The American Dream?
In Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Albee reveals the shallowness and meaninglessness of modern society, and exposes the falsity of "The American Dream." In doing this, he refers to many different facets of society such as alcohol, social conventions, measures of success and corruption on a number of levels. Violence manifested in both language and action, reflect the frustration of the characters in not being able to live up to society's expectations. "The America Dream" is a life lived to, or close to,perfection, but the american dream is just what is says, it is just a "dream." It is a dream dreamt by many. Edward Albee takes this american dream and conveys it in its true form in his play. In writing this play, he exposes the falseness of the american dream and shows the audience what this dream really consists of. The american dream does have its definition, but since it is only a dream, reality in comparison is almost an exact opposite. This reality is full of illusion, falseness, and deceit. In his play, Albee takes western society as a whole and places it under one household. He shows what western society is through his characters. He shows the american dream in it's true form and not a
He is someone who is looked up to by others and these others try to replicate him. Violence, conflict, and the use of alcohol are more of the important ones that Albee has implemented. As the night continues, increasingly do Nick and Honey learn just like how any teenager today would learn about life and society as it is today. Instead of facing up to reality, people create their own reality. Martha uses her son to cope with her problems with George. In a sense, The american dream is actually represented by Martha's farther who does not actually appear in the play but whom George and Martha frequently bring up into conversation. Through his characters, Albee was able to reveal the different types of people who make up society today. The use of alcohol throughout the play is very extensive. "Drinks now! Drinks for all!"(31) This shows that Albee feels very strong about the subject of alcohol abuse in today's western society. In only recently coming to town, Albee uses this to convey the message that Nick and Honey have only recently arrived to life and reality. In creating her own reality, she becomes very involved into her made up world and almost nearly forgets about reality. In just one night, factors of western society are conveyed - violence, alcohol, lies, deceit, conflict, - along with those who participate. "You want to play Bringing Up Baby, don't you!"(99) But Martha becomes so immensely involved in her reality that she has created which has combined true reality with hers that in the end, she has confused herself in that she is no long!er to tell the difference between the true reality around her and the reality that she has created. The play is his, demonic urge to expose what he takes to be the falseness of the "American Dream.
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Acceptance Essays
