Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts
Major
English
Date of Defense
4-17-2024
Graduate Advisor
Scott Peterson
Committee
Scott Peterson
Suellynn Duffey
Lauren Obermark
Abstract
There is perhaps one line that separates the American mindset from all others in the world. That is the fascination with the American Dream. This dream, having existed since the creation of this nation, has guided almost all developments we have seen it undertake. The question that lingers, however, is what this “American Dream” actually is. How does one interpret freedom? Further, what is one to do with it? This work suggests that what fuels the American Dream is an absurdist philosophy that ripples through every aspect of American life. Utilizing the modernist literary movement, I will analyze 6 key authors who represent a wide array of American experiences. These authors write about experiences distinct from one another on the grounds of race and gender, which is explored here, but the focus is on the economic differences at play. These differences are the focus because, far too often, succeeding at the American Dream is conflated with obtaining economic success. Utilizing these texts, then, I will identify what it means to both obtain the American Dream as well as fail at it. Through this work, I aim to identify what the American philosophy is and what it may mean to create a beautiful life for yourself amid these conditions. For, only by better understanding the shortcomings of the past are we able to propel ourselves into a more hopeful future.
Recommended Citation
Stolle, Kelly, "American Absurd" (2024). Theses. 475.
https://irl.umsl.edu/thesis/475
