Facets of the American Dream and American Nightmare in Film

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Facets of the American Dream and American Nightmare in Film by Jessica Narloch, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jessica Narloch ISBN: 9783640181377
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: October 7, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Jessica Narloch
ISBN: 9783640181377
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: October 7, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2008 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 1,7, University of Duisburg-Essen, 60 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: 'Predictively, any attempt at abstracting from the plethora of relevant publications something even faintly resembling a definition of the 'Dream' is doomed to failure.' Peter Freese As Peter Freese precisely points out, defining the American Dream is a difficult if not irresolvable task. The reason for this is that 'beyond an abstract belief in possibility, there is no one American Dream.' Nevertheless, it is easy to find short definitions in various encyclopedias. In The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language it is defined as '[a]n American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire: 'In the deepening gloom of the Depression, the American Dream represented a reaffirmation of traditional American hopes.'' The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy offers a different definition: '[a] phrase connoting hope for prosperity and happiness, symbolized particularly by having a house of one's own. Possibly applied at first to the hopes of immigrants, the phrase now applies to all except the very rich and suggests a confident hope that one's children's economic and social condition will be better than one's own.' A rather short and simple explanation of the term American Dream can be found in the dictionary WordNet by the Princeton University which says that it is 'the widespread aspiration of Americans to live better than their parents did.' All of these definitions describe various facets of the dream, but none of them gets to the point. In order to get an idea of what the dream really is or what it is assumed to be and how the idea of it came up, it is necessary to have a look at American history. The recapitulation in this work will make an attempt to reveal why it is the American dream and how it is related to American national identity. It will give a brief overview of the most important concepts in the history of the country, starting back in 1585 when the first colonists arrived. It will deal with important topics which, besides colonialization and the connected reasons for leaving Europe, are the establishment of the Declaration of Independence, the Frontier and the westward movement, Manifest Destiny all the way up to the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for equality. Besides, it is supposed to not only show the bright side of the dream but its shady sides as well in order to give full testimony of the idea of the American Dream.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2008 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 1,7, University of Duisburg-Essen, 60 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: 'Predictively, any attempt at abstracting from the plethora of relevant publications something even faintly resembling a definition of the 'Dream' is doomed to failure.' Peter Freese As Peter Freese precisely points out, defining the American Dream is a difficult if not irresolvable task. The reason for this is that 'beyond an abstract belief in possibility, there is no one American Dream.' Nevertheless, it is easy to find short definitions in various encyclopedias. In The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language it is defined as '[a]n American ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire: 'In the deepening gloom of the Depression, the American Dream represented a reaffirmation of traditional American hopes.'' The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy offers a different definition: '[a] phrase connoting hope for prosperity and happiness, symbolized particularly by having a house of one's own. Possibly applied at first to the hopes of immigrants, the phrase now applies to all except the very rich and suggests a confident hope that one's children's economic and social condition will be better than one's own.' A rather short and simple explanation of the term American Dream can be found in the dictionary WordNet by the Princeton University which says that it is 'the widespread aspiration of Americans to live better than their parents did.' All of these definitions describe various facets of the dream, but none of them gets to the point. In order to get an idea of what the dream really is or what it is assumed to be and how the idea of it came up, it is necessary to have a look at American history. The recapitulation in this work will make an attempt to reveal why it is the American dream and how it is related to American national identity. It will give a brief overview of the most important concepts in the history of the country, starting back in 1585 when the first colonists arrived. It will deal with important topics which, besides colonialization and the connected reasons for leaving Europe, are the establishment of the Declaration of Independence, the Frontier and the westward movement, Manifest Destiny all the way up to the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for equality. Besides, it is supposed to not only show the bright side of the dream but its shady sides as well in order to give full testimony of the idea of the American Dream.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Führte der Tod Benno Ohnesorgs zu einer Radikalisierung der Studentenbewegung? by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Sozialisation in der Hitlerjugend by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Haushalts-, Haus- und Reproduktionsarbeit: Über den Zusammenhang von Nicht-Erwerbstätigkeit und Arbeit by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Wechselkursänderungen und Bubble Theorie by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Jakobs Kampf am Jabbok - Exegese zu Genesis 32, 23-33 by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Ästhetik des Politischen im Film 'Die bleierne Zeit' von Margarethe von Trotta by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Karen Horneys Psychologie der Frau in ihrer Ablösung von Sigmund Freud by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Public Choice Theorie by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Sozialisation und Entwicklung sozialer Kompetenzen von Einzelkindern - wie bedeutend sind Geschwister als Entwicklungsressource? by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Rechtsanspruch und Rechtswirklichkeit im chinesischen Arbeitsrecht: Konfuzianische Abneigung gegen Rechtsprozesse? by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Entwicklung des Wahlrechts und Wahlsystems als Problem repräsentativer Demokratien bis zu den 80er Jahren in Deutschland by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Analyse eines Prosatextes aus der Perspektive der Narrativik by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Criminal Justice and Minority Groups by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book 'Chozdene Igumena Daniila' - ein Reisebericht des Abtes Daniil nach Palästina (1106-1108) by Jessica Narloch
Cover of the book Angstfragebögen in Bezug auf Schulangst by Jessica Narloch
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy