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The American Dream

D. Bedgood
Prof. Bustos
English 116
Nov 2, 2008
“The American Dream”
In the novel “The Moon Will Forever Be a Distant Love” by Luis Humberto Crosthwaite we see a transition in the roles, characterization, and way of life of the two main characters Conquistador Balboa and his lovely wife Florinda. Throughout the story we see these two important characters change completely from what they once were into almost the exact opposite of their entire personality while chasing the so-called “American Dream” that so many immigrants like themselves fantasize about. The American Dream is "that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. Though, it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work, not on a rigid class structure. For some, it is the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the opportunity to be an individual without the constraints imposed by class, caste, race, gender or ethnicity. As the story progresses, Balboa and Florinda go through many obstacles in their quest to achieve the American Dream but ultimately fail in their attempt.
The beginning of the book pertains to Balboa the Conquistador losing his government job, his and Florinda’s the move to the border, and experiences upon arriving. Balboa seems to be elastic about the move, but in portraying Florinda’s experiences; she seems less enthusiastic. Florinda’s needs are all met by Balboa, and she doesn’t need to do anything hardly. But Florinda’s life goes through a dramatic change, a shift that takes her from her native soil to one emphasized by the importance of consumer goods. This section portraying the morning Florinda takes her leave and a look at her home life. While Florinda does not have a happy home life-her father is a drunk who constantly bickers with her mother-the story...