The American Dream By Dave Eggers - 1992 Words

Dave Eggers, author of A Hologram for the King, Heroes of the Frontier and The Circle, among many other books, often comments on the American dream. Eggers believes that the American dream has changed over time, and is no longer an achievable goal. The American dream was initially the ideal of each man and women being able to reach their full potential and have equal opportunities (Amadeo). Yet this ideal slowly morphed into the necessity of owning a house and having a happy, prosperous family. In order to achieve this, people have tried to force themselves into unhappy marriages, spend money they can t afford to lose and change others actions in order to help their own selves. The American dream was for people during a time of†¦show more content†¦In his old age, he realizes he will never have the organized life he wanted, and while he hopes for the best he know he must expect the worst. This ability to brag is what Eggers argues drives the quest for the American dream, and he argues that it does not bring true content. Another example of Clay’s need to fulfill the dream was his creation of bicycles. As he created bicycles, he believed selling them was what could make him rich. Yet this was not the case, because as the world became more technology based, he was sticking to the old ways of life. A bicycle is often a symbol of freedom, as it provides the freedom to go wherever whenever. As Alan attempts to create a new and improved bicycle, he is trying to enhance the old way of life, and has not yet comprehended that the old way of life has changed, and if he wants to prosper he must change with it. This again is a comment on the evolution of the American dream and how people are trying to control things they no longer can. Clay tries so hard to be a business owner in order to be successful, but has never found what his true passion is. This leads him to a very unhappy life with many health problems, similar as to many others in the world. Anoth er extreme view of the American dream is forcing equality. In The Circle, Mae Holland begins working at the Circle, a company that uses technology to be able to share everything everyoneShow MoreRelatedZeitoun Essay example973 Words   |  4 PagesZeitoun By: Dave Eggers After September 11, 2001 I’ve had trouble finding what makes me more angry; the way the authorities handled the hurricane of Katrina or the way the Arabs were treated. I have herd countless stories related to the 9/11 attack and until today I see the way that has affected the lives of many. Through Eggers story, I was able to comprehend more about the tragedy in New Orleans and even though I thought I already knew about the aftermath that Katrina brought, Eggers grabbed myRead MoreEssay about America: A Class Divided2707 Words   |  11 Pagesnot known, could not even afford to fix her car. Although she worked harder than anyone who I had ever met, almost 60 hours a week, it was she who was struggling to pay the bills. This is not our ancestors’ America. Over the last 100 years American has been beseeched by a seemingly benign transformation that has led us astray from our national values and has led us to ignore our individual senses of right and wrong. The United States was founded upon the idea that if you are willing to workRead MorePostmodernism in Literature5514 Words   |  23 PagesArtists associated with Surrealism, which developed from Dadaism, continued experimentations with chance and parody while celebrating the flow of the subconscious. Andre Breton, the founder of Surrealism, suggested that automatism and the description of dreams should play a greater role in the creation of literature. He used automatism to create his novel Nadja and used photographs to replace description as a parody of the overly-descriptive novelists he often criticized. Surrealist Rene Magrittes experiments