Topic > National Identity and the “American Dream” in The Chaneysville Incident

The Chaneysville Incident by David Bradley follows narrator John Washington on a deeply introspective exploration of his family history to truly find himself and the origin of his existence. Washington reaches the pinnacle of achievement in his life; he is a respected scholar and has achieved all the milestones that would indicate he has achieved the “American Dream,” so to speak. Despite such accomplishments, he soon realizes that from this immense amount of knowledge comes a greater understanding of the inner workings of society. A particularly important part of the novel was Washington's analogy, which he uses to describe America as a society classified through various forms of transportation and to demonstrate how this society is clearly rigged. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWashington says that to truly understand anything, especially how a society is structured, you need to analyze the seemingly insignificant details. He states that the reason for this is: “Since one of the primary functions of social institutions is to conceal the fundamental nature of society, so that the individuals composing the power structure can pursue the goal of consolidating and increasing their power without being bothered by petty complaints from dissatisfied farmers” (Bradley, 6) Honestly, it may seem like Washington is advancing a conspiracy theory. It goes to say that even in the most minute and intricate details, society is heavily manipulated by this elite power structure made up of the richest and most influential people in society. They make sure there is the illusion of choice to comfort those who have no power or say, when in reality it is all rigged from the start in a class society structure that makes it difficult for anyone to rise above their level and escape this metaphorical hamster wheel. The narrator states that the only way to truly understand the current condition of a society is to start from the bottom: in the bathroom. The narrator goes further with this analogy when he demonstrates how various forms of transportation correlate with the wealth of this social level. power structure in America. Airports are the crown jewel of American ingenuity in this time period and even today. He goes on to state how people are well dressed, speak eloquently, and always tend to be beautiful. The workers are well paid and alcohol is an easily obtainable accommodation. This level of service comes with a hefty price tag, a $200 deductible per ticket. Cost alone determines which socioeconomic class has the ability to use this form of transportation, and it is rigged from the start to make things happen this way. There is an expectation that this form of transportation will be used primarily by wealthy (especially non-minority) patrons. He says this is evident from the level of urgency to maintain toilets: “The sinks are emptying. The blush of the Johns. And if they don't, they are quickly fixed” this reinforces the metaphor with which this train of thought initially began, signaling that society is designed from its inception to please the rich. The middle level of society is represented through an analogy with the railway. transport. Washington goes on to say that the overall image and structure of this system is much more apathetic than its airborne counterpart. Facilities are often maintained at a different level of quality, close to what you would expect from a mid-range venue: “the bar.