What Effect Does Hemingway Have On The American Dream

Dreams have always been a very important part of the world due to the extremely powerful influence they have on people. In some cases dreams are so powerful that they can ascend the common man and become the identity of a nation. The United States of America is one of these nations, as it has always prided itself on the American dream. This dream states that everyone is equal and that no matter the start anyone can become a success. While this idea was occasionally picked apart, it wasn't until after World War 1 that it would receive large amounts of criticism. After experiencing the horrors of war, a collapsing economy, and increasing racial tension, the world's collective innocence was lost. This “ Lost Generation” created the american literary
Hemingway also focused much of his work on the death of the American dream and on the great divide. In “ The Snows of Kilimanjaro” Hemingway focused on the terrible things wealth does to people and the effect it has on their dreams. The story focuses on Harry, a wealthy writer who is dying of gangrene on his trip to Kilimanjaro. Hemingway uses this character to showcase the vices that wealth installs into people. Harry took the easy way in his life. Instead of using his experiences and natural gift of writing to achieve success he simply marries wealthy women. He continues to scoot by on his unearned money living a very shallow unfulfilled life. The lack of motivation Harry has is the cause of his current deadly situation. If he would have had a work ethic then he would have applied iodine the moment he was scratched, however his lazy attitude caused him to procrastinate treatment. His old money style also leads to the death of his dream. Due to his infection Harry is unable to continue his safari, therefore unable to reach kilimanjaro. The mountain represents his dream and due to his rotten core he is unable to achieve his goal. Hemingway believed that wealth brought out the worst in people and that it would sabotage any efforts of reaching the American
Richard Wright focused on the economic oppression of blacks and the limited ability to achieve the American dream. In “ The Man Who Was Almost a Man” Wright expresses these issues through the main character Dave. In the story Dave is a poor child who spends his sumner working on a plantation. In order to become regain some of his dignity he buys a gun. It is his dream to regain his lost power and respect, however in an attempt to achieve this goal he makes the situation much worse. After accidently killing the plow mule Dave ends up in debt to the plantation owner, which would lock him into poverty for a long time. “Ahead the long rails were glinting in the moonlight, stretching away, away to somewhere, somewhere where he could be a man” ( Wright 10). Dave was going to be trapped under a mountain of debt, which would end any hopes of reaching his dream. This forces Dave to run away. Wright shows in this story how money can be used to crush and even further the divide between people. To Wright, division and oppression lead to the death of the American