What does it mean to achieve the American Dream? Most of us would probably say that it has something to do with attaining financial success—perhaps by any means necessary. As the self-proclaimed land of opportunity, America is awash with stories of upward mobility and successful “get rich quick” schemes. Why do stories of people climbing their way to the upper echelons of society maintain such a powerful hold on the American imagination? What does this phenomenon tell us about sociopolitical life in America?

This course invites students to contemplate these questions and to explore the history of America’s cultural fascination with the pursuit of wealth and status. We will begin by reading two classic narratives from the early days of American big business and work our way up to the twenty-first century, the era of television shows like Billions and Breaking Bad. Along our journey through the collective American psyche we will consider what these narratives have to say not only about the acquisition of wealth but also about the sources of financial failure, the emotional and psychological effects of class mobility, the nature of corruption and criminality, and what it takes to overcome hardships such as poverty, disability, and discrimination. 

This course satisfies the following CURRENT English major/minor requirements: American Literature, Identity/Difference

This course satisfies the following NEW English major/minor requirements: TBD

Course Requirements:

This class will consist of weekly lectures and discussions. Students will submit weekly reading notes and complete one class presentation and two take-home exams.