Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Thomson S. Hunter was an American journalist a born in the year 1937. He wrote among other books the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in 1971. Another of his credits is being the creator of the Gonzo Journalism where reporters first become the central figures of the situations they were reporting. In this book, the writer describes the his journey and that of his attorney as the chase for an American dream that began the day he decided to write an article on Mint 400 richest car race. This journey the writer required some decent car, plenty of cash to buy drugs and a supersensitive tape recorder for permanent record’s sake. this paper is intended to provide a deep analysis of the book
Fear and Loathing on the in Los Vegas under the context in history, the American dream he went for in Las and whether or not he attained this dream and lastly the revelation of the plot through other characters in like Duke and Gonzo. To describe the context, we the paper will cover the deeper meaning as portrayed by Thompson and what the book simply means, and finally, the a the meaning of “A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream”
In 1971, Thompson was working on an article about murder of Los Angeles Times columnist Ruben Salazar. For his research, Thompson contacted the Chicano Movement activist and attorney Oscar Zeta Acosta who due to the danger of violent assaults, had guards around him throughout; all day and night (27). This prevents Thompson from obtaining the necessary information he required from Acosta to facilitate his article. To kill two birds with one stone, he strong-willingly accepts a proposal from Sports Illustrated, to write a 250 word- piece on the arid region rally Mint 400 in Las Vegas on their operating expense and to request Acosta on the trip, so to present him with ample time to talk about his investigation on the Salazar-article.
Form this assignments, it is clear that the book is about the mission entrusted to Thomson by Sports Illustrated to cover the Mint 400 rally in order for him to provide to them an analysis of the rally in a 250- word article for the sport but on getting there, he changes his mission and decides to participate (9). He latter ends up with a 2500 word article that ends up being rejected by the managers of Sports Illustrated. Concerning the contemporary America, Thomson is trying to show how people gets drifted from the purpose in life by the desires of success like Thompson who looks at the price attached to the race and participates.(12).
The notion of the American Dream is not predetermined and this gives room for anyone to provide their own interpretations depending on their understanding. Amidst this dynamism, Alger’s idea is the most remembered till this day. In simple, it is expressed as “from rags to riches”. When deployed scientifically, this saying basically says, that one can attain as much material wealth as they possibly can (which was approximately equivalent to broad-spectrum wealth in the prime of the 20th century) by way of hard work, despite who they really are. This idea evolved in times when settlers from Europe went to America. Since people arrived from almost each European country and were required in the innovative world, they suffered not from inconvenience for the reason that related to their origin or their religion. With hard work, every one was treated as equal.
It is quit clear that the actual plot of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is quit inessential in today’s interpretation of the intention of the book. It is about Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo, and journalist Raoul Duke who travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. This divides the book into two sections. In one section Duke is directed to provide an article on the Mint 400 – a motorcycle and four-wheeled vehicles’ race in the Nevada desert. Duke and Dr. Gonzo lease a red Chevy changeable, reserve up on all kind of drug within their reach in Los Angeles and embark on their 450 km trip. Once in Las Vegas they visit the race, but hardly show interest to it. They shove it to the confines, take drugs, get drunk, live on room service and never foot their bills. As soon as the race is over, the two men intend to leave that town the soonest possible, for the reason that hotel managers and the police maybe searching to arrest them.
The city of Las Vegas is essentially built on the idea “from nonentity to somewhat” and this is the major reason that Thomson focused on in choosing Las Vegas as the last destination to the search of the American Dream. The question is “What other part in the world can someone get in with empty pockets and go back to his home as a millionaire? Las Vegas twisted the “from rags to riches notion into a profitable business which in someway abuses the American Dream by extending it to any person willing to risk some money and wipe away the “tough labor”-part.
In conclusion, there is one answer from this book that the American Dream is dead as it got abused and misused leaving just a part of the original idea.
References
Thomson, Hunter S., (1998).Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream. Vintage Books. New York: NY
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