Abstract:In the literature of the United States, American dream has become an eternal theme, reflected in literary outputs of different times. Theodore Dreiser boldly took the lead in describing the American dream in his writings profoundly and comprehensively by using realistic writing techniques. Trilogy of Desire is one of his important representatives which depicts the American dream of the main character Frank Cowperwood, as well as the process of its disillusionment. Cowperwood seeks expansion in the banking business and social status, but fails completely in the end. It is analyzed that the shattering of Cowperwood’ s dream was caused by the impact of consumption culture, weakness of individual character and the author’ s own pessimism. 

Key words: American dream; Trilogy of Desire; Frank Cowperwood

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1.Introduction .......1

  1.1 An Overview of American Dream

  1.2 Introduction to Theodore Dreiser

  1.3 Introduction to Trilogy of Desire

2. Embodiments of Cowperwood’ s American Dream.3

2.1 Greedy Expansion of Career

2.2 Blind Eagerness for Social Status

3. Causes of Disillusion of Cowperwood’ s American Dream.5

  3.1 Impact of Consumption Culture

  3.2 Character Flaws in Cowperwood

  3.3 Dreiser’ s Pessimism

4. Conclusion8

Bibliography.10

Acknowledgements..11