Throughout his musical career Bruce Springsteen truly has been "the boss" of vividly chronicling the American Dream. With his eloquent song writing and hold-nothing-back attitude Springsteen has rightfully defined the full spectrum of American life, from its greatest highs to its agonizing lows. In the songs "Born to Run," "The Ghost of Tom Joad," and "The Land of Hope and Dreams" Springsteen employs an underlying theme of optimism. He is brutally honest about the harsh realities of life, but offers his listeners a twinge of hope.
             "Born to Run" epitomizes the complex feelings of youthful optimism. From Springsteen's use of a full band and upbeat tempo to the overall message of hope, the positive message is widespread. Written in 1975 when Springsteen finally makes it into the mainstream music industry, the song's feelings of optimism come at a time when he is finally becoming successful. Being hailed as the "new Dylan," his view on life was a happy one and the song and its story reflect these feelings. In the song, the character possesses a belief that anything is possible, and he maintains confidence that he will eventually escape from hard times to a better place with his love interest Wendy. The character's view that brighter days are ahead is captured entirely in the lyric "someday girl, I don't know when, we're gonna get to that place where we really want to go." Springsteen shows the character's motivation to leave through vibrant imagery. His description of a rough setting portrays a grim realism: "this town rips the bones from your back; it's a death trap." However, the character believes they will somehow break free. With the wind at their back and the open road ahead, the character describes his feeling that they were meant to escape when he says "baby we were born to run."
             ...