American Dream Response

Author: Edward Albee

Setting: Mommy & Daddy's apartment

Significant Characters:

Mommy- a selfish, controlling woman. An unusually masculine figure in the story. Seems to feel no emotions toward anyone, including her mother or her husband. Only concerned with material goods. Regularly emasculates her husband.

Daddy- a belittled man who goes along with Mommy's harsh harassment against his manliness, seemingly unable to think for himself, though he does have some affinity for Grandma.

Grandma- a sassy old woman, she points out much of the truth in the play, and seems to be the wisest of them all. She also possibly embodies the old American Dream.

Mrs. Barker- a woman who works with adoptive services, who comes to the apartment but is unsure of why she is even there.

Young Man- the twin of Mommy and Daddy's first child, dubbed by Grandma as the new American Dream, because of his beautiful materialistic appearance, but his lack of substance. 

Plot:

Mommy and Daddy sit in their apartment, waiting for someone to come. Grandma then enters, talking about her boxes and then Mommy reprimands her for being old and noisy. Mommy and Daddy ponder where they are and what they are doing for a while. Mrs. Barker then appears after, and though she doesn't seem to know why she's there either, Grandma eventually reveals that Mommy and Daddy had adopted a child from her before, and describes how they mutilated and eventually killed it. However, Mrs. Barker fails to understand what Grandma is hinting at. The Young Man then shows up, looking for work. He tells the story about how he's empty inside because a part of him has been killed, leading Grandma to determine that he's the twin of Mommy and Daddy's first child, and he is dubbed the new American Dream. When Mommy sees him, she is very pleased, and her behavior suggests that he could replace her old child. In the end, Grandma leaves the scene, and the rest of the characters seem very happy. 

Narrative Voice/Style:
The voice is seen as very sardonic, and mocking of American life and values. The characters' dialogue is sometimes very irritating because of the way Albee depicts them--very stupidly. The imagery of the mutilated child of Mommy and Daddy's, as well as Grandma's quips about old people, all show the shocking corruption of American life that Albee is trying to portray in his play. The symbolism of Grandma's boxes, which could be interpreted to mean old American values, also illustrates the changing nature of the American Dream, as well as the Young Man, empty on the inside, symbolizing the new American Dream.

Quotes:
"'I can't stand it, watching her do the cooking and the housework, polishing the silver, moving the furniture'" (Albee 67). ~ Mommy demonstrates her lack of appreciation for honest work, and further proves her need for immediate satisfaction. Mommy also is concern with material things.
"'Yup. Boy, you know what you are, don't you? You're the American Dream, that's what you are. All those other people, they don't know what they're talking about'" (Albee 108). ~ This quote shows Grandma's conviction that the Young Man is the American Dream, and also establishes in her a certain amount of authority to determine that for the audience.

Theme:
Albee's American Dream demonstrates the emptiness of American values and the corruption of the American Dream, which is the reason why people can't get any satisfaction. The setting and plot contribute to this because the mundane apartment and lives of Mommy and Daddy show the inherent meaninglessness of their existence, and the sarcastic narrative voice further serves to make fun of their situation. The style, tone, imagery, and symbolism also support this theme, because they point out the ridiculous aspects of Mommy and Daddy's relationships and ideas. Finally, the title of the play also mocks the idea of the American Dream, because the play reveals all the unflattering aspects of its namesake, and what Albee thinks it's become.