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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements.i
Abstract. . ii
摘要 iii
1 Introduction 1
2 Breaking Night and American Cultural Values.. 4
2.1 The Plot of Breaking Night.4
2.2 The Concept of American Cultural Values.6
3 American Cultural Values Reflected in Breaking Night8
3.1 The American Dream.8
3.2 Inpidualism and Heroism10
3.3 Worship for Achievements and Success...12
4 The Realistic Significance of Breaking Night..14
4.1 The Core of the Mainstream of American Culture.14
4.2 The Shortcomings of American Subcultures15
5 Conclusion..18
Bibliography..19
1 Introduction
The United States of America is a country founded on dream. The early settlers were not afraid of hardships and went into exile in North America, because they wished to found their own world, the “shining city upon a hill”, which was totally different from the old one.
The American history is a history of pursuing dreams. After 1783, when the war of independence ended, the American legitimate independence acknowledged for England. Since then the American people became citizens from subjects. In 1865, the southern states were defeated in the Civil War and were forced to abolish slavery and set the slaves free. Similarly, they used it by force. This war made it possible for black slaves to pursue their liberation and liberty. The Progressive Movement in the United States, the New Deal Reformation, the Black Civil Rights Movement, all pushed the amendments of the relevant Constitutions and the Human Rights laws. Then the rights of women and ethnic minorities can now be guaranteed. In short, the life manner of hopeful enterprising, bravery in exploitation, self-reliance in the face of adversity, perseverance in the face of extreme hardship and the pursuit of freedom and equality are all the important parts of American spirits. “I Have A Dream” -- the famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr., vividly embodies the common values and the philosophy of life American people held. Figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln are the image of American Dream and American Spirit. They are the drivers of the social development and social progress in America.
The national dream to build the “shining city upon a hill” is beautiful and attractive, but abstract. For most common American families, their dreams are quite specific and realistic. They hope to have their own house and car in a beautiful suburb. A woman hopes her husband has admirable job which provides stable income. A man hopes his wife can receive a good education to support him and educate their children, take children to school everyday, go shopping, help him in the housekeeping. There are barbecued chicken and potato on the table. Family harmony, material well-being, this beautiful picture of the life of American middle class is what the dream most Americans in 1950s wanted to realize.
Then, what is the dream of those Americans in the post-modern society? What the obstacles do the current Americans encounter on the way of realizing their dreams? You can find the answer from Breaking Night, the autobiography of Liz Murray, the miracle American girl who overcome tremendous odds to go from “Homeless to Harvard” and has turned her life story into an American bestseller. Her story has also been turned into a movie Homeless to Harvard：The Liz Murray Story in April 2003 directed by Peter Levin, which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Published in 2010, Breaking Night describes a poor girl who was born in New York had changed her life with strong will. Liz grew up in a poor family. Her mother was addicted to drugs, and her father went to the homeless shelter because he was drunk and had no job. So Liz had to lead a vagrant life. Soon Liz's mother died of AIDS. There was no funeral for her mother. Liz was so sad and she decided to change her life. She studied very hard, and used only two years to finish the courses of four years. Finally, she gained the first prize scholarship of The New York Times, and was admitted to Harvard University.