The paradox of the American Dream
The American dream is an ideology that means every American has equal chances of success and access to opportunities. Ironically, most Americans have chased the American dream, and never actualized it. For instance, Henry lives in abject poverty despite being an American. According to Henry, the American dream is for the chosen few, but most people still live in poverty.
The Irony of Michelle
Michelle is Junior's mother, but she is a satirical character because she does not take on her motherly responsibilities. It is shocking that after Henry comes out of prison, he takes the responsibility of raising his son single-headedly despite the hard economic times that await him. Michelle is an addict, and he can do little to help a parent.
The Satire of Walmart’s drop in prices
When Henry walks to Walmart to buy a gift for his son, he realizes that prices have significantly dropped. Ironically, despite the fall in prices, Henry only has 38 cents which cannot afford to buy anything. Consequently, it is paradoxical that the good news of price reduction does not benefit Henry in any way.
The Irony of poverty
A person reading ‘Abundance' from a developing world will stop to wonder what the actual definition of poverty is. For instance, an African individual cannot be convinced that a poor person can own a pickup truck. However, this is the reality in America because Henry lives in a pickup truck with his son, and everything is bad for him. Henry is facing the major challenge that he cannot manage to fuel his truck, which he also uses as a house.
