The American Dream

Author 
Edward Albee. He was openly gay and lived in New York City in a community of mostly gay men. He was very distrustful and almost hateful towards women, which is reflected in his writing.

Characters
Mommy: A controlling, superficial woman who searches for "satisfaction" and material wealth. She is Grandma's daughter and married Daddy (presumably for his wealth). She often behaves childishly in order to get her way.
Daddy: A weak and easily influenced man who is constantly seeking reassurance from those around him. He is controlled by Mommy, to the extent that he has had a sex change in order to please her.
Grandma: The most intelligent character in the play. She pretends to be crazy, but the audience is given glimpses of her wisdom on some occasions. Grandma represents the values and ideals of the old American Dream because she is genuine and resourceful.
Mrs. Barker: A "professional woman," she initially sold Mommy and Daddy the bumble. She is very confused as to why she is at the apartment, despite having been called there in the first place. She participates in many good citizens activities, such as her work with the Bye Bye Adoption Agency and the women's club. The only real woman in the play. She could also be seen as representing big business.
Young Man: The twin of the bumble that Mommy and Daddy bought and mutilated. As a result of a connection with his twin and the mutilation they experienced, he is no longer capable of emotions, especially love. However, he is physically perfect. He represents the new American Dream because he is superficial and devoid of values.

Setting 
Mommy and Daddy's apartment. The whole show takes place in their living room. The chairs in which Mommy and Daddy sit are separated by a large couch.

Plot
When the show begins, Mommy and Daddy are waiting for someone to arrive at their apartment. Mrs. Barker arrives, but doesn't know why she's there. Grandma waits for Mommy and Daddy to leave the room and then gives Mrs. Barker a hint: about 20 years ago, Mommy and Daddy bought a bumble from the Bye Bye Adoption Agency. They disliked its behavior, however, so they mutilated it and eventually it died. Now they want a new, better bumble. Shortly after this conversation, the Young Man enters the house. He tells Grandma the story of how he lost the ability to feel emotion and he and Grandma make a plan to switch places. Grandma tells Mrs. Barker about the plan and then leaves. Mrs. Barker gives Mommy and Daddy the Young Man as a replacement bumble, and, as Grandma says, "everybody's got what he thinks he wants" (127).

Narrative Voice
Since The American Dream is a play, there isn't really a narrative voice. The closest thing we have to a narrator is Grandma, who is the most intelligent character and provides necessary background information throughout the play. She also addresses the audience directly at one point.

Style 
Point of View: As a play, it is in third person. You catch glimpses of the characters' points of view through their dialogue, but the work as a whole is viewed by the audience and thus in third person.
Tone: The tone of the work is expressed through the characters' words and actions, which vary in different scenes. At some points, the show is absurd and funny, while at other times it becomes serious and has more of a dark humor to it. Overall, the tone is a mocking one that criticizes the direction that the US is headed in.
Imagery: One of the strongest images is that of the bumble - a word that is usually associated with mistakes is instead used to talk about a baby, which is very telling. Also, the descriptions of the various mutilations the bumble experienced bring to mind very vivid images, such as that of someone having their eyes gouged out or their hands cut off at the wrist. The effects that old age has had on Grandma are also described.
Symbolism: Grandma and the Young Man are symbols for the old and new American dreams, respectively. Grandma has the values and the resourcefulness of someone of pioneer stock,  but not the outward appeal. The Young Man, on the other hand, has no empathy or values (essentially he's empty) but on the outside is very physically attractive, much like the new generation of people obsessed with appearance and status. Mrs. Barker represents big business, as she has a finger in every pie through her work with the various committees and groups, and she is relatively oblivious to/does not care about what happens after she leaves Mommy and Daddy's lives.

Quotes
Page 65, Mommy: You've been reading my book club selections again!
Shows that Mommy and Daddy are wealthy enough to be a part of a book club, which they are doing purely as a display of status. Grandma, on the other hand, is intelligent and thus reads all of the books.
Page 77, Mrs. Barker: You forget yourself, Mommy; I'm a professional woman.
Raises a lot of questions about Mrs. Barker: Is she a prostitute? A working woman (which lends to the theory of her symbolizing big business)? Or is it her job to be a woman (making her the only "real" woman in the entire play)? Also a subtle power struggle between Mommy and Mrs. Barker, as she's telling Mommy off for being rude.
Page 98, Grandma: Anyway... they bought something very much like a bumble, and they took it away with them. But... things didn't work out very well. 
Mommy and Daddy bought a bumble. They don't adopt one, they buy it. To them, a bumble is just one more possession to have, one more object that will give the impression of their having perfect lives. Everyone refers to the bumble as an it, which shows that not just Mommy and Daddy think of it as an object. All of the characters consider the bumble to be something less than human that they get to have.

Theme
Albee's American Dream warns that the current generation of upper-class Americans has gutted the heart and soul what it means to be an American and replaced our collective dream with a shallow, immature materialism driving us to acquire power and wealth, but there is hope for change.

This theme is realized primarily through the setting, plot, and symbolism of the play. Albee very pointedly picks a wealthy couple as his main characters, in order to make the point that the upper class is destroying American values with their shallowness. The plot, primarily about the quest for satisfaction regardless of the cost, also highlights the repressing of young America and the resulting lack of depth. There is heavy symbolism in the new American Dream, one that is emotionally empty, replacing the old American Dream, which had such wisdom. However, the final scene leaves hope for change, as Grandma is not entirely gone and hints that someday she could come back.