Amercia Dream through the stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Amercia Dream through the stories - Essay Example In the analyzed short stories, namely â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† by Nathanial Hawthorn, and â€Å"Bartleby, the Scrivener† by Herman Melville, the main characters fail to reach the American dream in the form it is defined here. The story of the life of the main character of the short story by William Faulkner, Emily, is anything but the American dream. Once belonging to a respected family, she ends her life in the inmost poverty. In fact, it is she who is responsible for such dire conditions of her life. The concept of American dream described above suggests every person has equal opportunities and freedom to become successful in life. Emily neglected the opportunity to restore the reputation of her family. She believes that the rich stay rich even though they lose everything they once had. Moreover, she fences herself off the real life where she could have at least some friends and get help. She also does not take advantage of an opportunity to communicate with people and by this climb out of oblivion and poverty. Overall, it is the hidebound view of the upper-class society to which Emily believes she still belongs that do not let the American dream come true. The fail of the American dream can be also traced in the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorn titled â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. The action takes place in colonial America, and during this historical period it is Puritanism, the purest of all the religion. In this short story, however, this religion is shown from the opposite point of view with all its atrocities and rigidity represented metaphorically by the author. In this very case, it is the society, in which religion is central, is what prevents Goodman Brown from reaching his American Dream. The matter is that when the main character experiences the transition from the ignorance and blind faith to the truth, he sees the real picture of what is