The Dark Side of the American Dream

The Big Money deals with the bright illusion of the American dream: In this land of opportunities, everyone can have the lives they want. Jobs are plentiful, home is more than a roof and four walls, and every American can own a Tin Lizzie. World War I has made people weary, wounded, and looking for a better future. Emerging victorious from battles overseas, "America the Beautiful" beckons. But the pursuit of big money does not lead to contentment, companionship, or consciousness. The characters in the novel become numb as one opportunity after another brings them further from personal satisfaction. Mary French, a doctor's daughter from Colorado, goes from one job to the next and ends up an inconsequential worker bee for the labor revolution. Margo Dowling begins as a child actress, marries a man with a drinking problem, and ultimately becomes a...