Indifferent Proximity?
"Did you ever see an amusement park?"
"No, Father."
"Well, go and see an amusement park." The priest waved his hand vaguely. "It's like a fair, only much more glittering. Go to one at night and stand a little way off from it in a dark place- under dark trees. You'll see a big wheel made of lights turning in the air, and a long slide shooting boats down into the water. A band playing somewhere, and a smell of peanuts-and everything will twinkle. But it won't remind you of anything you see. It will all just hang out there in the night like a colored balloon-like a big yellow lantern on a pole." Father Schwartz frowned as he suddenely thought of something. "But don't get up close," he warned Rudolph, " because if you do you'll only feel the heat and the sweat and the life."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald, from Absolution
What does the aformentioned passage imply about the "American Dream", and what is your reaction to this possible modernist (pgs. 523-536 in Am. Lit. text) commentary? Please comment and incorporate specific references to lines from the passage. (Due By 2:30p.m. On Monday, Feb. 28th.)
"No, Father."
"Well, go and see an amusement park." The priest waved his hand vaguely. "It's like a fair, only much more glittering. Go to one at night and stand a little way off from it in a dark place- under dark trees. You'll see a big wheel made of lights turning in the air, and a long slide shooting boats down into the water. A band playing somewhere, and a smell of peanuts-and everything will twinkle. But it won't remind you of anything you see. It will all just hang out there in the night like a colored balloon-like a big yellow lantern on a pole." Father Schwartz frowned as he suddenely thought of something. "But don't get up close," he warned Rudolph, " because if you do you'll only feel the heat and the sweat and the life."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald, from Absolution
What does the aformentioned passage imply about the "American Dream", and what is your reaction to this possible modernist (pgs. 523-536 in Am. Lit. text) commentary? Please comment and incorporate specific references to lines from the passage. (Due By 2:30p.m. On Monday, Feb. 28th.)
posted by Greg T at Friday, February 25, 2011
20 Comments:
This passage from F. Scoot Fitzgerald relates to the American Dream because of the appearance vs reality theme. Everything about the American Dream seems beautiful from a distance, looking in on the idea. The American Dream is this wondrous thing that seems to be all polished just like when Fitzgerald says, "It's like a fair, only much more glittering". It is a beautiful idea but that is all the American Dream is...an idea. I agree with this excerpt because I think that when it comes down to it the American Dream isn't all it is caught up to be. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just isn't what you expected.
This passage relates to the American Dream because it is putting out a point that the life may look glamorous and exciting but once you get closer to it, it is stressful and cruel, nothing like what you would think it would be. Just like in the last lines, "you will only feel the heat and the sweat and the life." Meaning that you wont enjoy it unless you are far away from the park seeing the outter beauty of it. Many people do think that we have a glamorous life, however, there is much more to it.
I think that this passage is really interesting and expresses how the American dram seems so glamorous. For example when it says, “ Because if you do you’ll only feel the heat of the sweat and the life.” I believe that it is saying that you need certain balances with in your life and if you just want everything good in life you will lose yourself. When it says, “ But it won’t remind you of anything you see,” I think that it is saying that you have to uncover what things truly mean in your life. It relates to the American Dream in that everyone desires to have it but it is different for everyone and you have to discover what the American dream is personally to you. Also maybe how you shouldn’t get caught up in the glamour of life, and know what is truly important to you outside of what we want.
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it looks beautiful and desirable from the outside, but as you get closer, you see its true being, the ugliness. this reflects the american dream for the appearance (success and ultimately happiness) is more delectable than the reality of it all (sweat, work, and discouragement).
The American Dream is a concept desired everywhere, even outside of America. But in our country, for some reason we've grasped the idea that these material desires are what the people of America desserve vs. other places in the country. But the selfishness behind the American Dream is often looked at, but rarely acted upon, everyone can say that they think it is wrong, but if someone truley thought it was wrong, they would get themself away from it, and find a different lifestyle to surround themself with. The deeper you look into the American Dream, the worse it appears to be.
I think that this quote is essentially saying that the American Dream is not achievable. It basically says that it looks great from the outside, but if a person is to actually go after it, they will just realize how unachievable it really is. The American Dream looks as if it is something that is possible and will lead to great things, but on the inside it only leads to disappointment.
Fitzgerald is trying to describe the American dream, but also say that the person won't be able to get it. When Fitzgerald writes, "stand a little way off from it in a dark place," he suggests that it is better to observe the American dream and look at it but don't go toward and try to reach the dream. He implies that the American dream is beautiful and fabulous, but once a person gets close to it they will see it differently or still not be able to achieve the dream.
The passage shows that the American Dream tends to romanticize things to the point where they are unrealistic. The father says that when you get up close you realize that the lights are just a bunch of plastic and other things. We expect to much from reality. We enjoy the beauty of things that we imagine without actually looking at the true circumstances.
I believe this relates to the American dream because an amusement park is something that can be easily taken for granted and is a luxury that some people do not have. But the man gives him a warning that not everything that can be bought is worth it, although it looks fun and cool from far away, up close you realize it is a gross place filled with sweat and cheap food. Maybe the father does this because he never had the opputunity to go to an amusment park and enjoy the things like the smell of sweat and the bad food.
This passage relates to the American Dream, because from the outside looking in it may look beautiful like the amusement park. But once you are on the inside, you find it isn't as glamorous as it looks it actually takes a lot of work. "But don't get up close," he warned Rudolph, "because if you do you'll only feel the heat and the sweat and the life." The reality of the amusement park is very different from its outward appearance. Just like the American Dream, it seems light, joyful and easy, but reality is it is not.
The passage from F. Scott Fitzgerald relates directly to the American dream. When people travel from different places around the world and come to America they all have visions of the perfect life. They believe that they are going to an "amusement park" and there dreams will come true along with the sparkling lights. But as soon as you try and fulfill that dream it is shut down. With this story the father is warning the man that the idea of the American dreams and the excitement of the amusement park both look better from a distance. Once you are up close and personal with these things they aren't the same. From a distance they are both glamorous and new, however once you arrive it is just a let down. The American dream is hard to fulfill especially when you are starting with nothing. The amusement park is just dirty and smelly when you are in it. The theme of this passage is. Be careful about what you dream about because in the end it will most likely just let you down.
This passage by F. Scott Fitzgerald, implies the American dream because like the American dream everything always looks better from afar. The legend and perception always makes it out to be more glorious then it really turns out to be. "But don't get up close," he warned Rudolph, " because if you do you'll only feel the heat and the sweat and the life." Living the dream doesn’t turn out to be how the dream is originally dreamed. Up close you experience the hardships such as hard labor, poor living conditions, and scarcity of food.
The passage written by F. Scott Fitzgerald idolizes the value of perception. Each person views the world differently. The quote also exemplifies the power of influence. I feel that if the father had not informed the young boy of his somewhat negative view point of the American Dream that he may have viewed the idea differently. Many of us personify this idea of predetermined notion in our lives as we build our perception of the world around us based on that of others.
The american dream is portrayed in this in such ways that it almost bring great memories of the times that i have been there. All of the gleaming lights with the spinning rides and all of the steep roller-coasters. I notice the american dream here in a few ways. The first is how it attracts the human eye with all of the movement and color. Scott F. Fitzgerald shows that life may look like a fun time but once you get to the real part of it is throws you down like the water-slides, it has many ups and downs like the roller-coasters, and has bad times. The moral of this is that its the person the you become from all that mess that will show you who you truly are.
This passage for F. Scott Fitzgerald relates to the American Dream because sometimes the American Dream can be percieved as something "glittering" and colorful and exciting. It is something to dream about and hope for but like Fitzgerald said, "dont get too close.." because the heat, sweat (reality) of the American Dream is not what everyone has hoped for. I think that Fitzgerald is trying to say that the American Dream really is not what it is said to be. It is more of a dream itself instead of the true reality of life.
This passage for F. Scott Fitzgerald relates to the American Dream because sometimes the American Dream can be percieved as something "glittering" and colorful and exciting. It is something to dream about and hope for but like Fitzgerald said, "dont get too close.." because the heat, sweat (reality) of the American Dream is not what everyone has hoped for. I think that Fitzgerald is trying to say that the American Dream really is not what it is said to be. It is more of a dream itself instead of the true reality of life.
This passage from F. Scott Fitzgerald relates to the American Dream in many ways. One way that sticks out to me most is that life can sometimes be candy coated. It can seem to be happy, glorious, and perfect until you truly dig in and find the real essence. A quote that relates to this is from the end of the passage "but don't get up close or you will only feel the heat, and sweat, and life". It is pretty to behold but when you enter into it you experience the difficulty and struggle.
This passage from F. Scott Fitzgerald relates to the American Dream in many ways. One way that sticks out to me most is that life can sometimes be candy coated. It can seem to be happy, glorious, and perfect until you truly dig in and find the real essence. A quote that relates to this is from the end of the passage "but don't get up close or you will only feel the heat, and sweat, and life". It is pretty to behold but when you enter into it you experience the difficulty and struggle.
I think that this quote is basically saying that the American Dream isn't an option to everyone. It basically says that it looks great from the outside, but if a person would actually go after it, they would just realize it really is. The American Dream looks as if it is something that is possible and will lead to great things, but really it only leads to disappointment.
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