dreams in the day of the locus

Nathanael West's The Day of the Locust is filled with examples of people who have come to California in search of their dreams. They leave their often miserable lives to head out west where they believe their lives will get better. They dream of a life where they can become their own boss, have lots of money, and live happily ever after. They begin to realize soon, however, that the sunshine and sea cannot fulfill …

…that leads to the eventual downfall of Hollywood society, which includes Tod Hackett, Faye Greener, and Homer Simpson. This discontent "is dangerous because it has developed from illusions of security, from a sense of betrayal, and now waits to feed on the misfortunes of individuals" (Ross 348).Tod's career and love problems, Faye's personal choices of morals and beliefs, and Homer's naive lovesick actions are all different examples of failure to achieve personal dreams in Hollywood.