# The American Dream in Struggles and Triumphs

> Theme guide for Struggles and Triumphs by P. T. Barnum.

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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxv-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.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/themes/the_american_dream
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/themes