For centuries, the sacrament of marriage has been an important part of American culture. The past hundred years of america has made marriage out to be a principle part of the American Dream. However, authors such as Jonathan Franzen and Fitzgerald argue that this aspect of the dream is changing. In his novel “the Corrections” Franzen criticises marriage through the actions of a “normal” American adult family.
“Although Enid's ostensible foe was Alfred, what made her a guerrilla was the house that occupied them both.”
This metaphor clearly defines the Lambert's' power dynamic, Enid is a "guerrilla" trying to overthrow the rightful leader Alfred, giving a primal quality to their partnership where by Enid is consistently undermined by his domineering character. However her resistance is illustrated in her characterisation as a “guerrilla” suggesting a power struggle within their marriage, in that she is not completely submissive. She possesses a need for authority and does not fully accept married life under Alfred's jurisdiction. Moreover their home acts as a facade to the world, as it conceals the true nature of their marriage and is therefore symbolic of a united front and content in one another, in order to emulate the ideology of the American dreams family values. Consequently the house is claustrophobic, for example “what made her a guerrilla was the house” it breeds an air of decay and discontent, as Enid is ultimately oppressed by Alfred but gender roles prevent her from challenging him and she feels the pressure to maintain the status quo. Furthermore, following the Great Depression and WWII there was a national need of social stability, and so emphasis of the american dream and the pursuit of happiness was at the fore front of peoples minds. Part of this was fulfilling the american dream was marriage and providing for your family, although this often led to the isolation of woman and did not take them in to account as individuals, dismissing them as purely domestic workers. Furthermore undermining their potential as bread winners and rendering them a redundant commodity within the family. Arguably during the twentieth century it was incentivised that woman were to marry well to secure themselves financially, as equality was not yet realised in the workplace. Thus women relied purely on their husbands ability to maintain a steady income; this yielded a sense of entitlement in men. However Enid questions her husbands manhood, in his ability to provide for their family, “she overstepped… suggested he buy shares of a certain stock” here Enid takes on the male role by concerning herself with Money. Therefore compromising Alfred’s ego due to her dissatisfaction, it suggests through the verb “overstepped” that Enid is bound by social constructs where traditionalism ensues, whilst simultaneously characterises her as defiant which effectively revolutionises her current role. This disharmony is present in both novels; marriages and changing gender roles make life difficult for the traditional men in the story (Alfred and Tom) which makes matrimony less viable for these characters in present society.
“you did it Tom…that’s what i get for marrying a brute of a man.”
Daisy's finger represents the nature of their marriage, he hurts it unintentionally yet Daisy doesn't seek an escape. Due to her passivity she is therefore subject to Tom’s destructive behaviour. She exclaims that Tom hurt her, although she divulges that he “didn’t mean to.” Daisy arouses sympathy from other characters by arbitrarily mentioning her finger, Daisy desires to publicise her marital problems to both the other characters and the reader. Fitzgerald subtly includes this interaction between husband and wife to divulge the deceitfulness of their marriage. Additionally Daisy appears to think little of her husband, who she depicts as a “brute of a man, and a “ hulking physical specimen.” Suggesting a sense of fear towards her husband, his “brutish” nature and simultaneous physicality is indicative to Tom’s volatility of nature, where by any attempt of objection made by Daisy would be fiercely met with violence. Interestingly moreover, there is a sense of obligation in her marriage to Tom “thats what i get for marrying a brute of man” through the agency of her marriage she is forced to accept Tom’s treatment, and his abuse is somehow a repercussion for marrying him. Here, marriage is presented as subterfuge as Daisy is unable to leave, as she is financially dependant on him. She is arguably materialistic “her voice is full of money”. Within Fitzgerald's work marriage is depicted as a necessary social statement in order to conform to societies idea of fulfilment and success, within the backdrop of the early twentieth century and its rigid patriarchal society, It seems as though marriage is more of a commercial agreement than a expression of love. For Daisy marriage is a motive for wealth “iv’e never seen such beautiful shirts” Daisy’s awe of Gatsby’s exuberance confirms her preoccupation with wealth, in the expense of true affection. Consequently she does not reciprocate Gatsby’s affection but is instead in love with his “beautiful shirts” her incessant materialism is suggestive that Daisy is a product of her class, The american Dream was a motive for many, but arguably for woman to emulate mens success and wealth, they did so through marriage to obtain affluence through the agency of men was necessary for social mobility at this time.
In the Corrections Franzen uses references to Arthur Schopenhauer, (woman pays the debt of life not by what she does but the way she suffers; by the pains of childbearing and care and by submission to her husband, she should be a patient and cheering companion.) This traditional stance embodies both the lambert’s and Buchanan’s which is indicative of their generation. The idea that woman are a necessity to satisfy Men’s needs within marriage and remain passive as a “companion” dehumanises women, moreover they pay the “debt of life” with their “submission”. this is relevant to Daisy as she exclaims “thats what i get for marrying” a man (Tom), it is therefore a justification of woman’s suffering within a marriage in the expense of the American Dream and is what perhaps aroused Enid’s unrest. Franzen argues that woman are now challenging there role within marriage and refuse to submit to there husband just to emulate a “happy” fulfilled exterior. This is demonstrated as Enid's character is bestowed with a certain optimism that defies her husband. A hope of independence due to his imminent death, which is preempted in the form of resistance against Alfred.That proves matrimony as an outdated and un-realistic part of the american dream.
East v west
American Dream was originally inspired by discovery, individualism and happiness. However, easy money and relaxed social values corrupted this dream particularly on the East coast. Additionally, in both novels the East is connected to the moral decay and social cynicism of New York, while the midwest remains morally upstanding and where traditionalism ensues.The dichotomous relationship between the East and West within both novels
is presented as a microcosmic entity; the divide is inclusive of cultural, social and moral implications where each character is defined by the tension between the two. Saint Jude typifies the moral values of old midwestern America with its “iron Grip” on the old-fashioned attitudes connected with the more liberal and progressive cities of the East Coast.
Thus the American mid west is illustrated through the sentiments of Franzen’s characters. In the estimation of Gary Lambert, the midwest is “uncool” he reflects “that a strategic national reserve for cluelessness be maintained…enable people of privilege, like himself to feel extremely civilised”. His dismissive tone is testament to his self evolution, that he now finds himself intellectually superior to his relatives and that their “cluelessness” places him on a pedestal as a person of “privilege” this elevated status is likely yielded from Gary’s geographic snobbery and new found wealth. Moreover, he emphasises the social disparity between the two demographics by the insinuation that the West is “uncivilised” there is a lack of modernity in the Midwest which he therefore regards as a “wilderness” this illustrates westerners as primitive,consequently he wishes to maintain a sort of social diversity. He pokes gentle fun at the “backwardness” of the midwest and Is continually frustrated by his provincial parents and feels superior to his loutish midwesterners. This is hugely ironic as Gary subverts his own family origins as his custom lends itself to the east.
Marxist critic Dorothy Hale argued “ruling classes have generated false realities—ideologies—to pass for the Real” this would criticise Gatsby and Gary Lambert for denying their humble Western roots and for pursuing the American Dream to infiltrate high society in the East and “generat(ing) a false reality”. Consequently their inexorable fate is a ramification of pursuing the American Dream at the of expense morality. For example Gatsby’s death may be considered the inevitable outcome for pursuing ones individual fantasies, in that “he had got what he deserved” as well as engaging with the kind of social injustice that leaves people such as Tom Buchanan with power in an autocratic society.
Moreover the American Dream instilled optimism and romanticised the idea of going West to seek and make one's fortune on the frontier, this turned on its ear in the 1920's stock boom; now those seeking their fortune headed back East to cash in. Alfred represents the generation of the old pioneer, his work on Midland Pacific railroad effectively facilitates the western movement. “the dream of radical transformation: of one day waking up and finding himself wholly different kind of person” the semantic field compliments the sense of longing that is held in the west and the self resolution that Alfred desires. The move west is associated with the evolution of ones psyche in becoming “wholly different” which is arguably a consequence in the pursuit of the American dream that one takes on “a radical transformation” in search of the new which underpins the american Dream with a similarly it draws a parallel l nature preempts Gary's demise which confirms the rules nature of the American DreamQuote
This great migration was driven largely by the movement of the Manifest Destiny, bringing civilisation to the west which was justified and ordained by God. However, the children of the Lambert’s and Gatsby reverse this natural trend by moving back to the east coast. Yet there is an air of trepidation in this reverse migration. Enid is horrified when her children leave home to pursue "radically, shamefully other things” the East connotes something inherently promiscuous, Enid uses syntactic ambiguity, which illustrates its dubious nature. Similarly Nick’s move to the East is met with “hesitant faces”. The American dream arguably caused the urbanisation of the East which left behind rigid traditionalism of the West, giving way to hedonism and a laxity of morals amplified the idealogical conflict between the East and West.
Fitzgerald has projected the historical East/West division of the States on the division of class and society in the 20th century. For Fitzgerald, there was a certain old-fashioned stability resting on the old, unchanging values and close relationships. The liberal thinking of New York facilitates a freedom that is vital to the American Dream whilst defying the Midwest with its radicalism and moral laxity.
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together.” Nick illustrates the Buchanan’s egregious wealth which exceeds any ordinary definition of human need, and how implications of ‘vast carelessness’ invades and warps whole societies; insulates them from basic actualities and from the consequences of their actions. Nick’s stance is one of “moral attention” consequently his critical view of Buchanan’s riotous tendencies is due to their incessant complacency, their wealth is a “retreat” that licenses this conduct. Simultaneously the East offers a “quality of distortion” an alternative reality is established that lulls its inhabitants in to a false sense of optimism and security. However Nick’s revelation condemns them, ultimately his morality countermands his hubris and makes an example of Tom and Daisy. They have adopted the Eastern sensibilities of greed in the expense of morality and their perverse “carelessness” has corrupted the elusive American Dream. Moreover a marxist would argue that Fitzgerald’s novel is a scathing critique of American capitalist culture rife with conspicuous consumption. The process of commodific