In his Recount, Carey McWilliams introduces his interpretation of life within the boundaries of Hollywood, the world that radically differs from reality. In particular, the writer refers to it as a place that everything can find a rescue from real-life problems and daily routine, a world where some unexpected events are constantly taking place and everyone witnesses their dreams to come true. At the same time, Hollywood is also represented as a dystopia where nothing can bring in a better future, except for the possibility to forget all negative experiences. Deception, illusion, and veiled dreams are the only things that Hollywood can offer to people. Despite this, people still strive to release their sufferings by falling into the fake world of the movie industry.
Lack of genuineness and authenticity makes the Hollywood world deprived of true values and, as a result, all the events that happened in this realm cannot be perceived with the utmost feelings and emotions. Thus, the author mentions some events with extreme calmness and reason, as if these events should be taken for granted. What is more threatening is that all people involved in the movie industry find it hard to distinguish between the real world and the one that is dictated by Hollywood. The recount under analysis, therefore, reflects accurately the problems and hardships of the Depression period during which people strived to escape from the challenges of life and delve into the ideal framework created in Hollywood. Indeed, the movie industry has managed to take advantage of people’s hopelessness and capture them in their own dreams and wishes. Therefore, it is logical that McWilliams compares Hollywood with the place where people are living in circles.