Summery and Analysis of The American Dream

When we first started reading this, I actually wasn't in class. I don't know if it would've helped had I been in class but it was a struggle to find any meaning in the play. I just wasn't seeing it. Confusion just held my brain on this until we read in class how this play is identified as being part of Theater of the Absurd. Absurd sure was a word for it. Diving into more detail, the play isn't completely part of Theater of the Absurd, but it possesses qualities that are similar and when applied to this play give more meaning. So now, after hours of annotations and discussions with classmates, here his my summary and analysis of Edward Albee's The American Dream. (Just in case my photographic memory fails me in a couple of weeks/months.)

Hmmm... Where do I begin? ...

The play starts out with two characters, Mommy and Daddy, in the living room in their apartment. They are never given names and when spoken to in the play are referred to as Mommy and Daddy. (This is due to how they represent in the story not just one person or one idea, but rather the society as a whole-- all of the Mommies and Daddies in America.) Mommy and Daddy are speaking to each other about how they cannot obtain satisfaction as they wait for "them". (This is a major theme in the story line as the play as a whole makes references back to this conversation. We also eventually find out that this is the purpose of Mommy and Daddy in the play: to find satisfaction.) As the two are speaking about satisfaction and how they just can't seem to find it these days, Grandma enters. (Again, this is her name and how she's referred to, representing the masses of society and not one individual.) Immediately when Grandma enters there's a focus on what she brings: her boxes.

The boxes that Grandma brings are all wrapped up very nicely; this creates something new and seemingly trivial for Mommy and Daddy to talk about as Grandma leaves to get more boxes. The boxes are the substance of the apartment, literally and unknown to Mommy and Daddy at the time. (The boxes represent the substance of the old American dream and how it's being moved out of where it was. It's still nicely wrapped because it looks nice, but no one wants them anymore, just as Mommy and Daddy don't want the boxes either-- they just want to know what's inside of them.) Grandma's return with more boxes starts the second theme of this play: the struggle for control.

Mommy, Daddy and Grandma are all fighting for control as they talk about "the van people" that are coming to take Grandma away when they are interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell: the "they" that Mommy and Daddy have been waiting for have finally arrived. An important scene takes place here to emphasize a motif in the story, the motif being that there is an opposite role in the sexes between Mommy and Daddy. The doorbell rings and Mommy tells Daddy to get the door. However, Daddy has second thoughts and starts to step back when Mommy steps in and metaphorically holds Daddy's masculinity in front of him, almost taunting him, to open the door. This is the closest scene that we see to being sexual as Mommy is throwing out innuendos left and right for Daddy to take charge and open the door. When Daddy get's too scared and doesn't, Mommy retorts with "Oh, look at you! You're turning into jelly; you're indecisive; you're a woman" (p.75, l.4). This further supports the motif of opposite roles of sexes between Mommy and Daddy and shows just how much control Mommy has over Daddy as he runs to the door to regain his honor.

As the door opens in steps the fourth character we are introduced to, however this one is different than all the others. She actually has a name: Mrs. Barker. Mrs. Barker is here to help Mommy and Daddy, but she doesn't know what she's helping them with. This is the main conflict in the story. The arrival of Mrs. Barker also adds to the power struggle happening constantly as Mommy, who normally wins, is feeling threatened by Mrs. Barker and wants to make sure she's still in control of everything. They all talk together because no one can figure out why Mrs. Barker is there except that Grandma knows, but no one listens to her. Mommy and Grandma get into an argument forcing Daddy to go take apart Grandma's TV*. Mrs. Barker is feeling uncomfortable in the hostile mood and requires water which Mommy tells Grandma to go get for Mrs. Barker but Grandma refuses. This is where Mommy's control over Grandma finally crumbles. It wasn't much there to begin with but finally falls here, causing Mommy to have to leave and go get the water herself.

Since Grandma and Mrs. Barker are the only two left, Grandma "hints" to Mrs. Barker as to why she's here. Mrs. Barker then has to leave to follow Mommy to get her glass of water* as she takes in what she just heard from Grandma. As Mrs. Barker leaves, the final character enters. His name is Young Man, for the reasons that I stated previously. Grandma starts to call him "the American Dream" since he has a lovely physical appearance but lacks substance which is shown when he says "I'll do almost anything for money" (p.109 l.8) This represents how Americans have become so engrossed in material things and money that the new "American Dream" revolves around money whereas the old American Dream, played by Grandma in the story, is represented by substance. That is why Grandma has so many boxes-- she has all the substance. As the Young Man and Grandma begin talking, he tells her of his twin that he had--identical twin--and how he hasn't seen his twin since they were little but now feels empty inside. (Again, supporting the hollowness of new vs. old.) Grandma realizes this and formulates a plan.

Mrs. Barker enters back now and Grandma tells Mrs. Barker of her plan as she has the Young Man take her boxes out of the apartment for her. Grandma tells Mrs. Barker of her plan to have the Young Man be adopted by Mommy and Daddy (this isn't found out until the end) and Mrs. Barker thinks it's a grand idea. Mrs. Barker leaves to go find Mommy and Daddy to tell them of her plan, leaving Grandma all alone. Grandma starts to show some sadness of being replaced (both metaphorically and literally) as the Young Man comes back and tries to console her. Grandma realizes it's time for her to leave and is escorted out by the Young Man. Mrs. Barker enters back with Mommy and Daddy after telling them that she knows what she's here for and that everything is settled and they can get satisfaction. (Important theme) As Mommy realizes that Grandma is gone, she starts to cry from the loss of control she has. Right on cue, Mrs. Barker shows Mommy her "surprise"-- a new American Dream. All the while Grandma is watching this happen and no one can see her but the Young Man, showing a final movement of old to new.