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Essay / The Dark Side of the American Dream
In Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey, the Stamper family illustrates how idealistic American culture – and the equally idealistic individuals who live and work within that culture – are corrupted by the dark side of the American dream. the American dream. The Stamper family follows a life without threat, unregulated freedom, and an unrestricted pursuit of happiness, which leads them to the inevitable end of that quest. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe theory that every man has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is often biased and is rather seen as a right of every man. to the maximum of its capacities of these inalienable rights, causing harm which it can inflict on its neighbors. This dark side is further defined as the pursuit of financial success and personal power, both of which come at the expense of others. The Stampers' determination to freely pursue their lives, liberty, and happiness on their own terms puts them in conflict with others who are trying to do exactly the same thing. The family runs a Gyppo logging operation in Wakonda, Oregon, and has an agreement with a logging union called Wakonda Pacific. The gravity of their decision quickly becomes apparent when the town's logging industry goes on strike. The Stampers' agreement with Wakonda Pacific confronts them with the responsibility of fulfilling these strikers' contracts with a very limited number of family members. Although the contract is presented as somewhat unfeasible, even the town admits that "half the men can cut down twice as many trees" (Kesey 46), and the Stampers are confident they can meet the deadline. As the town is left in a disoriented state, one wonders "who do they think they are, anyway?" These Stampers? To do this bad thing? , the family worries about a heavy workload and neglects the potential corollaries of their decision. This Stamper manifestation of the American dream is deeply rooted in the inherent idea of “Never Give A Inch” – a family motto that rests on a plaque in Hank Stamper's bedroom. This plaque was originally an image of Jesus, but was painted with garish yellow machine paint and stamped with the motto and now represents how the Stamper family's values of determination and stubbornness paint several universal values throughout the novel. This drive not only causes the Stampers to ignore widely held values, but also directs them toward a goal that can only be achieved at the expense of others. In the midst of this strike, Hank Stamper is confronted by union negotiator, Jonathan Bailey Draeger, who reminds Hank that "a lot of people in town depend on this factory reopening" (Kesey 360). Hank Stamper is offended by Draeger's attempt to blame him and convince him to sell the operation and dismisses any human concern for the city by exposing his ambitious and self-fulfilling personality: If we were to get into a deal with Russia , I would fight. for us to the end, and if Oregon were to engage with California, I would fight for Oregon. But if anyone -- Biggy Newton, the carpenters' union or anyone else -- comes after me, then I'm all for it! When the stakes are low, I'm my own patriot. I don't care, the other guy is my own brother waving the American flag and singing the fucking Star Spangled Banner! (Kesey 363) Kesey portrays Hank Stamper as a protagonist who not only embodies honesty, integrity and commitment,but also cruelty, aggressiveness and insensitivity. These negative traits surface when it comes to acting on one's determination. When Hank deliberately tells Draeger, "[You] can tell my good friends and neighbors that Hank Stamper is heartless as a stone if you want" (Kesey 363), it becomes clear that he doesn't care about good common, but immediate good. of himself and his immediate surroundings. Hank, unlike many characters, does not undergo any transformation throughout the novel and generally remains fixed in terms of attitude and beliefs. His character's perseverance further highlights the persistence of his motivations and family interests. His father, Henry, and brother Lee, exhibit similar tendencies and attitudes, but become disabled throughout the novel, both literally and figuratively. Henry loses his arm in a logging accident and Lee becomes embroiled in an affair with Hank's wife, distracting both characters from the family's initial pursuit of this modified American dream. Conflict within the family only serves to cover up the exponential growth of obsession, allowing Hank Stamper to pursue an ambition that ultimately benefits only himself and leaves the family in ruins. His invulnerability leads him to ignore key moral principles and embody a callous and callous lifestyle. By the end of the novel, Hank Stamper's belief in the plaque is stronger than his belief in his family. He constantly pursues his corrupt idea of the American dream, which was initially supposed to bring down everyone around the Stamper family, but is covered up until it leaks from its margins and preys on members of the family. The philosophy ends up reflecting Hank Stamper's best interests, as opposed to those of the family as a whole. His intent becomes malicious towards those he considers close - even his wife, Viv, who can no longer bear the loneliness his intent causes her and commits adultery. This obsession not only causes internal conflict within the Stampers, but also forces the family to cope. resentment from outside the city: "The citizens really had no right to get comfortable blaming the rain... when it was so obvious that the city's worries and misfortunes were caused by... this damn hard nose up the river! (Kesey 400). Since Hank finds himself constantly impervious to the town's shouting and Draeger's pressure, the burden falls on the rest of his family. The consequences of the family's frantic pursuit are experienced by Viv, who is snubbed by the town and ends up "not answering the phone during the day (she had already stopped going shopping in Wakonda, and even had cold stares when she went to Wakonda). far as Florence)” (Kesey 444). The unregulated freedom that Hank Stamper believes he possesses even begins to limit the freedom of his extended family. Insisting that the farm be sold, Orland complains to Hank, “We have to worry about the neighbors!” You don’t have a teenage daughter coming home crying because the kids at school don’t want her to be voted out of the Y-teens” (Kesey 418). A family member is eventually killed in a logging accident and the adultery between Lee and Viv is no longer concealed towards the end of the novel. The family's deterioration is obvious to all but is steadfastly ignored by Hank Stamper, who keeps logging as his top priority and declares, "I'm going to finish this last boom... it doesn't matter if I get the flu from every countries of the world” (Kesey 449). However, Hank's pursuit of a supposedly threat-free life ends up compromising his ability to fulfill the contract with Wakonda Pacific. Despite his fear that, 1964.