The Myth of the American Dream as reflected in Adrian Lyne’s Indecent Proposal 1993

Abstract

This article analyzes the development of the American Dream as a national myth of socioeconomic success rooted in capitalist competition and its influence on contemporary American society, as depicted in Adrian Lyne’s film Indecent Proposal (1993). The paper explores how myths reflect human nature, cultural values, and the quest for self-knowledge. It examines the historical roots of the American Dream in the myth of the Frontier, which symbolizes limitless opportunity and expansion. The article argues that the Frontier Myth shaped economic, cultural, and political discourse in America, embodying ideals of progress, individualism, and moral purity. The study investigates how these myths manifest in popular culture, particularly in Hollywood cinema, using Indecent Proposal as a case study. The film is analyzed as a masculine romance that adheres to the narrative structure of order-disorder-order restored, reflecting deeper cultural themes of rivalry, desire, and redemption. This work demonstrates the enduring impact of the American Dream myth on contemporary storytelling and societal values.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)