American Dream In Kipling's Poetry

In the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling and the well-known “American Gothic” by Grant Wood, Kipling and Wood work to illustrate the constant struggle to find the middle ground in life existing in marriage, dreams becoming a reality, financial success, and the middle class American Dream. The act of marriage does not always foster a happy relationship at first, but a new sense of happiness can be forged out of the couple’s willingness to achieve happiness. In both art forms, viewers see that there are qualities that one would find in a bad relationship. Rudyard Kipling says that “If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, / Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, / Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,” (Kipling 5-7). Kipling …show more content…
The longing to accomplish ones dreams can take complete control over all aspects of life. Kipling describes in one of his poems how someone can become a “Slave” to their dreams. And this is often true, dreams are what keep peoples spirits alive, but they should never become so strong that they have control over ones actions in the real world. Kipling says that “If you can dream – and not make you dreams you master” (Kipling 9). Kipling recognizes that ever one must dream but, these dreams cannot take over one’s life. In “American Gothic” this sadly seems to be the case. Living in America, there is a certain dream that all people feel as though they can achieve to be successful. This includes owning land, working the land, producing crops, and having a dedicated housewife who will have supper ready at the sound of her husband walking in the door. This exact seen plays out in the image, but it appears as if the couple has lost control. The man has a stern face and stands one step in front of his wife, covering half of her body with his own. This suggests that he does not treat his wife as his equal. His dream to become the superior man of his household has taken over, and now he feels that he must put himself before her. The woman also looks into the distance with a sad face. It would appear as though she is not happy where she is, or that her others dreams are passing by her. This shows that she has lost her dream because the overruling dream of her husband has taken over hers. Now she poses in apron, as she has become the housewife to her farmer husband. She also seems to accept the fact she is treated as less of a person than her husband. Dreams allow one to anticipate the future, but when the take over the effects are