The Day Of The Locust Analysis
Failure of the American Dream
The American Dream has been a subject in American literature ever since the country’s beginning. The dream is that one can come to America and have equal opportunity to achieve greatness, through hard work and determination. The book The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West, tells the story of some people who come to California in search of the American Dream. They travel west hoping to get away from the less than perfect lives and make a living in show business. The characters in this novel dream of a life of luxury, making lots of money, and living a good life. They eventually come to the realization that the glamorous life that California represents is not as easy to attain as they once thought. Everyone who …show more content…
The Great Depression brought rapid growth in crime rates. Prostitution was one of the main factors during this time as women struggled to pay bills and make a living. Most prostitutes did not want to be prostitutes, but they had no choice because the money was worth it. Because businesses were going down, many night clubs became reliant upon prostitutes to stay in business. Prostitute houses, also known as brothels, were run in different ways. One way was by a chain of houses that were controlled by a base headquarter. The headquarter was in charge of all the money to distribute to each house (CHS). In The Day of the Locust, West displays this issue through one of the only female characters in the novel, Faye Greener. She is known for her beauty and performance, however men like Tod Hackett constantly misunderstand her affection. Tod can only focus on her acts of prostitution she must have done in order to have such a great …show more content…
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
30, March. "L.A. Visions That Burn." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Bercovitch, Sacavan. “Novels and Other Writings of Nathanael West.” Rev. of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West. New York: Library of America, 1991.
Buhler, Stephen M. “The Burning of Los Angeles / Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir.” 2000.
Howard, G. “Let This Be a Lesson To You: The Snakebit Life of Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. New York Times Book Review 23 December 1990: 140.
The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1989. Print.
West, Nathanael. The Day of the Locust. New York: Time, 1965. Print.
Johnson, Stephen P. “Mass Culture and Class Distinction in the Novels of Nathanael West.” Rev. of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West. Loyola U. of Chicago 1994: 55.
Chametzky, J. “The Writings of Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. American Literature Sept 1991: 63.
Barnard, Rita. “When You Wish Upon a Star: Fantasy, Experience, and Mass Culture in Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. American Literature June
The American Dream has been a subject in American literature ever since the country’s beginning. The dream is that one can come to America and have equal opportunity to achieve greatness, through hard work and determination. The book The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West, tells the story of some people who come to California in search of the American Dream. They travel west hoping to get away from the less than perfect lives and make a living in show business. The characters in this novel dream of a life of luxury, making lots of money, and living a good life. They eventually come to the realization that the glamorous life that California represents is not as easy to attain as they once thought. Everyone who …show more content…
The Great Depression brought rapid growth in crime rates. Prostitution was one of the main factors during this time as women struggled to pay bills and make a living. Most prostitutes did not want to be prostitutes, but they had no choice because the money was worth it. Because businesses were going down, many night clubs became reliant upon prostitutes to stay in business. Prostitute houses, also known as brothels, were run in different ways. One way was by a chain of houses that were controlled by a base headquarter. The headquarter was in charge of all the money to distribute to each house (CHS). In The Day of the Locust, West displays this issue through one of the only female characters in the novel, Faye Greener. She is known for her beauty and performance, however men like Tod Hackett constantly misunderstand her affection. Tod can only focus on her acts of prostitution she must have done in order to have such a great …show more content…
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
30, March. "L.A. Visions That Burn." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Bercovitch, Sacavan. “Novels and Other Writings of Nathanael West.” Rev. of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West. New York: Library of America, 1991.
Buhler, Stephen M. “The Burning of Los Angeles / Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir.” 2000.
Howard, G. “Let This Be a Lesson To You: The Snakebit Life of Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. New York Times Book Review 23 December 1990: 140.
The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1989. Print.
West, Nathanael. The Day of the Locust. New York: Time, 1965. Print.
Johnson, Stephen P. “Mass Culture and Class Distinction in the Novels of Nathanael West.” Rev. of The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West. Loyola U. of Chicago 1994: 55.
Chametzky, J. “The Writings of Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. American Literature Sept 1991: 63.
Barnard, Rita. “When You Wish Upon a Star: Fantasy, Experience, and Mass Culture in Nathanael West.” Rev. of Nathanael West. American Literature June