the salvation. The character ethic and work ethic had, of
course, certain religious foundation.
It is the peculiarity of the European Dream that it allows one’s own
cultural ties and advocates multicultural global society. In fact, it is a
special melting pot where even after entire assimilation individual colours
are preserved.
The global and liberal nature of European Dream of multicultural
society goes beyond the limits of nationality and patriotism, to frame the
cosmopolitan culture. It is first transnational dream to emerge in global era.
It does not mean that the union of European nations have little national
pride, true to say, their identities and loyalties are now becoming cross
border and enriching higher sense of embeddedness in the world.
Many social critics argue that failure of American Dream from lofty
peak has been generating the great frustration enlarging the space of mental
asylums is mainly because American Dream is sheer disillusion and it is
the fruitless game of day dreaming. It makes people to engage their ability
merely in day dreaming than actual practical hard work.
Rifkin argues that we have become a people who have grown fat,
lazy and sedentary, who spend much of our time wishing for success but
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
51
are unwilling to ‘pay our dues’ and certain personal commitment required
to materialize the dreams and desires.
It is also observed that American Dream losing its grace because
they over empower their kids and instill the sense of ego that as they are
Americans, they are ‘chosen’ and what they do, they do the best rather that
is the only best in the world. This sense of superiority affects the quality of
the performance and lowers the standard of the work. So, the quest for
success and better performance, the significant feature of American Dream,
is subdued.
Workaholic American Dream seekers believe in ‘live to work’
whereas European Dream advocates ‘work to live’. The over work results
into the physical, psychological and above all social illhealth. An
increasing number of mental asylums, counseling centers are the indicative
results of over work tension of American Dream. European Dream prefers
the safer secure and easy life. It supports the shared responsibilities on the
other hand American Dream is all about rugged individualism. It is an
individual journey towards material attainment.
As once, America was the ‘city upon a hill’, Europe has become
now new ‘city upon the hill’, inviting attention of the minds of the progress
seekers. The world is looking forward to this grand new experiment in
transnational governance, hoping it might provide some much needed
guidance when the humanity is heading towards the globalizing world.
European Dream with its emphasis on inclusivity and diversity, quality of
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
52
life, sustainability and deep play, universal human rights and rights of
nature and the peace increasingly attractive to a generation anxious to be
globally connected and at the same time, locally embedded.
1.8
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
I)
The proposed research work ‘The American Dream in the American
Drama : With Special Reference to the Selected Plays of Arthur Miller,
Clifford Odets and David Mamet’ attempts to make a comprehensive study
of the dramatic works of Arthur Miller, Clifford Odets and David Mamet.
In regard to the American Dream it is to be noted that in the aforesaid
playwrights the theme of American Dream emerges as the central part of
the plays. Hence the researcher would like to examine the selected plays
and bring light to American Dream, the major concern of these
playwrights. The researcher intends to examine the detail history of the
development of American Dream, keeping in mind the following
objectives :
a)
to trace the American Dream as one of the important movements of
American literature.
b)
to trace the effects of the American Dream on the American society.
c)
to pinpoint the role of American Dream in American society.
d)
to assess and evaluate the constructive and destructive part of the
American Dream.
e)
to point out the reasons for the decline of the American Dream and
how it paves the way for the European Dream.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
53
II)
Material and Methodology :
The researcher intends to study through the analysis and assessment
of Arthur Miller, Clifford Odets and David Mamets’ contribution to
American Drama, particularly focusing on the underlying theme, the
American Dream. The primary sources are included in select bibliography.
The researcher proposes to study the select play of Miller, Odets and
Mamet, using the methodology of Analysis, Comparison and Assessment.
The plays of these authors will be discussed taking into consideration the
other plays of the contemporary writers. The researcher intends to visit :
i)
Barr. Balasaheb Khardekar Library, Kolhapur.
ii)
Barr. Jaykar Library, Pune.
iii)
Dhvanyaloka, Mysore
iv)
OUCIP, Hyderabad.
v)
NIRIEL, Gulbarga.
vi)
American Library, Mumbai.
vii)
National Library, Alipur, Calcutta.
viii)
The Advanced and Research Centre, Simla.
In addition to visiting these various libraries, the researcher wishes
to include tertiary sources.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
54
WORKS CITED
Leo, Lemay. ed, An Early American Reader. Washington, D.C.: United
States Information Agency, 1988.
Lee, Irwin. The Dream Seekers. London : University of Oklahoma Press,
1994.
Warner,
Stanley.
ed,
The
American
Dream
in
Literature.
New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1985.
Roemer, Kenneth. ed, America a Utopia. Arlington : Burt Franklin and
Company, 1979.
Rifkin, Jeremy. The European Dream. New York : Penguin Group (USA)
Inc., 2004.
Huber, Richard. The American Idea of Success. New York : McGraw –
Hill Book Company, 1971.
Warner, Stanley. ed, The American Dream in Literature. New York:
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1980.
Hearn, Charles. The American Dream in the Great Depression,
Connecticut: Greenwood Press Inc., 1977.
Luccock, Halford. American Mirror. New York : The MacMillan
Company, 1940.
Divine, Robert. America – Past and Present. New Jersey : Scott, Foresman
and Company, 1984.
Harrison, Derek J. The American Dream: Vision and Reality. Sanfrancisco:
Canfield Press, 1975.
Venkateswarlu,
D.
Humanism
and
Jewish
American
Drama.
New Delhi : Prestige Books, 1990.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com