In commemoration of America’s Declaration of Independence in 1776, the 4th of July is known for being one big party full of fireworks, barbecues, and baseball games. American media has a huge impact on the rest of the world, and the “American Dream” is a familiar concept to most. So, in honor of today we’d like to highlight some of our favorite American literature and media we feature on our platform!

• The Truman Show: This dystopian comedy movie explores the power of media, commercialism and simulated reality. Truman has spent his whole life in a town he thought was home, but now turns out to be reality TV show set. The film is a great starting point for discussions surrounding surveillance, reality TV, American stereotypes and the American Dream.
• Brooklyn: This Irish novel narrates the social difficulties in mid 20th century Ireland, emigration, and cultural identity, all wrapped up in an American Dream love story. The book follows Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who cannot find work. Thus, she decides to immigrate to the United States chasing the American Dream. After some initial difficulties, she falls in love with Tony, a young Italian, and they start planning a life together.
• American Pictures: A Personal Journey Through the American Underclass: This collection of approximately 22,000 photos shows the dark side of the “American Dream”, revealing racism, segregation, social hierarchies and white supremacy. The powerful pictures of Danish photographer Jacob Holdt were not taken with an artistic intention but rather to capture the hardship and brutal reality of America in the 1970s.

Enjoy the summer heat, and don’t forget…you don’t have to be in the US to have a barbecue get-together on the 4th of July! Happy Independence Day everybody!

Sarah