Reflections on Peter Carey's American Dreams

Style, Setting, Characters and Interpretative Questions

Seminar Paper , 2013 , 10 Pages , Grade: 1

Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works

This paper consists of two main parts: (1) a short description of the writing style, setting and main characters of the short story titled "American Dreams" by Peter Carey and (2) a brief interpretation of the short story.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SHORT STORY
• 2.1. WRITING STYLE
• 2.2. SETTING
• 2.3. MAIN CHARACTERS
• 2.3.1. The narrator
• 2.3.2. The narrator's father
• 2.3.3. Mr Gleason
• 2.3.4. Mrs Gleason
• 2.3.5. Phonsey Joy and Herb Gravney
• 3. INTERPRETATIVE QUESTIONS
• 3.1. HOW DOES CAREY CREATE SUSPENSE?
• 3.2. WHY DOES MR GLEASON BUILD THE MODEL?
• 3.3. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF REALITY IN THE STORY?

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This seminar paper aims to provide an overview of the short story "American Dreams" by Peter Carey. It does this by analyzing the writing style, setting, and main characters, and then offers a brief interpretation of the story through the exploration of several key questions. The main themes explored in this paper include: * **The nature of dreams and aspirations:** The story explores the complexities of individual and collective dreams, particularly as they relate to the concept of "American Dreams" and the aspirations of a small Australian town. * **The tension between reality and fantasy:** The narrative is punctuated by the presence of a hyper-realistic model of the town, prompting reflection on the relationship between the actual and the constructed, and the ways in which reality is perceived and interpreted. * **The concept of identity and place:** The story examines how individuals define themselves within their communities and how their sense of belonging is shaped by their location and interactions with others. * **The role of storytelling and narrative:** The paper explores how the narrator's perspective shapes the story and how his personal experiences impact the reader's understanding of events. * **The theme of isolation and disillusionment:** The story delves into the feelings of isolation and disillusionment that can arise within a small community, particularly as individuals grapple with their own desires and the perceived limitations of their surroundings.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The paper begins with a brief introduction that outlines its main objectives and approach. The second section provides a detailed analysis of the short story's writing style, setting, and main characters. * **Writing Style:** This section examines Carey's use of first-person narration, his portrayal of the narrator's reliability, and the elements of magical realism present in the story. * **Setting:** The paper examines the story's setting in an unnamed Australian town, exploring the clues that suggest the specific location and time period. It also analyzes the significance of the townspeople's relationship to their surroundings and the way it influences their dreams and aspirations. * **Main Characters:** The section focuses on the key characters in the story, providing detailed descriptions of the narrator, his father, and the mysterious Mr. Gleason. The analysis considers their motivations, actions, and their impact on the narrative. The third section of the paper delves into several interpretative questions that invite the reader to consider the story's deeper meaning. The questions included are: * **How does Carey create suspense?** This question encourages exploration of the elements of suspense in the story, particularly through the portrayal of Mr. Gleason and his enigmatic actions. * **Why does Mr. Gleason build the model?** This question prompts a deeper understanding of Mr. Gleason's motivations and the potential symbolic significance of his creation. * **What is the role of reality in the story?** This question invites reflection on the blurred lines between reality and fantasy in the story and how these elements contribute to its overall meaning.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper explores the themes of dreams and aspirations, realism and fantasy, identity and place, storytelling and narrative, and isolation and disillusionment through an analysis of Peter Carey's "American Dreams." The key concepts examined include the narrative perspective, the portrayal of small-town life, the role of magical realism, and the symbolic meaning of Mr. Gleason's model.

• College: University of Vienna
• Grade: 1
• Author: Christoph Burger (Author)
• Publication Year: 2013
• Pages: 10
• Catalog Number: V267883
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656581581
• Language: English
• Tags: reflections, peter, carey, american, dreams, style, setting, characters, interpretative, questions