The American Dream is a interesting subject in today's America, it is difference for every person yet so similar in general concept. The American Dream is generally defined as the idea that you can come to America from anywhere in the World and succeed financially and socially. America is the place of possibility and wonder, all dreams are achievable through hard work in America - if you are not where you want to be you just have to work harder. That is the general idea of the American Dream, it is the same idea that has been around for years.
In the cartoon to the right we have an average looking American family, a few things should be noted about this family though. They resemble the idea of a dowdy blue-collar family, the husband is in a white T with a "beer belly". The wife is in a plain looking dress, and looks somewhat unkempt and dowdy. The little girl though is in what seems to be out of place clothing, she has a belt to a pink dress, and a hair band - she is obviously trying harder than the mom to look her best. Also the little girl is crying as her father tells the woman, who resembles a hotel clerk for The American Dream, that they want to leave the American Dream. Now one has to wonder; In this cartoon is the girl crying over the fees her family has from trying too achieve the American Dream, or is she crying because her family is leaving the American Dream. The little girl is the second most interesting thing in this cartoon, she is the embodiment of her generations American Dream, she is the little girl who is dressed up with makeup, her hair is done, and her fist are even clenched and she is crying. She is a female.
The most interesting part of this cartoon though is the conversation between the hotel clerk and the father. The first thing to notice is that the man has his arm around his wife, she is seen but not heard. The man also has more defined features than his wife, as if the artist intentionally gave him more attention. The man is addressing the hotel clerk about leaving the American Dream, it seems as though he has turned in all of his valuable belongings that are necessary to achieve the social status necessary to have the American Dream. But none of this is free is the realization that the clerk gives to the man, the clerk informs the man that the debt he has accumulated while trying to achieve his American Dream will not simply go away and he can not simply check out of it.
This cartoon sums up the entire American Dream for each role in a family, and the cost of dreaming The American Dream. Once you start working for the dream, achieve it or be stuck where you are forever; because the debt from dreaming makes waking up impossible.
The American Dream
The American Dream is a interesting subject in today's America, it is difference for every person yet so similar in general concept. The American Dream is generally defined as the idea that you can come to America from anywhere in the World and succeed financially and socially. America is the place of possibility and wonder, all dreams are achievable through hard work in Ameri
In the cartoon to the right we have an average looking American family, a few things should be noted about this family though. They resemble the idea of a dowdy blue-collar family, the husband is in a white T with a "beer belly". The wife is in a plain looking dress, and looks somewhat unkempt and dowdy. The little girl though is in what seems to be out of place clothing, she has a belt to a pink dress, and a hair band - she is obviously trying harder than the mom to look her best. Also the little girl is crying as her father tells the woman, who resembles a hotel clerk for The American Dream, that they want to leave the American Dream. Now one has to wonder; In this cartoon is the girl crying over the fees her family has from trying too achieve the American Dream, or is she crying because her family is leaving the American Dream. The little girl is the second most interesting thing in this cartoon, she is the embodiment of her generations American Dream, she is the little girl who is dressed up with makeup, her hair is done, and her fist are even clenched and she is crying. She is a female.
The most interesting part of this cartoon though is the conversation between the hotel clerk and the father. The first thing to notice is that the man has his arm around his wife, she is seen but not heard. The man also has more defined features than his wife, as if the artist intentionally gave him more attention. The man is addressing the hotel clerk about leaving the American Dream, it seems as though he has turned in all of his valuable belongings that are necessary to achieve the social status necessary to have the American Dream. But none of this is free is the realization that the clerk gives to the man, the clerk informs the man that the debt he has accumulated while trying to achieve his American Dream will not simply go away and he can not simply check out of it.
This cartoon sums up the entire American Dream for each role in a family, and the cost of dreaming The American Dream. Once you start working for the dream, achieve it or be stuck where you are forever; because the debt from dreaming makes waking up impossible.
(For more information on this topic please check out: http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_04-23-2006/Middle_Class_feature)