Abstract
This paper explores the recent shift toward conservative values in the United States by reinterpreting the idea of the American Dream in both literature and contemporary politics. It focuses on how this cultural shift reflects deeper desires for individual success, stability, and identity. The study begins by analyzing the American Dream as portrayed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. These characters are driven by ambition and a belief in self-made success, a pattern echoed in the real-life story of Donald Trump. As a businessman-turned-president, Trump mirrors these literary figures, emphasizing personal ambition, wealth, and the promise of success. His "Make America Great Again" slogan redefines the American Dream through a conservative lens, highlighting economic independence, traditional values, and national pride. The paper also examines how Trump’s message reaches rural and working-class voters who feel left behind by globalization and cultural change. By combining literary analysis with political and sociological perspectives, this study shows how Trumpism reimagines the American Dream and reveals the enduring power of self-made myths in shaping American identity.
References
- Adams, J. T. (1931). The Epic of America. Little, Brown, and Company.
- Cramer, K. J. (2016). The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker. University of Chicago Press.
- Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner’s Sons.
- Hochschild, A. R. (2016). Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right. The New Press.
- Jost, J. T., Glaser, J., Kruglanski, A. W., & Sulloway, F. J. (2003). Political conservatism as motivated social cognition. Psychological Bulletin, 129(3), 339–375. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.3.339.
- Kakutani, M. (2018). The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump. Tim Duggan Books.
- McIntyre, L. (2018). Post-Truth. MIT Press.
- Lakoff, G. (2002). Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think. University of Chicago Press.
- Lee, M. J. (2017). Considering political identity: Conservatives, republicans, and Donald Trump. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 20(4), 719-730. https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.20.4.0719.
- Levy, A. (2016). The Self-Made Myth: And the Truth About How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
- Miller, A. (1949). Death of a Salesman. Viking Press.
- Slotkin, R. (1992). Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America. University of Oklahoma Press.
Abstract
Bu çalışma, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri'nde son yıllarda gözlemlenen muhafazakâr değerlere yönelimini ve “Amerikan Rüyası” kavramını hem edebi hem de siyasal bağlamda yeniden yorumlayarak incelemektedir. Bu kültürel dönüşümün, bireysel başarı, istikrar ve kimlik arayışına dair daha derin arzuları yansıttığı savunulmaktadır. Çalışmanın ilk bölümünde, Amerikan Rüyası’nın F. Scott Fitzgerald’ın Muhteşem Gatsby ve Arthur Miller’ın Satıcının Ölümü adlı eserlerinde nasıl temsil edildiği analiz edilmektedir. Bu tema, Donald Trump’ın gerçek yaşam öyküsünde de yankı bulmaktadır. İş insanı kimliğinden başkanlığa uzanan Trump, kişisel hırsı, serveti ve başarı vaadiyle bu edebi figürleri anımsatmaktadır. "Amerika’yı Yeniden Harika Yap" sloganı, Amerikan Rüyası’nı muhafazakâr bir bakış açısıyla yeniden tanımlamakta; ekonomik bağımsızlık, geleneksel değerler ve ulusal gurur gibi unsurları ön plana çıkarmaktadır. Çalışma ayrıca, küreselleşme ve kültürel dönüşüm karşısında kendini dışlanmış hisseden kırsal ve işçi sınıfı seçmenlerin Trump’ın söylemiyle nasıl bir bağ kurduğunu incelemektedir. Edebi analiz ile siyasal ve sosyolojik perspektifleri bir araya getiren bu çalışma, Trumpizm’in Amerikan Rüyası’nı nasıl yeniden kurguladığını ve kendi kendini var eden birey mitinin Amerikan kimliğini şekillendirmedeki kalıcı etkisini ortaya koymaktadır.
References
- Adams, J. T. (1931). The Epic of America. Little, Brown, and Company.
- Cramer, K. J. (2016). The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker. University of Chicago Press.
- Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner’s Sons.
- Hochschild, A. R. (2016). Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right. The New Press.
- Jost, J. T., Glaser, J., Kruglanski, A. W., & Sulloway, F. J. (2003). Political conservatism as motivated social cognition. Psychological Bulletin, 129(3), 339–375. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.3.339.
- Kakutani, M. (2018). The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump. Tim Duggan Books.
- McIntyre, L. (2018). Post-Truth. MIT Press.
- Lakoff, G. (2002). Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think. University of Chicago Press.
- Lee, M. J. (2017). Considering political identity: Conservatives, republicans, and Donald Trump. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 20(4), 719-730. https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.20.4.0719.
- Levy, A. (2016). The Self-Made Myth: And the Truth About How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
- Miller, A. (1949). Death of a Salesman. Viking Press.
- Slotkin, R. (1992). Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America. University of Oklahoma Press.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture |
| Journal Section | Reviews |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | July 31, 2025 |
| Submission Date | July 23, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | July 31, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 4 Issue: 2 |
