Exhortation George Saunders Summary

Modern capitalism promotes finical gain as one of the most promising tools to achieve success in the United States. While many see capitalism as the country’s best tool to improve the economy and productivity, it has also caused controversy on how it advertises class inequality and a separation of power. George Saunders, an American writer takes on American culture and observes from all different aspects how citizens take on financial obstacles, while also degrading themselves of their own potential and worth. In different series of works, George Saunders mocks American culture and some factors of exportation, competition, and power. In “Exhortation” Saunders focuses how selling ones full potential in return for income causes employees to lack …show more content…
In his latest work “The Semplica-Girl Diaries” Saunders indicates how mass media influences many to outweigh their competition by advertising one’s wealth, social class, and success to prove others their abilities. Capitalism has indeed expanded tremendously throughout the U.S and making it one of the country’s most successful tools. However, Saunders critiques how American culture manipulates the idea of how social class and wealth buy success, by building finical competition in order for one to survive and protect themselves from falling into worse positions than they already were. Everyone desires success, therefore causing many to feel pressure to provide financial security not only for themselves, but as well for their family and generations to …show more content…
In the story “Sea Oak,” Saunders acknowledges how the characters in this story represent the stereotypical family who live in the projects and consists of household members with no motives, but to sit down and allow themselves be brainwashed by pop culture. Thomas’s sisters Min and Jade express their envy towards him and his achievement of receiving at least his GED and mention how “‘if [they] had [there] freaking diplomas [they] could just watch TV and not be all distracted’’’ (2). In this case the main character’s siblings demonstrate why society sells the poor out to be lazy and hopeless; they are degrading themselves of their own potential to go out and create a better lifestyle for themselves. Instead, they are choosing poverty over success and continuing to feed the idea the poverty happens to those who are meant to live that way. However. Thomas shows some sense that with hard work he can escape away from this life of shame and can overcome this stereotype that his sisters are part of. Thomas does portray the characteristics of The American Dream, productive, motivated, and hopeful, but by continuing to work and selling his body for the pleasure of others