Rethinking the American Dream in Coney Island of the Mind, Why Wallace?, and Goodbye, Columbus :: Coney Wallace Columbus

Rethinking the American Dream in Coney Island of the Mind, Why Wallace?, and Goodbye, capital of Ohio Webster defines a imagine as something notable for its beauty, excellence, or enjoyable quality. This seems, logically, something that everyone desires to obtain. notwithstanding not everyone is the same therefore each dream is not the same. harmonize to certain works of literature regarding the 1950s-60s though, it appears as if many people atomic number 18 quite disillusioned and believe their dream is the one and only dream suitable for everyone. This American Dream consists of a polished job, nice spouse, nice house, nice kids, nice car and all the money, money, money you can compass your hands on. Anyone who desires differently is unacceptable. But what happens when people finally start to realize, promised land forbid, that this one dream isnt a dream at all and is not the ultimate source of joy? A rebellion against this materialistic gild takes place. Lawrence Ferl inghetti, in his poem A Coney Island of the Mind, illustrates this dissatisfaction with American society ...on a concrete continent spaced with bland billboards illustrating imbecile illusions of happiness The blastoff shows fewer tumbrils but more maimed citizens in painted cars and they extradite strange license plates and engines that devour America (Ferlinghetti,131). America is supposed to be the great capitalistic society, but Ferlinghetti sees otherwise. Billboards feature material assets in a style showing its necessity for human happiness. By calling this happiness the billboards represent an illusion, Ferlinghetti is speaking out against materialism. This materialism has apparently also terribly disfigured America and its citizens. The citizens believe that the more material possessions one has the happier they leave behind be. Ferlinghetti says these material possessions such as cars and fancy license plates devour them instead and are possibly dictating their lif e. Addressing this issue of a materialistic society is a common theme among many of the writers during the 1950s and 1960s. In their writings Phillip Roth and Michael Novak both usher a family of this society. The parents of these writings have an ideal lifestyle and a mensuration for their children, which gives the children every reason to want to rebel. They want to break away from the thoughts and standards of their parents and society. In Roths novel, Goodbye, Columbus, the character Mrs. Patimkin is much like the Andy Restek of Novaks Why