Multimodal Post 1 Revision: From Rags to Riches- An American Dream or is it really an American Nightmare?

Both James Guimond and Alinder discuss the power that photographs have to portray either the American Dream or the American Nightmare. One powerful tool that James Guimond touches on is the positionality of subjects in photographs. How photographers portray their subjects in photos can depend on a variety of different things- angle, lighting, and overall photo quality. A darker lit picture may lead to a more somber mood which could portray the American Nightmare. A wide camera angle could show a background or setting that could change the entire meaning of a photograph as seen in the many billboard photographs shown in James Guimond’s, “Sign of Hard Times.” Solipsism, or seeing and looking at things from your own point of view is important when discussing the photographs that Guimond analyzes. One object can be depicted in many ways and it’s the photographer’s decision to choose through photographic techniques which message they are going to portray.

            “… an infinite number of compositions can be achieved with a single stationary subject by varying the position of the camera, the camera angle, or the focal length of the lens.” (Guimond, 19)

Not only are camera techniques an important aspect of positionality but also how the subject or different pictures are positioned within the photograph.

Rather than using positionality through photographic techniques to convey a message, I chose the positionality of putting these two photos side by side to convey a message of both the American Dream and the American Nightmare. This Corvette was parked outside of Phillips Hall. This minimum wage poster I found was located in front of numerous different businesses in downtown Iowa City. Some people may define the American dream by having enough money to purchase a Corvette or knowing that businesses are supporting you and raising their minimum wage. Many people discuss the rags to riches scenario when defining the American Dream and this photo collage shows going from rags (higher minimum wage) to riches (driving a Corvette to class.) I also believe that some people would consider these two photographs an example of the American Nightmare. While this person who owns the Corvette may have worked really hard for numerous years in order to buy this luxury car (the American Dream) they also may be selfish and only spend their money on materialistic items which in my opinion is the American Nightmare. The American Dream isn’t just about people helping themselves but people giving back to their community once they are able too. Many people define their successfulness by the amount of money or materialistic things they have and I think that is the American Nightmare. More people should define their successfulness by their happiness, experiences and family or friends not by materialistic items. I believe that the rags to riches scenario defines the American Nightmare because it makes so many people believe that you’re only successful once you have an abundance of money and materialistic things.

Works Cited

Guimond, James. American Photography And The American Dream. Chapel Hill: The University  of North Carolina Press, 1991. Print.