The Street- American Dream
In the novel The Street by Ann Petry, the reality of the American dream for black individuals was discussed throughout the book. Lutie experiences the birth and death of her American dream, while being a young poor black women in the 1940’s. She endures a cycle of the American dream from the birth, to hardships and fighting, to the inevitable death of her dream. Due to her financial position, the time period, and her race, Lutie is incapable of achieving the American dream.
While working for the Chandlers, Lutie develops her American dream that continues onto her life on the street. She strives for a better life for herself and her family with an optimistic future to look towards. Luties American dream sparks when …show more content…
Lutie finally recognizes the reality of the American dream for herself. Being a poor black woman living on the street in the 1940’s causes her to be trapped in the life she is living. Her hopeful and fighting spirit disappears as she knows there’s no chance of a better future. Luite accepts that her life will not improve, “Only you forgot. You forgot you were black and you underestimated the street outside here.”(389). She becomes resign to the fact that because of who she is there is no way her American dream can be achieved. Her belief in the concept of the Chandler’s philosophy, that anyone can succeed and get rich died. Not only does she give up on the hope of an improved future for herself, but as well for her son Bub. Lutie leaves Bub behind as she flees New York. Though she tried so hard to support Bub, in the end she believes Bub is better off without her. The life she wanted for him so badly was never going to happen, “He’ll be better off without you. That way he may have some kind of chance. He didn’t have the ghost of a chance on the street. The best you could give him wasn’t enough.”(435) Lutie’s American dream of a better life for herself and Bub never was achieved and in the end died.
As one can see, Lutie experiences the reality of American dream as a young black woman in the 1940’s. She undergoes the cycle of the American dream starting
In the novel The Street by Ann Petry, the reality of the American dream for black individuals was discussed throughout the book. Lutie experiences the birth and death of her American dream, while being a young poor black women in the 1940’s. She endures a cycle of the American dream from the birth, to hardships and fighting, to the inevitable death of her dream. Due to her financial position, the time period, and her race, Lutie is incapable of achieving the American dream.
While working for the Chandlers, Lutie develops her American dream that continues onto her life on the street. She strives for a better life for herself and her family with an optimistic future to look towards. Luties American dream sparks when …show more content…
Lutie finally recognizes the reality of the American dream for herself. Being a poor black woman living on the street in the 1940’s causes her to be trapped in the life she is living. Her hopeful and fighting spirit disappears as she knows there’s no chance of a better future. Luite accepts that her life will not improve, “Only you forgot. You forgot you were black and you underestimated the street outside here.”(389). She becomes resign to the fact that because of who she is there is no way her American dream can be achieved. Her belief in the concept of the Chandler’s philosophy, that anyone can succeed and get rich died. Not only does she give up on the hope of an improved future for herself, but as well for her son Bub. Lutie leaves Bub behind as she flees New York. Though she tried so hard to support Bub, in the end she believes Bub is better off without her. The life she wanted for him so badly was never going to happen, “He’ll be better off without you. That way he may have some kind of chance. He didn’t have the ghost of a chance on the street. The best you could give him wasn’t enough.”(435) Lutie’s American dream of a better life for herself and Bub never was achieved and in the end died.
As one can see, Lutie experiences the reality of American dream as a young black woman in the 1940’s. She undergoes the cycle of the American dream starting