Can a person attain the American Dream while still holding on to one’s morals? Using the premise that the American Dream embodies financial success and a comfortable life authors such as Rebecca Harding Davis and William Dean Howells recognize that financial gain is more important then morality This realistic view of the American Dream represents an accurate picture of American society. When people are faced with a decision to gain wealth or remain poor most will make the decision to take the money no matter what the moral consequences. Therefore, attaining and keeping the American dream while retaining one’s morals is only an idealistic fantasy.

Realism tries to depict life as it really happens and disprove idealistic notions of how life will turn out. Davis uses Realism combined with Naturalism in Life In the Iron mills to show that attaining the American dream for some is only that: a dream. Howells uses realism in The Rise of Silas Lapham to show that life should not be represented through false expectations but through real experiences. People’s true actions can also be seen in two movies Dir. Erich Von Stroheim’s Greed and Dir. Edgar Selwyn’s Skyscraper Souls. The

Howell’s realism takes a different path in the Rise of Silas Lapham. Howell uses the principles of realism to show how the American Dream is an unrealistic vision of life. In doing so he takes the American Dream and methodically breaks it apart. He illustrates this through the character of Silas Lapham. Silas attains the American Dream of wealth by making an immoral decision to cut his partner out of his painting business. He is not even willing to see his mistake, “What do you want I should own up about a thing for when I don’t feel wrong (47). By ignoring the fact that he committed an immoral act against someone else, Silas does not have to face his actions. The reality of this is that many people dismiss their actions when they feel they have done something wrong. This justifies their actions leaving them to feel at ease with their conscience and continue on with the pursuit of the American Dream. However, the reality of putting something in the back of your mind is that it will come to haunt you. Silas’s business partner Roger comes to ask for a loan in order to start up a business opportunity. Silas agrees to help him in order to repay his moral debt to him. In a sentimental story this would have been the end of Silas’s debt to Roger. However, Howell uses this opportunity to show the realistic side of life. Roger’s opportunity did not pan out and Silas was forced to give up his American dream. It can be seen in the description of Silas’s state that his pursuit of wealth had cost him dearly. “He was rather shabby and slovenly in dress, and he had fallen unkempt, the house was plain, it had all necessaries, but no luxuries” [sic] (363). Silas went from a man that had everything to a man that only possessed the necessities. The American dream was achieved but it was quickly spent because Silas decided to take the moral high ground. It can be seen through Howell’s story that when striving for riches it does not work to be moral. However, if the American Dream were only to have the necessities for living then morality would be realistic.

se two movies show examples of trading morals for financial gain. There are authors such as Benjamin Franklin and Horatio Alger Jr. who wrote works based on unrealistic expectations for the betterment of society. Franklin’s “Autobiography” and Alger’s Ragged Dick lay down a framework for moral perfection in order to gain success. The problem is that society is not guided by moral perfection but it is guided by wealth. Th

Some topics in this essay:
American Dream, Iron Mill, Souls Selwyn, Roger Howell, Hugh Deb, Ragged Dick, Iron Mills, american dream, Von Stroheim, Silas Lapham, Naturalism Realism, iron mills, silas lapham, attain american dream, rise silas, society people, dream dream, american society, morality realistic, davis reality, rise silas lapham, life iron mills, american dream dream, owner building,