Every dream has its price: Personal failure and the American dream inwall streetandthe firm

Neocolonialism and the Global Prison in National Geographic'sLocked Up Abroad

“…The program's subjects are punished for their deviant behavior but then rewarded for their hard efforts to rehabilitate. This model of punishment is well-suited to the mythological structure of the American Dream in which protagonists overcome significant obstacles through an ethic of hard work, initiative, and selfreliance (Cloud, 1996;Hoerl, 2008;Winn, 2003). With an emphasis on personal choice and responsibility, these narratives are also consistent with the Western trend toward neoliberal citizenship.…”

Girls on Film: An Examination of Gendered Vocational Socialization Messages Found in Motion Pictures Targeting Teenage Girls

“…Characters with no direct connection to that economic demographic were depicted as seeking and desiring it. In that sense, the analysis showed the reification and mythologizing of social status in the same way as films targeting adults often do (Winn, 2000(Winn, , 2003. Additionally, U.S.-produced films tended to depict White girls as more active than girls of color, thus reproducing and reinforcing stereotypical images of agency related to ethnicity rather than challenging viewers to accept diversity in terms of race and to question existing hegemony (Sanchez & Stuckey, 2000).…”

Cinematic Jujitsu: Resisting White Hegemony through the American Dream in Spike Lee'sMalcolm X

“…The American Dream is a staple of United States' popular culture and thus comprises a core structure for perpetuating common sense ideals within the United States (Cloud, 1996;Hoerl, 2002;McMullen & Solomon, 1994;Winn, 2000Winn, , 2003. This myth was popularized by Horatio Alger stories during the turn of the century in which individuals triumphed over humble beginnings (Weiss, 1969).…”

“…Accordingly, class inequality is the result of personal failure, rather than the consequence of structural limitations beyond personal control. Winn (2003) writes, ''The Dream assures Americans that no class system hampers their advancement even though many Americans experience structural class limitations daily'' (p. 308). By focusing on personal autonomy and individual effort, the myth establishes the common sense that social problems are challenges for individuals to overcome.…”