Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction to John Steinbeck-1

1.2 Introduction to The Grapes of Wrath-1

1.3 Literature Review-3

1.4 Composition of the Paper-4

Chapter Two A Historical Retrospect of American Dream-5

2.1 A Brief Introduction to American Dream-5

2.1.1 The Origin and development of American Dream-5

2.1.2 The Essence of American Dream-5

2.2 The Corruptionof American Dream-6

Chapter Three From Good Dream to Nightmare in the The Grapes of Wrath-7

3.1 The Aspiration for the American Dream—Good Dream-7

3.2 The Crush of the American Dream—Nightmare-7

Chapter Four The Reasons of the Disillusion of the American Dream-9

4.1 Economic factors-9

4.1.1 Economic Crisis in the 1930s-9

4.1.2 The Exploitation of Agricultural Capital-9

4.1.3 The Emergence of Industrialization-10

4.2 Social Factors-11

4.2.1 Conflicts between the Poor and the Rich-11

4.2.2 The Oppression of the State Apparatus-11

4.3 Natural Factor-12

Chapter Five Conclusion-14

References..15

Abstract

John Steinbeck was one of the most important American writers in the twentieth century. In his life, he experienced ups and downs and created a lot of work. His famous novel The Grapes of Wrath was created in 1939. When it was published, the novel enjoyed a great fame all over the world. Having the American Dream in their mind, the Joad went to California to look for opportunities to get rich. However, the American Dream was broken at last. They were still unemployed, hungry and miserable. The Joad gradually lost their confidence in American Dream due to these failures. They realized that success can only be achieved through revolt.

The American Dream is always a timeless topic. With the development of the society, the American Dream is constantly changing. What is the American Dream? Is it a good dream or a nightmare? Different scholars study from different angles. Some believe that the American Dream is the national spirit of the United States. Everyone has the opportunity to achieve success by hard work. Others argue that the realization of American Dream not only needs hard work, but also other social connections. 

In the The Grapes of Wrath, despite the tough life, the farmers untied to struggle for a better life because they had American Dream in their minds. At first, the American Dream was full, giving people hope and encouragement. Gradually, facing more and more problems, they found that the American dream was heartbreaking. This paper tries to reveal the tragic fate of the lower classes from the perspectives of economic, social and natural factors and analyze the reasons of the disillusion of the American Dream. Although the disillusion of the American Dream caused all sorts of tragedies, the spirit of pursuit and solidarity will be forever remembered.

Keywords:  John Steinbeck   The Grapes of Wrath   American Dream