When I think of the term American Dream it is directly connected with associations as freedom, chances and success. Hollywood productions like "The Great Gatsby" or "The Pursuit of Happiness", in which people have made it from rags to riches, come into my mind. But by taking a deeper look into that topic it becomes clear that the American Dream is much more like just that. I also think of very egocentric concepts of life which are depicted in these stories and which have nothing to do with a respectful, empathetic and tolerant community.
The questions rise what it actually is, what we are ‘dreaming’ of – is it just about prosperity or do we really pursue happiness regardless to money? And: Am I interested in the development of the community? What has it to do with my personal (American) Dream? When it comes to the American Dream concepts of gender, class, race and ethnicity can and have to be taken into consideration especially when we link the photograph “Bread Line during the Louisville Flood, Kentucky” from 1937 by Margaret Bourke- White with that topic what will be done in this essay.
Before the critical executions in this essay relate to this photograph it displays the meaning of the term American Dream and its connection to inequality and poverty in general.
Table of Contents
1. The significance of the idea of the American Dream linked with issues of poverty and inequality
Objectives and Topics
The essay explores the complex relationship between the concept of the American Dream and the realities of socioeconomic disparity. By analyzing Margaret Bourke-White's photograph "Bread Line during the Louisville Flood, Kentucky" (1937), the author examines how visual representation can be used to construct or critique narratives of poverty, class, and equality within the American cultural context.
- Deconstruction of the "American Dream" myth.
- Analysis of the link between individualism and social inequality.
- Critique of poverty as a byproduct of competitive social structures.
- Visual analysis of Bourke-White's 1937 photograph.
- The role of context and representation in shaping meaning.
Excerpt from the book
The significance of the idea of the American Dream linked with issues of poverty and inequality
When I think of the term American Dream it is directly connected with associations as freedom, chances and success. Hollywood productions like The Great Gatsby or The Pursuit of Happiness, in which people have made it from rags to riches, come into my mind. But by taking a deeper look into that topic it becomes clear that the American Dream is much more like just that. I also think of very egocentric concepts of life which are depicted in these stories and which have nothing to do with a respectful, empathetic and tolerant community. The questions rise what it actually is, what we are ‘dreaming’ of – is it just about prosperity or do we really pursue happiness regardless to money? And: Am I interested in the development of the community? What has it to do with my personal (American) Dream? When it comes to the American Dream concepts of gender, class, race and ethnicity can and have to be taken into consideration especially when we link the photograph “Bread Line during the Louisville Flood, Kentucky” from 1937 by Margaret Bourke- White with that topic what will be done in this essay.
Before the critical executions in this essay relate to this photograph it displays the meaning of the term American Dream and its connection to inequality and poverty in general.
Summary of Chapters
1. The significance of the idea of the American Dream linked with issues of poverty and inequality: The author defines the American Dream as a concept rooted in equal opportunity and performance, while simultaneously critiquing how it fosters societal division and creates poverty, ultimately analyzing how Margaret Bourke-White's photography is used to represent these social contradictions.
Keywords
American Dream, Poverty, Inequality, Margaret Bourke-White, Louisville Flood, Great Depression, Social Class, Representation, American Exceptionalism, Individualism, Collectivism, Cultural Studies, Visual Analysis, Signifier, Signified
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the discrepancy between the idealistic promise of the "American Dream" and the structural reality of poverty and inequality in the United States.
Which central thematic fields are addressed?
The core themes include the definition of the American Dream, the historical context of the Great Depression, the nature of social class, and the ethics of visual representation.
What is the primary research goal of this essay?
The goal is to analyze how the American Dream serves as a narrative construct and to demonstrate how an iconic historical photograph is often exploited to project specific socioeconomic ideologies onto victims of a natural disaster.
Which scientific method does the author employ?
The author utilizes a cultural studies approach, combining historical contextualization with visual and semiotic analysis to deconstruct the meaning of symbols and representations.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The text shifts from a theoretical definition of the American Dream to an analysis of socioeconomic competition, followed by a critical look at how Margaret Bourke-White's photograph is interpreted versus its actual historical context.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include American Dream, Inequality, Poverty, Representation, Social Class, and Semiotics.
How does the author characterize the shift from individualism to collectivism?
The author argues that the current American Dream is built on severe, individual-based competition that inherently creates classes, suggesting that a shift towards collectivism is necessary to ensure the well-being of society as a whole.
Why does the author critique the use of Bourke-White’s photograph?
The author argues that using the photo to illustrate general poverty or inequality is an act of exploitation, as the subjects were victims of a flood and not necessarily representative of a broader social-economic class narrative intended by the photographer.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Svenja Stoll (Autor:in), 2016, The Significance of the Idea of the American Dream linked with Issues of Poverty and Inequality, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/345248
