Prikaz američkog sna u Plodovima gnjeva Johna Steinbecka i filmskoj adaptaciji Johna Forda

The goal of this paper is to show the similarities and the differences in the portrayal of the American Dream in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath and John Ford’s film adaptation. The American Dream is the national creed that highlights ideas like freedom, individualism, and equality of opportunity as supreme. James Truslow Adams gives expression to this long-lasting idea that stems from the Puritans and is further influenced by the Founding Fathers, multitudes of entrepreneurs, and momentous events like the Gold Rush. By analysing the two media’s depictions of the American Dream it is shown how their dissimilarities result in two contrasting schools of thought. This paper suggests that the reasons for the migrants’ predicament can be attributed to the Dream’s emphasis on monetary success and private ownership. Furthermore, the family’s otherness shows the discrepancy of the Dream’s ideals and its harsh reality; their otherness stems from their lowly economic status, and it excludes them from the promises of the Dream. Consequently, a link is established between the two media and the Un-American idea of communism to give the deconstruction of the Dream. Finally, the different outcomes of the novel and the adaptation are highlighted, as their endings provide two distinct solutions to the problems indicated: the author necessitates a spiritual change to bring about an outer change, in contrast to the survival and the importance of moving forward as suggested in the adaptation