The American dream has no exact definition. However, many define it as the idea that with hard work and the desire to succeed, anyone can achieve financial freedom in the United States of America (Gallagher, 5). Some would argue that living the American dream is being able to support one’s family in a way that is better than the basic. It is a national debate as to whether the American dream really exists, or it is just an illusion to keep people working hard and smart. Crash depicts the manner in which immigrants, especially Arabs and Muslims are discriminated when they try to search for their dream, as in the case of Farhad and his family’s store. African Americans also have to suffer oppression for them to attain success, or stay at the top (for the already successful ones). This essay analyzes the disillusionment in the American dream as seen in the film Crash.
One of the characters who present the disillusionment of the American dream is the Muslim Persian man named Farhad. Many individuals view America as a country which supports the pursuit of liberty and happiness. However, some of the characters in Crash lead a different kind of life as opposed to the one the American dream promotes. Farhad and his family own a business store downtown. At one time, his store was broken into and vandalized. The reason for this act was the fact that he is a Muslim and of Persian roots (Orbe et al., 18). In this particular scene, his wife says that the vandals thought the Farhad’s were Arabs. She tries to inquire when “Persians became Arabs.” Farhad’s wife response is due to the “jihad” spray found on the walls of their shop. This incident is very different from what the American Dream sells to the rest of the world. Farhad and his family are citizens of the United States. However, the vandals ruin their dream of finding happiness and liberty when they break into the store. In the film too, Farhad’s family is being blamed for the September 11th attacks which left many people dead and injured hundreds. Racial and religious stereotyping are some of the issues which Arabs in the nation have to go through when trying to make their lives better by engaging in legal businesses. This scene shows the opposite of what many people think when they imagine of equal opportunities and racial and religious acceptance into the American community.