The American Dream is a central theme in American literature, serving as a lens through which many authors have examined the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the United States. This elusive idea—that anyone, regardless of background, can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination—has inspired countless narratives across different genres and time periods. However, the portrayal of the American Dream in literature has been far from uniform. American writers have dissected this concept from various angles, exploring its promises, failures, and complexities. Through their works, they offer insights into the changing ideals of success, freedom, and fulfillment in the American experience.
Early Depictions of the American Dream in Literature
The idea of the American Dream took root in the country’s earliest biography writing service, even before it had a formal name. Early American writers, particularly during the colonial period, often focused on the promise of opportunity in the New World. In these writings, the American Dream was frequently portrayed as a land of endless potential, where individuals could rise from humble beginnings to positions of success and influence.
One of the earliest and most influential depictions of this dream was found in the writings of Benjamin Franklin. In his Autobiography, Franklin outlines his rise from a poor boy working in a print shop to one of the most respected statesmen in the country. His story embodied the essence of the American Dream—self-reliance, perseverance, and personal achievement. Franklin’s narrative not only portrayed the ideal of upward mobility but also became a template for future American success stories.
Similarly, writers like Hector St. John de Crèvecœur in Letters from an American Farmer celebrated the American landscape as one where social classes were more fluid and opportunities were boundless. Crèvecœur famously asked, “What is an American?” in an attempt to define the new national identity, one rooted in the values of liberty, equality, and hard work.
The American Dream and the Gilded Age
As the United States industrialized in the late 19th century, the American Dream underwent a transformation, and its portrayal in literature reflected this shift. The Gilded Age was marked by immense wealth and opulence for a few, alongside widespread poverty and inequality. Writers of this period began to critically examine the darker sides of the American Dream—namely, how wealth and success were often achieved at the expense of others and how the dream was not accessible to everyone.
Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner’s novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) highlighted the corruption and materialism that had come to define the pursuit of the American Dream. Through satire and sharp social commentary, Twain and Warner exposed how the dream of wealth and success had led to moral decay, with individuals chasing riches through unethical means.
The Gilded Age also gave rise to naturalist writers like Theodore Dreiser, whose novel Sister Carrie (1900) depicted the harsh realities of urban life and the pursuit of success in a rapidly industrializing society. Dreiser’s portrayal of his characters’ struggles against economic forces beyond their control revealed a more pessimistic view of the American Dream. In this vision, success was not always attainable through hard work alone; instead, it was often a matter of luck, circumstance, or exploitation.
The American Dream in the Roaring Twenties
The 1920s, often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties,” was a decade of economic prosperity and cultural change in the United States. The American Dream during this period became closely associated with wealth, luxury, and excess. However, writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald critically examined the hollowness of these material pursuits in their work.
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925) is perhaps the most iconic portrayal of the American Dream in literature. Through the character of Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents a man who has achieved immense wealth in the hope of winning back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s success, however, is built on illusion and corruption, and his dream ultimately ends in tragedy. Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream, when reduced to the pursuit of wealth and social status, is inherently flawed and self-destructive.
At the same time, Ernest Hemingway’s works, such as The Sun Also Rises (1926), reflected a sense of disillusionment with the American Dream in the wake of World War I. Hemingway’s characters grapple with feelings of emptiness and aimlessness, suggesting that the traditional ideals of success and fulfillment had lost their meaning in a world devastated by war.
The American Dream During the Great Depression
The Great Depression of the 1930s marked a profound shift in how American writers approached the American Dream. As economic hardship spread across the country, many authors focused on the struggles of ordinary Americans trying to survive in a society where the promise of upward mobility seemed increasingly distant.
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is a powerful depiction of the American Dream during this period. The novel follows the Joad family as they travel westward in search of work and a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation. Steinbeck’s portrayal of the migrant workers’ plight underscores the disillusionment many Americans felt with the idea that hard work would inevitably lead to success. Instead, The Grapes of Wrath highlights the systemic barriers that prevent individuals from achieving the dream.
Similarly, in Richard Wright’s Native Son (1940), the American Dream is shown to be an impossibility for African Americans living under the weight of systemic racism and economic inequality. Wright’s protagonist, Bigger Thomas, is trapped by social and racial forces that make it impossible for him to achieve the kind of success that the American Dream promises. Through Bigger’s tragic story, Wright critiques the limitations and contradictions of the dream for marginalized communities.
Post-War America and the American Dream
The aftermath of World War II saw a renewed belief in the American Dream, as the United States emerged as a global superpower and experienced a period of economic growth. The post-war era was marked by suburbanization, consumerism, and a sense of optimism about the future. However, many American writers during this time continued to explore the tensions and contradictions within the dream.
Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman (1949) is a searing critique of the American Dream in post-war America. The play’s protagonist, Willy Loman, is a salesman who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of success, only to find himself marginalized and disillusioned. Miller’s portrayal of Loman’s tragic downfall reveals the dangers of equating self-worth with material success and exposes the pressures of conformity and competition that defined the post-war American Dream.
In contrast, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road (1957) presents a different kind of dream—one rooted in freedom, spontaneity, and self-exploration. Kerouac’s characters reject the traditional American Dream of stability and material success in favor of a more personal and spiritual quest. This countercultural vision of the American Dream would later become a hallmark of the 1960s counterculture movement, as writers and thinkers sought alternative paths to fulfillment.
Contemporary Perspectives on the American Dream
In the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, American writers have continued to interrogate the meaning and relevance of the American Dream. As the nation has grown more diverse and the economy more globalized, the dream has become increasingly complex and contested.
Toni Morrison’s novels, particularly Song of Solomon (1977), offer a critical perspective on the American Dream through the lens of African American history and experience. Morrison explores the ways in which the dream has been systematically denied to Black Americans, and how characters navigate the legacies of slavery, racism, and economic oppression in their pursuit of identity and self-worth. Through Morrison’s work, the American Dream is reimagined as a struggle for dignity and empowerment in the face of historical injustices.
In more recent years, writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in Americanah (2013) have explored the immigrant experience in relation to the American Dream. Adichie’s protagonist, Ifemelu, navigates the complexities of race, identity, and success as a Nigerian immigrant in the United States. Her story reflects the shifting nature of the American Dream in a multicultural and globalized world, where the dream remains both aspirational and elusive for many.
Conclusion
The portrayal of the American Dream in literature has evolved over time, reflecting the changing social, economic, and cultural realities of the United States. From its early depiction as a land of opportunity and upward mobility, to its critique in the face of inequality, corruption, and disillusionment, American writers have used the dream as a means to explore the nation’s ideals, contradictions, and struggles. Whether celebrated, questioned, or redefined, the American Dream remains a powerful and enduring theme in American literature, providing a mirror through which to examine the hopes, fears, and aspirations of a diverse and complex society.
