Страница 4 из 5
To confirm this thought I would like to cite an opinion of the American historian Leon Duncan who considered that "an American dream" has its attractive strength while it is not attained… People who grown up without it are told: if you work long and hard then there, ahead, on that side of the rainbow you will find a little pot of gold. But when you already have this little pot the dream loses its attractive strength. Then appears the necessity in some alternative which can import significance in your life…" [The Dream 1986: 280].
The mythologemes "an American dream" has no concrete embodiment. Each American understands it in different way, depending on his own educational level and cultural background. For someone it is the ability of the endless usage of the researches of their country, for another it is the cause to feel patriotic feelings and so on.
Here are some examples:
a). miss Beilis, the president of the National Society named "The Daughters of the American Revolution" in Washington defined the essence of the given mythologemes in the following words: "I can not so directly say what "an American Dream" is. Everything I can say is to love your country. When an American flag blows on the parade my heart is overfilled with proud and I feel happy" [Ibid.: 282];
b). Bob Braun, colonel of reserve, noticed: "For me "an American dream" is an increase of the USA prestige all over the world" [Ibid.: 282].
A lot of Americans trying to reach "an American dream" seek only fame and wealth. They chase the material values absolutely forgetting about spiritual values. This leads, at the end, to the solitude, different phobias and dissatisfaction of life.
Here is just one example: Mrs. Beilis, the president of the National Association of Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, defines the essence of this mythology in this way: “I ca
Many Americans, trying to achieve the "American dream", strive only for fame and well-being. They chase after material values, completely forgetting about spiritual ones, which ultimately leads to loneliness, various “phobias” and to dissatisfaction with life.
The Cinderella myth in the US culture is often mixed with the myth of the Ugly Duckling and the myth of Jo
The myth of Jo
In American "mythology" there is such a thing as a self-made man. This is the fusion of all three myths into the one and the creation of a completely new image, the image of a “man who“ made ”himself”, an individual who by his work won himself the right to live according to the “American dream”.
It is necessary to clarify that when we talk about people who achieves the ideals of the “American dream”, we often mean ordinary people who wants something extremely small, small things that would not occur to well-known personalities because the whole “American dream” is the dream of a man in the street, striving for a quiet, prosperous, peaceful life, willing to live without any worries and anxieties.
You shouldn’t think that the “business above all” position which is prevalent among the majority of American youth, is a phenomenon of the 20th century. The begi
The center subject of mass literature became the myth of a simple American, a man of the people who, with the help of labor and virtue, could achieve the material wealth in his life. The ideal of “a man who created himself” became the formula of American success in a historical context. For example, during some time a special magazine “Success” (“Success”) was published, it promoted the book “Acre of Diamonds” in 1888, in which the author assured readers that the diamonds could be found everywhere, even in their own backyard. Next year, Andrew Carnegie's book, The Gospel of Wealth, was published. It in an instructive tone described his way to a millionth state.
The books of Horatio Alger, which served as a model of educational literature for boys, were also very popular. About 130 of his novels describe poor adolescents who, after a lot of vicissitudes in life, managed to succeed in business. The formula of Cinderella (or Zolika, as Levi-Strauss has onece called it) fairy-tale was transformed into American style and absorbed the national myths of “self-confidence,” “self-creation,” “American dream,” Franklin's commandments, and puritan virtues. On their basis, the ethics of a new middle class that appeared was formed and approved. The tytles of the Elger books are specific: “Work and win,” “Strive and succeed,” “Do and dare,” “Swim or drown.” Part of his writings Alger released in series ("Luck and Courage", "The Ragged Tom", etc.). There still exists the society of Horeyshio Alger, which a
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».