In California Dreams and Realities, editors Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon (1999) maintain that ôCalifornia is neither the sun-drenched land of glitter and glamour that many outsiders imagine when they think of the Golden State, nor is it the war zone that has recently captured the national imaginationö (2). In a state where the one constant of life is change, the California Dream is part myth, part reality, and typically something in between for those who inhabit the Golden State. From a review of the essays in this volume, it is apparent that immigration, environment, education, economics, and the automobile and entertainment industries play a large role in shaping the California Dream. For many minorities, that dream often remains an elusive one. For others, what Rawls calls ôsimply a vision of the good lifeö is achieved beyond expectation (Maasik et al. 1999, 8). This analysis will explore the realities of these elements that often impact the mythic California Dream.
Rawls maintains that ôopportunity and successö represent the ôpromises at the heart of the California Dreamö (Maasik et al. 1999, 8). From the days of the Gold Rush in the late 19th century to the wave of mid-West immigration in the 1930s to recent times, California has often represented the land of ômilk and honeyö to those seeking opportunity and success. However, far more often than not, many individuals have encountered a different reality in California than the glitter and glamour embodied in the American Dream. SteinbeckÆs The Grapes of Wrath is one of many novels that illustrates the rough and unwelcome nature of the landscape for immigrants. Pulled to California by promise of opportunity, dust bowl immigrants soon found another reality. Crooked politicians, prejudiced officials, and economics played a role in making such immigrants unwelcome. As Steinbeck writes: ôGet out. Department of Health orders. This camp is a menace to health. ...