Textual analysis of the man in the gray flannel suit by sloan wilson Essay

Textual analysis of the man in the gray flannel suit by sloan wilson (american dream theme) - Essay Example The center of this novel revolves around the theme of an American Dream. The novel talks of every United States citizen’s need to win happiness by satisfying their material wants. This is despite the concept written by James Adams, America is the land in which life should be fuller and richer for everyone, depending on their ability and achievement (1931). The Rath family is very unsatisfied with their ordinary lives, referring to it as â€Å"a thousand petty shabinesses.† When Tom returns his wife Betsy wants a better life and future. She wants her husband to be the person he was before the war, a driven and ambitious individual. Her frustration in evident in her annoyance at mundane trivialities of life â€Å"Barbaras got the chicken pox and the washing machine broke down.† Despite serving his country, Tom Rath finds himself unsuccessful as far as the real world is concerned. His Harvard degree is of little consequence as his education is shunned. To keep his wife happy he applies for a job. Tom’s heart is not in what he does. He seems to have no drive to succeed in the material world. When applying for this new job the evident lack of desire is evident in his half-hearted â€Å"it certainly sounds interesting.† All of this changes once Tom works in his new company. The American dream forces him to become part of the rat-race that seeks satisfaction through money. The irony of this idea becomes evident when Tom Rath applies for his job for a public relations position. Rath admits that he knows nothing about the job but this idea is ignored by the employer who claims â€Å"Who does? Youve got a clean shirt and you bathe everyday. Thats all there is to it.† This shows how skills are of no consequence in this life. It is only about presentation and how quickly that helps achieve the material goal. Soon money seems to be the only thing on Tom’s mind. He keeps repeating it to himself â€Å"The important thing is to make money† and â€Å"Money, I need