The American Dream has always been a basis in the foundation of America’s idealist outlook on life and the peak that consists of picket fenced houses and an eight to five job. This type ‘dream’ is usually associated with immigrants setting off to create a better life for them and their families. However, this creates a sense of needed sacrifice to achieve these dreams: conformity to America’s customs and leaving the past behind. In Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, Jonathan struggles with rediscovering his past, indirectly opposing the idea of simply settling down and compromising to be satisfied with the present. Within the novel, Jonathan’s resistance to the societal norm of America is what begins the entire journey with Alex and Alex’s grandfather where they search for the mysterious Augustine and open the doors to old wounds and tragedies. …show more content…
His persistence to pursue the truth even brings him to lie to family members, “I couldn't even tell her I was coming to the Ukraine. She thinks I’m still in Prague”(61). Concerning the past of Jonathan’s family history, his family back in America is not in support with his goals of collecting stories and the history of their past, “Did you inquire her about the writing on the back?” “No. We couldn’t ask her anything about it”(61). There are questions concerning what exactly happened, but even Jonathan’s generation gap has made him curious and less directly emotionally impacted. Consequently, Jonathan has resistance in America and in Ukraine, with society refraining him from his goal of his search for Trachimbrod and