This essay discusses with regard to the concept of the American Dream. The paper relates to this respective idea in parallel to Gus Van Sant's 1997 motion picture "Good Will Hunting". The film presents viewers with the story of Will Hunting, a character who seems hesitant about getting what most people are obsessed with - financial security and success.
¶ … American Dream in the context of Gus Van Sant's 1997 film "Good Will Hunting"
There has been much controversy with regard to the American Dream during recent years, as people appear to be more and more hesitant about accepting the fact that it exists. "Good Will Hunting" stands as a perfect example concerning a person who feels fed up with promises associated with living the American Dream and simply wants to live life the ways that he feels is best. While the film also emphasizes how a person can fail in taking advantage of the opportunity to live the 'American Dream', it also makes it possible for viewers to understand that people should actually focus on appreciating things that actually matter instead of being obsessed with the material aspect of the dream.
The protagonist's name, Will, is basically meant to emphasize his main problem -- his lack of will. "He lacks the desire to leave behind his working-class life in South Boston and take up the sort of white collar position that his talent puts within his grasp." (Robbins 88) Even with this, as the film's storyline progresses, viewers gradually come to consider the idea of the 'American Dream' and whether it is really worth to fight for it. Will and his therapist, Sam, both have significant issues and the former actually seems to be regretful as a result of his social status. The moment when he refrains from providing his lover, Skylar, with more information about his past demonstrates that he feels disadvantaged as a result of having failed to 'live the American Dream'.
There are numerous examples throughout history showing that the American Dream can destroy people's lives and that it can make it impossible for them to see the bigger picture. The fact that it promotes material values as the main ideas that people should think about if they want to be happy practically influences individuals to ignore the several things that actually matter in life, such as love. F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is certainly one of the best examples pointing toward the belief that the 'American Dream' can ruin people's lives by making them chase false values. When considering the protagonist in Fitzgerald's book, it seems that this character shares a lot of features with Will Hunting. However, Nick Carraway has to go through a complex set of events in order to take on attitudes similar to Hunting's. It is practically as if "Good Will Hunting" goes at having people understand that fame and fortune are not the only important things in life. People should instead concentrate on concepts that actually matter in order for them to feel good about themselves and in order to avoid entering a world where individuals are obsessed with material values.
What is intriguing about Will is the fact that he is not interested in things that concern most people. His friend Chuckie perfectly contrasts him when considering that he seems to believe that Will would practically insult him and others like him by not embarking on a journey to experience the American Dream. While Will eventually comes to leave his neighborhood and his life as a working-class individual, he seems to have a particularly complex understanding of life and does not simply want to waste his life on values that he does not believe in. There are a series of differences between Will and Chuckie, but the former's ability to detect a lifestyle that would bring on a series of unnecessary problems is especially intriguing (Sutherland & Feltey 44)
One of Will's most impressive characteristics is his ability to be nonconformist (Mozdzierz, Peluso, & Lisiecki 212). This is probably the reason why he sees the 'American Dream' as a concept that is not necessarily appealing. He basically feels that it would be pointless for him to chase dreams that have little to nothing to do with actual happiness and concentrates on living life the way that he knows to. While it would seem that his decision to follow Skylar can be associated with aspects of the American dream, it is more likely that he attempts to take on an alternative to the life that he has been living up to that moment instead of actually wanting to 'succeed' in the material world.
The American Dreams involves a series of ethical and moral issues and it is only by examining them extensively that a person is actually able to understand what the dream is all about. Arthur Miller's play "The Man Who Had All The Luck" presents David Beeves as a protagonist who believes that he has good fortune and eventually comes to realize that it is because of his efforts and kindness that he managed to succeed. The play's protagonist is unhesitant about going on a path that he associates with what most people believe to be the American Dream. His success eventually makes it possible for him to see the world through different eyes, as he realizes that hard work was all that it required for him to thrive. Will is more experienced than Beeves, but he does not want the material values that he seems to deserve. Instead, he appears to be interested in blaming the social order for promoting values that make people blind as a result of their struggle to increase their finances.
Bibliography:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, "The Great Gatsby," (Interactive Media, 14 Feb 2012)
http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Great_Gatsby.html?id=JgxOs2GX86AC&redir_esc=y
Miller, Arthur, "The Man Who Had All the Luck," (Penguin Group U.S., 25 May 2004)
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