Critique of American Dream in Yaa Gyasi's Transcendent Kingdom
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of English
Abstract
This research paper explores the critique of the American Dream in Yaa
Gyasi's novel Transcendent Kingdom (2020).It presents the meager case of getting
life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (Declaration of Independence, 1776), for the
migrated ordinary people though they dream such things in their life, no matter what
the circumstances are. As the majority of people have been mobilized by the few
exploited group, there has been the failure of immigrants’ aspirations. This paper
shows that the dream of working class does not turn to reality during the
contemporary time because of the oppressed groups of people. It shows that the
promises of material prosperity rather lead lives of these characters to trouble,
alienation, and fragmentation. The democratic values of equality and respect are
crumbled by practices of discrimination based on gender, race, and nationality.
Immigrants hardly achieve the prosperity and dignified life they had expected. This
failure suggests the decadence of the American dream. This study deals with the
disillusioned and disappointed lives of characters through the racial, gender and
nationality-based prejudice.