Realization of American Dream as Self-realization in the Novels of Carol Shields

Dr. C. Dhanabal, Prof. R. Priyanka

Abstract


Every individual lives in angst and uncertainties. Narratives of individuals who achieve success or those who seem to have actualized great possibilities, offers a positive thinking in the reader. Novels which portrays lives of people who begin their lives humbly but achieve material advancements by innovative and creative actions provokes much interest and thought. Most people presume that such achievements are self-realization. They do not see it is not really self-realization at all. American Dream may often be associated with self-realization. The novels of Carol Shields may portray such achievements in most characters. The point is these are not self-realization because characters even after realizing their American Dreams continue to suffer from uncertainties and angst. They are not happy in the real sense of the word but are merely pleasured. The paper studies this problem in the novels of Carol Shields and shows that upward mobility is not self-realization and neither is it soul satisfying.


Keywords


Self-realization, Existentialism, Ontology, American Dream, Upward and Linear mobility, Perception, Angst, Being, Enlightenment.

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