The Age of Miracle and Wonders: Paul Simon and the Changing American Dream

The American dream altered. In the 19th century, it was focused on male success in the marketplace. With the rise of the consumer culture, ideals changed. Women were brought in, as companionate marriage, home ownership, and a successful domestic life with children became central in American life. Since the mid-sixties, singer-songwriter Paul Simon has been writing songs reflecting these changes. He has two songs with America in the title, and is one of the few rock stars that write extensively about marriage and parenting. He also writes about love as romance, with a spouse, and towards offspring. Simon too composes songs about affluence, technology, and what brings happiness and joy. His work illuminates the United States in what he says is "the age's most uncertain hour." He believed that affluence was a key to our fulfillment. The changes in American life since the 1970s, show that much of what was held as ideal, has been through troubled times. We can gain insight into the fate of the American dream through Simon's songs.