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Analysis Of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

1787 Words8 Pages

Far from Mainstream The American Dream began in 1620 when the pilgrims ventured from England to the New World on a journey in search of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The pilgrims characterized the new world as a place of freedom, democracy, and equality for all. When the Gold Rush began in 1848, happiness was defined by wealth, success, and a rigorous faith in hard work. These ideals defined the American Dream and created a distinct culture of ambitious, hard working individuals; however, Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: a Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream showcases a contemporary culture that has radically redefined the American Dream. Thompson’s novel was originally inspired by the death of the American Dream but later evolved into a story showcasing just how thriving the contemporary American Dream truly is. Fear and Loathing follows Raoul Duke, Thompson’s counterpart, and his attorney …show more content…

Examples range from the colonization of the pilgrims who defined the American Dream as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; Moss Hart’s definition characterized as a tale of a poor boy who achieved fame and fortune; Sammy’s adolescent desire for growth and development; Jackson’s meager lifestyle focused on mere survival, or Thompson’s very own excessive, chaotic, and intoxicated reality. All definitions vary person to person but have evolved into the contemporary American Dream which embodies Thompson’s excessive lifestyle. This can be seen with society's present skewed values surrounding consumerism, self-absorption, and individuals’ inability to experience and appreciate the present moment. This radical shift of the American Dream began with the counterculture of the 1960’s and 1970’s, explicitly illustrated in Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: a Savage Journey to the Heart of the American

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