Stuart Ewen Chosen People Summary

The American dream is resonate in every humans heart and mind. Everyone aims to stand out and have their own personal identity. Humans strive to reach the highest level of society. Images of celebrities living the dream creates jealousy for the rest of the world and motivates them to pursue the best life possible. In “Chosen People,” Stuart Ewen analyzes the perspectives of social reality as well as class and status. Proving his argument that humans aim for the ideal image, Ewen utilizes reliable sources and historical statistics to create credibility for his argument. Stuart Ewen’s “Chosen People,” describes the rise of the materialistic middle class that numerous people aim to join. Ewen analyzes the two contrasting perspectives of social

Throughout the piece, Ewen uses quotes from historians and scholars to enhance his argument that americans strive to attain the dream life. Ewen quotes Alan Dawley, a well known historians who says, “There was a class of white-collar employees who earned only subsistence salaries and their sense of pride lay in the prestige of being close to the social elite. These white-collar employees anxiously strove to assemble a stylistic affinity to wealth” (Ewen 186). The white-collar employees did not have much, but they took great honor in knowing they were closer to the elite than others and continued to strive for the highest level. Alan Dawley was a professor of history who received his degree from Harvard University who also wrote three books. Since the quote is from a reliable historian, Ewen creates credibility because the author is very trustworthy. Ewen also quotes Karen Halttunen, a respectable historian, professor and writer, “the middle class began to take on a new and violate meaning, one which assumed that more and more people were engaged in a passage from a lower to a higher social status” (Ewen 189). Without the use of dependable sources, Ewen would not have credibility which is very important when writing an

Ewen uses historical background to allow the reader to comprehend the argument. Ewen states, “In the United States, by the 1830s, even budding cities of the recently settled West boasted an up-and-coming merchant middle class” (Ewen 185). The background allows the reader to understand that people were striving to live the ideal life then and continue to do so to this day. Without giving the background, the reader would not know when this ordeal began which could lead to confusion. Ewen also incorporates historical facts that strengthen his argument. “Within the so-called yuppie culture of the 1980s, we find the ultimate expression of such a middle class ideal, as well as its inherent anxieties. Amid a declining standard of living for many, these professionals scramble to surround themselves with the ever-changing latest in designer clothing, electronics, and other symbols of the good life” (Ewen 196). The historical facts support his argument that people aim for the materials in life to display to the world that they are not poor. All the middle class cares about is the images and