"Bums in the attic": a reflection on the american dream through discourse analysis

Abstract

This article analyzes the chapter "Bums in the Attic" from the Sandra Cisneros’ book "The House on Mango Street". This work denounces the precarious situation of Mexican immigrants in the United States in the 1950s. Based on a pecheutian discourse analysis, the discursive sequences analyzed make possible to reflect on the dominant capitalist ideology that preaches that anyone, regardless of their origins, gender or social class, can achieve success through personal dedication. However, the idea of success (accumulation of capital and wealth) can be questioned, because in the capitalist system this success is based on the most diverse forms of exploitation. Thus, the famous "American dream" is a possibility for only a few people, disregarding the other parts of the population and their oppression and exploitation that lead them to remain in precarious conditions, even though these are seen as their lack of effort.