Published Paper Details:

The self-identity of an individual, in the context of America, is threaten under the impact of ruthless materialism defining the values of society anew and brings ruin in common people�s fate. After the Second World War people in America were getting more and more preoccupied with self-interest and losing the family values and social integrity: fathers did not care for their sons and wives did not for their husbands, rather their relationships assumed an unusual dimension that was fully based on give and take policy. Therefore, in this paper, an attempt has been made to interpret how materialism in post-war American society evaporates the value and consciousness of mankind, love, compassion and tries to slay the simple hearted individual, his self - whether physically or psychologically. Saul Bellow in his novella Seize the Day (1956) portrayed this plight of modern men striving for realizing American dream. It attempts to discuss critically on how the quest for American dream, money and success triggers the actions of materialistic characters while specially concentrating on the actions of protagonist Tommy Wilhelm whose life and self-identity is distorted in a capitalistic society due to the thirst for money and success.