1. Many of the authors we have covered these past weeks discuss the “American Dream” as a central element of their work. Choose two authors, and explain how you think the “American Dream” is portrayed in their works. How do the authors convey these images or interpretations to the audience?
William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” is a very unconventional display of the ‘American Dream’. Rather than focusing on the good in living in America, Faulkner’s story, “Barn Burning” is a work that focuses on all the drawbacks of one man’s jealousy of others and his inability to achieve his “American Dream”. Abner Snopes spends his time pinning over others possessions and success to the point he becomes so irate that he can no longer stand their good fortunes
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Poe has written Montresor as a sad and lonely man who has few friends, and lives with no-one but his servants, whereas Fortunato is married that we know, and very joyous and giddy during the time of Carnival. This obvious personality contrast is made evident from the very beginning of the story and then again emphasized in the clothing of the two men. Poe does this to get readers to relate to Fortunato, thus evoking even more emotion when a beloved character is murdered in cold blood over a simple dispute. Tennessee Williams incorporates duality in “A Street-Car Named Desire” into one character, Stanly. Stanly, Stella’s rough and tough husband, has a softer side to his aggressive nature. This duality causes readers to have mixed feelings about him. At first we meet Stanley and he seems to be a loving doting husband. As the story progresses we see him become a more abusive drunk, and then he hits his wife. This causes readers to hate him, however when he begins sobbing screaming “my baby-doll has left me!” our hearts break for him, and readers begin to pity him. Then Blanche treats him as nothing more than an animal and readers feel bad for him, until he rapes her and then readers regain their hatred. This confusing emotional roller-coaster is caused entirely by Tennessee Williams use of
It has been stated that while doing what is right is not always easy, it is in fact doing what is right despite it being difficult that is quite the accomplishment. Justice one finds to be one of the major themes throughout “Barn Burning”. The notion of intuitive justice presents itself as a characteristic explored throughout William Faulkner’s literary masterpiece “Barn Burning” through the protagonist Colonel Sartoris Snopes, also referred to as Sarty throughout “Barn Burning”. Faulkner presents Sarty and demonstrates his sense of justice through literal actions and dramatic context.
Kamp, Jillson, and Cullen had many commonalities between all of the readings. Firstly, to discuss what each individual considers to be their definition of “The American Dream. Kamp, in his article discusses how the perceived definition of the dream has changed throughout certain time periods. He seemed to believe that the dream was confused with becoming rich and famous. He describes it as a “consumerist nightmare”. His last lines really stick out to me. He says, “Above all, the American Dream should be embraced as the unique sense of possibility that this country gives its citizens. . .” Now, to discuss Jillson’s interpretation. He says that, “All who are willing to strive, learn, to work hard, to save and invest, will have every chance
In the United States there is an idea many pursue called the American dream, which differs from person to person. The American dream according to americanradioworks.publicradio.org is “a revolutionary notion: each person has the right to pursue happiness, and the freedom to strive for a better life through hard work and fair ambition”. Yet it has been said there is no real definition of American dream, instead it merely proves that it has an unconscious influence in American mentality (Ştiuliuc 1). The American dream is different for each person because everyone yearns for things that will they hope will in return make them happy. Whatever that may be, each person goes through different struggles to obtain what they want. According to Frederic Carpenter, the American dream “has never been defined exactly, and probably never can be. It is both too various and too vague” (3). The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse depicts the different interpretations on what the American dream actually is through the opinions and actions of Hector Esperanza, Efren Mendoza and Mrs. Calhoun.
Throughout the story “Barn Burning”, author William Faulkner conveys the moral growth and development of a young boy, as he must make a critical decision between either choosing his family and their teachings or his own morals and values. The reader should realize that the story “Barn Burning” was written in the 1930’s, a time of economic, social, and cultural turmoil. Faulkner carries these themes of despair into the story of the Snopes family.
The. Barn Burning. Collected Stories of William Faulkner. New York: The New York Times.
William Faulkner elected to write “Barn Burning” from his young character Sarty’s perspective because his sense of morality and decency would present a more plausible conflict in this story. Abner Snopes inability to feel the level of remorse needed to generate a truly moral predicament in this story, sheds light on Sarty’s efforts to overcome the constant “pull of blood”(277) that forces him to remain loyal to his father. As a result, this reveals the hidden contempt and fear Sarty has developed over the years because of Abner’s behavior. Sarty’s struggle to maintain an understanding of morality while clinging to the fading idolization of a father he fears, sets the tone for a chain of events that results in his liberation from Abner’s destructive defiance-but at a costly price.
Hargreaves, Steve. "The myth of the American Dream." CNNMoney. CNN, 9 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 April, 2014.
The end result of both these novels shows the tragedy that can occur to everyday people, even if they didn’t do anything wrong. The American Dream made the fantasies of the men of the novels strive to attain it, but in the end the dreams of both the men ultimately destroyed them. Both Fitzgerald and Hansberry wrote these books not only for the intention to merely entertain people, but also to entice the reader into a thought, and question how things happen in the world. Both Realist authors embarked a rapid departure from the Romantic Movement, writing a novel that conveys to the reader what truly happens to people, and try to show the true pragmatism of the real world. Both authors write in tangent about the American dream, and both put forth the question of if it actually exists, and concluding from their very cynical novels, it truly does not.
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows American dream as an unreachable goal for the characters. Of Mice and Men is a novel based on two childhood friends, Lennie and George, who travel together in search of work. Lennie, the gentle giant, has a mental disability and an obsession of petting soft objects. One day, while stroking a girl’s hair, Lennie accidently kills her. And eventually by the end of the novel, George is forced to shoot Lennie. Steinbeck shows American Dream as an unreachable goal because of a character’s standing in the society, their dreams to be unreal and their dependency on other characters.
Each character in the novel has their own interpretation of the ‘American Dream – the pursuit of happiness’ as they all lack happiness due to the careless nature of American society during the Jazz Age. The American Dreams seems almost non-existent to those whom haven’t already achieved it.
In William Faulkner’s compelling short story, “Barn Burning”, a young boy named Colonel Sartoris Snopes, or Sarty, faces the difficult conflict between his deep desire for justice and his obliged loyalty to his family–specifically his father, Abner. In using a limited omniscient narrator, Faulkner focuses on the main character of Sarty through his thoughts and firsthand experiences, while also producing a greater amount of necessary information to the reader. Sarty’s thoughts during the four days that transpire in the story discern his sense of morality and contrast it to his father’s actions, while the more enlightened aspect of the narrator provides details about the future of Sarty. Faulkner explores a person’s ability to separate from
The American Dream is still alive and attainable to the American people despite its numerous paradox Steinbeck's claims in “The American Dream”. He went on to say many complaints to argue the Dream but still
In “Barn Burning,” Abner is described as stiff, wolf-like, and without heat because of his coldness and bitterness toward society in which he was part of during the time of the War Between the States. The main character is Abner Snopes who sharecrops to make a living for his family; in his story, Faulkner describes a typical relationship between wealthy people and poor people during that particular time.
From the old days to today, the source of motivation for the American people was always the American Dream. The American Dream is a goal everybody wants to achieve; many people define the dream as owning a home, two cars, and a secure finance. The basic requirement to achieve the American Dream is hard work and also some patience. Today the prerequisites for enjoying the dream are different; unlike in the previous days, a college degree and experience is often a requirement to have a good paying job, but also having the ability to save money is important in achieving the American Dream.
Evensvold, Marty D. "The American Dream: Stories from the Heart of Our Nation." Library Journal Dec. 2001: 200. General OneFile. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.