Introduction
As Cullen discussed different variations of the American Dream, the dream of the coast also had several geographical representations. For example, Las Vegas implied getting something for nothing, one of the elements of the dream of the coast (Cullen, 2004). However, his main emphasis stayed on California as the center of the American Dream of the Coast.
Cullen’s Definition of the Coastal Dream: A Mirage of Reinvention and Leisure
When exemplifying the Gold Rush in California, Cullen states that its main element was “that transformative riches were literally at your feet, there for the taking, cast a deep and lasting spell on the American imagination” (Cullen, 170). This quote works for the whole sense of the Dream of Cost, implying the American desire to have a bigger output with less input or become richer without substantive contribution. Although modern Hollywood became the representation of this history, its main root and expression was the Gold Rush, which happened in the exact geographical location.
Hollywood Illusions in The Day of the Locust: A Failed Fantasy
One of the scenes representing the whole false desire of the Dream of the Coast was through the death of Harry and the dialogue between Mrs. Johnson and Faye. After trying to work on procedures, Mrs. Johnson asks if Faye has any money, and she replies with a short “no” (West, 78). In this sense, Mrs. Johnson implies that “the city will have to bury him” (West, 78). Although seen as a usual procedure of dealing with dead people, the stress on the city and burying reflect the aftermath of going after the dream of the coast. It implies that this individual has no place in heaven with only desire and no money.
The cruelty here also shows how the city itself, as if it were a living body, buries you to the down of the social structure. During the funerals for Harry, Tod had only been thinking about how Faye earned money for her dress, implying how poverty and hardships on becoming part of “Haven of Hollywood” reinforce the state of mind for individuals. It represents the cruelty of the acting world that seemed for Tod to get into and become rich quickly. At this point, the hardships and death – are another side of the Dream of the Coast.
The Mirage of Promise in There Will Be Blood (2007): Coastal Wealth and Moral Decay
One of the vital scenes in “There Will Be Blood” is shown when Daniel Plainview tries to convince landowners to give them oil drilling spots for him that will guarantee them money. His emphasis on the easiness of getting rich strongly correlates with the Dream of Coast. It is similar to Cullen’s association of Las Vegas as a land of promises, where risks taken for gambling can theoretically be occupied but usually fails to do so.
In the preceding scene, another individual comes to sell information on the oil drilling area to receive money as soon as possible (Anderson, 2007). Here, it is similar that Plainview faces high risks of not profiting from oil drilling, but it still implies the guaranteed success and wealth it can bring to every partner. The easiness and quickness of becoming wealthy consumed by false hopes stress Cullen’s observation of the worlds that Las Vegas and California create.
Conclusion
Overall, Cullen emphasizes how the American Dream took over nations’ minds and forced them to perform to get the desired outcome, possibly motivated by false hopes. Different examples of the dream of cost during the gold rush, oil drilling, gambling, or simply trying to become a perspective actor were shown here. Still, it follows the same principle—the desire to become wealthy as soon as possible with little or no contribution to this success.
References
Cullen, J. (2003). The American Dream: A short history of an ideal that shaped a nation. Oxford University Press.
West, N. (2013). The day of the locust. Important Books. (original work published in 1939)
Anderson, Pol T. (2007). There will be blood. [film]. Ghoulardi Film Company.