Dreaming in the most American Fashion Possible. Also Abdominally fit gentlemen.

(OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER)

       The American Dream, the driving force behind all our anxiety filled, sleepless nights. The golden hand that tirelessly motivates us to keep us working like massive fleshy cogs. The dream, dreamt by Europeans causing them to migrate West to this sweet succulent land of oppurtunity. Wait shouldnt it be the European dream then? I feel like everyones going to have a problem with that rather loose statement. ANYWAY. The American dream is described by Wikipedia members as:

a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.

       I would agree with this large wall of pasted text, that the American dream is traditionally about working hard towards the golden gates of prosperity. The idea that any poor, potato peddling, ginger-nut (Irish stereotypes) can come to America, and literally work until his hands are just blunt nubs and he will strike it gold and live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, I dont think this is possible to the degree that it was in the "Good ol' days" (Im actually also skeptical of the whole legitimacy of the "American dream" idea even in the good ol' days but ill get to that later. Or maybe not if I dont remember) The reason?

After recently applying for college, looking at the bill (gasping) and having the student loans talk with my parents,(Arguably more uncomfortable than the Birds and the bees talk) I realize now that my generation is most likely going to be held down for years by the crushing weight of these student loans. Once we leave college, instead of having a fresh start and able to enter society with a financial blank slate (One of the requirements in order to qualify for beginning the process of the "American Dream") We will have to rush to whatever job is offered and spend all of our time earning money working in a Home Depot instead of putting our freshly-educationized(?)-juice-filled brains towards coming up with the next greatest piece of Software or inventing a new way to be more social while at the same time becoming less social (Im talking to you Zuck). For fear of the crippling credit repercussions that could arise from paying late bills/ not paying any bills at all.

      This fear, I think is strangling the minds, and abilitys of the selfie generation, and bottle necking the innovation process for the future. I could offer a solution by saying "look how great Europe is they pay for your University, Europes going to lead the world in innovation and Americas just going to be a bunch of middle aged Chipotle taco makers with master degrees. Why dont we follow that educational model??"

But due to my lack of knowledge on this well known and highly thought about subject, I am going to refrain from any statements such as this. also IRONY.

ANYWAY

MOVING ON..... Next question hmmmm (scrolls up) oooh Wealth!

Wealth in this day and age. From my teenage skeptical/vain perspective: A look at anyones Twitter feed will quickly clue you in to the typical teenage opinion of wealth. You see pictures of massive houses overlooking a stunning display of rolling waves with sweet boiling rays of sunlight caressing half naked, well shaven, abdominally fit gentleman relaxing with their well bosomed, toothpick, bronzed blonde female companion. There will probably also be a stereotypical rich guy car in the background.. Mercedes or Ferrari.. . . (whatever the kids are into these days) All this with the caption "#goals or (EMOJI FACE) "WANT" (EMOJI FACE)"

My point being is that a majority of teenagers my age, idolize wealth and have this unreal romanticized image  in their head and the mindset that they are just going to wake up rich one day in their Twenties. Now im about to step into uncharted territory here (meaning I have little knowledge, and its all based off of observation)

but these dreams are drastically unobtainable for a majority of the people who have them, especially the ones that get "turnt up" every weekend, and have their lives comepletely turned upside down over the fact that Jennifer is totally cheating on Brad with James.

    The funny thing about this is, that people can become rich by exploiting this romanticized image in order to promote their product (heres to you, Aber-Iamaslavetoyour Pitch) all in the name of marketing.

People are buying Jeans to look rich, when they actually make minimum wage at the local Best Buy. YOU ARE PAYING PEOPLE TO PRETEND TO BE RICH.

  

(Phwoo what a statement, got a little Fight Clubby back there.) (Also, before you write me off and dismiss me/ write a rap about big headed blonde hypocrites, I would like to add that yes, I am very much a part of the system, and I too have dreams)

All this aside, A majority of the people who are consuming these things, and posting these images to Twitter from their jewel encrusted IPhones are probably far wealthier than a majority of the human population already. (Pause)

    Ultimately, the point I have been trying to get to is that we have an unhealthy image of what "wealth" and by having these unrealistic images/dreams, we may never be contempt with and take for granted what we have currently. Unless you have nothing. Then maybe you can dream big. but not if your like sorta poor sorta rich. in the grey area. There should be a name for that, maybe grey group? grey tier? oh I got it! Grey class. 

Yeah,

In the Grey Class.

Meta-morphing all over your phosis

1.) This morning I woke up, stark clothed, birds were chirping, bugs were bugging, and bacon was beckoning (baconing?).

2.) This morning I woke up stark....clothed. the birds were, chirping. The bugs, bugging and bacon? was beckoning. baconing.

3.) This morning I woke up stark clothed birds chirping bugs bugging and bacon BECKONING. (baconing!!)

Did you notice a significant difference between the mood and message of these 3 sentences? Are you making psychoanalytic postulations about my mental state based on my diction? If so, this may be the post for you. Actually i'm assuming that all people that read this blog have probably done the same thing so this blog post is definitely for you. Unless of course someone from the future stumbles upon this blog post in the mass ruins of the internet after the cloud gets too heavy with data and slams into the earth wiping out all life as we know it. Have you started your psycho analysis yet? that last statement was a good place to start.

                                                Moving on:

Now for the meat, upon analyzing the different English iterations of the sentence:

Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.

                                                                      OR (In English)

                       As Gregor Samsa awoke (woke) one morning from uneasy (agitated, Troubled) dream(s) he found himself transformed in his bed (No bed) into a gigantic (Giant, Enormous, monstrous)  insect (Bug, Vermin)

ANALYSIS:

       1.) Uneasy vs troubled vs agitated

Uneasy: I found the use of the term uneasy gives off the vibe of Gregor having a bigger problem, but he is disconnected from it. The issue is a world issue or a societal issue (Like stop signs or crosswalks, whats the deal with those things)

Troubled: is a word that makes it seem as if Gregor has a problem with something in his life, something he is tossing and turning over that he is connected to.

Agitated: indicates that hes frustrated with something and just is clenching his fists over this event.

These 3 words give you 3 different impressions as to what Gregor is like.     

       2.) Bug vs Insect vs Vermin

     Bug: When you picture a bug, you picture a sort of cartoon image, drawn rather silly and lightheartedly, and sort of comedically.

     Insect: When you picture an insect, you picture a massive creature with bristling, hairy legs chirping away with its pincers and antennae twitching. menacingly. Oh lord just imagine a massive cockroach in your bed. sort of like that orkin commercial with the insects knocking on your front door trying to get in your house.

    Vermin: Vermin brings upon a far more striking and ominous image, like a massive dark rat scheming to lick your feet while youre sleeping. the word is also a mood word and it gives you an idea that he didnt literally "turn" into something. Its just a metaphor for his self hatred and body image.

        3.)  Bed vs No Bed

     Bed: With the mention of bed, its as if Gregor woke up immediately from his dream and immediately realized that hed became this creature overnight. OR he was just in bed contemplating about life and was just disguisted with himself. a metaphorical "Creature"

     No Bed: Without the mention of a bed, i can just imagine gregor getting up and doing all of his regular morning routines, having cereal, making the coffee, slipping the slippers on, brushing the teeth, trimming the nails, toasting the toast (not necessairily in that order) and then finally stepping out of the shower, and rubbing the mist off of the mirror and realizing he had transformed into a massive creature! (Cue Gregors scream). This could also be a sign of the absurd as he does this same monotonous, routine every. single. day.  

      4.) Giant vs Enormous vs Gigantic vs Monstrous

Giant: Giant is a word that gives the image of  something fictional, as if from a childrens book or a novel.

     Enormous: The word enormous is a word that is reserved for over the top, dinner stories told by your Dad. I can just see someone waving their hands about in an attempt to try and create the image to their audience.

     Gigantic: Gigantic is a scientific, almost "clinical" description. When you describe something as gigantic, i can see a pulsating tumor, growing in size.

     Monstrous: This is a rather terrifying description for something, probably a massive creature thats going around devouring babies and spewing racial epithets whilst painting phallic images. (Vulgar)        

After my detailed, highly objective analysis it seems that the different word choices can make it seem as if Gregor either turned into an actual creature, to whatever degree of horror or shock value the words imply. OR He metaphorically turned into a creature, meaning he just woke up and found himself disgusting and has absolutely poor self-image of himself.

These two different interpretations make for two very different reads. One that is rather fictional and shock based, and another that is rather philosophical about self loathing and body image.

As for book interpretations in general, Unless you can ask the actual author for the definition in English (or whatever language you are translating into) this could be a huge problem. I personally think that the multiple attempts at interpretating the book makes for a much more diverse read. Instead of one form of the book there are now multiple, all with their own meanings. This could be a brilliant concept for movie adaptions of books, that is different based upon which interpretation you read. (Also if you are still reading, thank you for sticking it through my mad ramblings.)  

                                          Congratulations! You made it to the end!