The Destruction of the American Dream in Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class
Keywords:
Sam Shepard, American Dream, theatre, economic crisis, identityAbstract
This article analyzes Sam Shepard's play Curse of the Starving Class (1977) as a critique of the destruction of the American Dream. The author contends that while most critics categorize the play as a 'family play,' its broader social and political context reveals deeper themes. The paper explores how the nuclear family in the play serves as a microcosm for discussing the disappointment of the American Dream in the late 1970s, particularly following the oil crisis of 1973. This study examines the play's thematic focus on identity fragmentation, materialism, and spiritual void, arguing that Shepard deliberately shifts emphasis from textual to contextual elements to highlight social concerns. The article demonstrates how the play's structure and autobiographical elements reinforce its critique of American society during a period of economic vulnerability.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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