The American Dream Analysis

The American Dream

Author: Edward Albee

Setting: Typical American small town and neighborhood of Mommy and Daddy

Plot: Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma are visited by Mrs. Baker and the Young Man

Main characters: Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Mrs. Baker, and the Young Man

Summary: Mrs. Baker had organized the adoption of Mommy and Daddy’s previous son years before, although no one knows this but Grandma and everyone thinks she is crazy. Mommy and Daddy ended up killing the baby because it was not following their own standards of perfection. Later in the story, the twin of the baby that Mommy and Daddy killed, shows up. He seems emotionless and empty due to all the harsh punishments of the baby, which he also suffered. Grandma then packs up her things and leaves.

Albee uses this piece to satirize the American culture and the emphasis placed on social standards and perfection. The tone and Narrative voice of this piece are supposed to seem absurd; this is used to make the reader question the characters motives and actions. This play explores the falsities and realities of the American dream. Albee also makes readers question the act of perfection, and how well people really can put on a show and a false front. This piece is truly a reality check for all of America. We can see some interesting points of view in this play. Grandma seems to be an omniscient character, while the other characters seem to know absolutely nothing at all. We discussed the meaning of this in class and decided that Grandma represented the old values, while Mommy and Daddy represented the new.

Themes:

Family life is a huge theme in this play, in fact the whole play revolves around the relationships between each of the family members.

Absence of love/emotions is another huge theme in the play. Mommy and Daddy show no compassion towards each other at all. Also, no sorrow or guilt is felt over the death of their child that they seemed to have wanted so badly.

Reality/Falsity of dreams is another huge theme. In the play we can see the absurdity of Mommy and Daddy trying to achieve perfection. That is when the reader realizes that is truly not what the American dream is all about.

Quotes:

“When you get old, you can't talk to people because people snap at you. That's why you become deaf, so you won't be able to hear people talking to you that way That's why old people die, eventually. People talk to them that way.” – saying that old people die because of the violent speech of others and her deafness is a way of protection from this violence.

“I no longer have the capacity to feel anything. I have no emotions. I have been drained, torn asunder disemboweled. I have, now, only my person, my body, my face. I use what I have I let people love me I accept the syntax around me, for while I know I cannot relate; I know I must be related to.” – This was said by the Young Man. He is an empty type, allowing him to fit into syntax and just go along with the situation. He is what Mommy and Daddy have always wanted.