Manhattan Transfer · Theme
American Dream and Ambition
How Manhattan Transfer develops American Dream and Ambition.
Characters pursue success, money, and status—like Bud seeking 'the center of things' or Thatcher dreaming of wealth—but the narrative reveals the emptiness, corruption, and disillusionment that often accompany these pursuits.
Where it surfaces
- Section I
Bud's arrival embodies the pursuit of opportunity, while the city's relentless pace reflects the ambition and struggle for success.
- I: Ferryslip
Bud Korpenning arrives seeking work and the 'center of things'; Ed Thatcher and Mr. Zucher discuss saving, ambition, and providing for children; the shaving vignette reflects a desire for self-improvement.
- II: Metropolis
Ed Thatcher dreams of saving money for Ellen; Emile believes in getting ahead in America; contrasted with Marco's revolutionary critique.
- III: Dollars
The chapter contrasts the promise of opportunity (the 'land of opportoonity') with the struggles of characters like the destitute sailor, Bud Korpenning, and the ambitious lawyer George Baldwin seeking his first big case.
- Tracks
Ed Thatcher's internal conflict between safe work and risky investment embodies the lure of quick wealth and the American Dream's darker side.
- V: Steamroller
Uncle Jeff embodies the ethos of self-made success, pressuring Jimmy to embrace business; Bud's fantasy of becoming an alderman contrasts with his tragic reality.
- Section II
Characters pursue success and status in the competitive urban landscape, often confronting the gap between aspiration and reality.
- II: Longlegged Jack of the Isthmus
Cassie's pursuit of a show business career and Joe Harland's tale of financial rise and fall reflect the allure and fragility of success.
- VI: Five Statutory Questions
Joe Harland warns Jimmy Herf to be ambitious for his mother's sake, contrasting Jimmy's disillusionment with the pursuit of success.
- Section III
Characters like Jimmy Herf and George Baldwin embody the pursuit of success and the disillusionment that often accompanies it.
- II: Nickelodeon
Ruth's failed acting career and Jimmy's discontent with his job reflect the elusive nature of success and the compromises required to survive in the city.
- V: The Burden of Nineveh
James Merivale's speech celebrates banking success while the collapse of Blackhead & Densch and Jimmy's downward mobility expose the fragility of the dream.
