What is the normal American lifestyle in your own definition? Does it have to do with the certain house you live in or the certain number of family members you have. Or is it even as simple as having a two car garage with a front lawn and two kids. In the book “Scratch beginnings” by Adam Shepard , the main character Adam searches to see if the American dream is still alive. I came upon this quote by Jack Kerouac: “This is the story of America. Everybody is doing what they think they are supposed to”. This quote really made me think more about Adam’s quest to find the American Dream.
In America nobody wants to be poor or homeless, but sometimes it gets hard in this decade to live the American lifestyle normally, or what everyone thinks they are supposed to do. “I have 365 days to become free of the realities of homelessness and become a regular member of society” (XIV Shepard). It’s interesting how human nature people want to be apart of society. I like how Adam said this because there is no “regular” member, everyone has a different part in society. We all have goals in life, between things we want and things that we need. after all having goals is healthy in the American lifestyle. “After one year, for my project to be considered successful, I have to possess an operable automobile, live in a furnished apartment (alone or with a roommate), have $2,500 in cash, and, most importantly, I have to be in a position in which I can continue to improve my circumstances by either going school or starting my own business” (XIV Shepard). Adam’s goal seems really ambitious, and seems almost impossible at the point he is starting in this novel, at the scratch beginning. In different countries around the world their goals are probably different from an average American. In their country their goal would be to afford food, because some countries are very poor. In America we all kinda copy each other in a way if you think about it, since i was growing up I thought the thing to do was to get married get a house and kids. Now I see you can do so much more with your life and not just what you think you are supposed to. “I resent that theory, and my story is a search to evaluate if hard work, and discipline, provide any payoff whatsoever or if they are, as Ehrenreich suggests, futile pursuits” (XV Shepard). I believe if you do work hard at your goals, it is true they will become reality. Theres a difference between wanting your goals to come true and making your goals come true, its hard work. Futile Pursuits are kind of what happens when people fail on doing what they think they are supposed to be doing. The truth is no human on earth knows what we are supposed to do, we made our own rules and follow them as if thats all we do in life. Whether Adam thought he was supposed to live the American dream or if he really wanted to, this story still is a great example of someone trying to reach their goals, that is the story of America. |