Struggles and Triumphs · Theme

The American Dream

How Struggles and Triumphs develops The American Dream.

Barnum's life story embodies the ideal that anyone, regardless of humble beginnings, can achieve wealth and fame through ingenuity and perseverance, as illustrated by his rise from a Connecticut farm boy to an international showman.

Where it surfaces

XI: General Tom Thumb in England
Barnum and Tom Thumb, as Americans, achieve unprecedented success and acceptance in British high society, embodying upward mobility.
East Bridgeport
The chapter embodies the ideal of upward mobility through hard work and homeownership, with Barnum enabling working men to own their own homes and achieve independence.