Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Transformation of American Dream: From Vision to Illusion

The Transformation of American Dream: From Vision to Illusion

Zaker, Massy Naimi

Paperback

General Reference

ISBN10: 620981820X
ISBN13: 9786209818202
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
Published: Apr 15 2026
Pages: 120
Weight: 0.38
Height: 0.28 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
This book presents criteria for expanding our understanding and enjoyment of Hollywood films by discussing The Great Gatsby (2013), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), The Joneses (2009) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009). Calling our attention to the seductive and subliminal appeals of advertising, these films invite audiences to look more critically at capitalism and American consumer culture, which claim to offer social status but in fact make commodities out of people. All four films suggest that consumption leads to the corrosion of American life. However, there is an ironic contradiction between this moral message and the films' simultaneous aim to entertain the audience, and the fact that throughout the films a variety of brands of commodities, wealth, and luxury are promoted and advertised as a glamorous lifestyle. This lifestyle represents living the American dream of which the pursuit of it clashes with the pursuit of happiness. The moral messages indicate that excessive materialism is just a distraction from finding true happiness. This book points out the harmful effects the American dream can have when the distinction between a vision and an illusion fades.

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