Controlling Destiny In America, a citizen expects a storybook life. A life which has a controlled destiny is ideal. The American dream is based on making enough money to own a house and finding a mate. Money becomes the main part of the dream, and is expected to make the dream become a reality. Europe, however, is quite different. Europe is not about capitalism; it is about the family one belongs to and how much money that family is worth. Life is controlled and destiny is easily predictable. Naturally, the two cultures collide. In The American, by Henry James, the lead character Christopher Newman feels that he can travel to