Opinion: Graceland, a Focal Point for Fraudsters, Symbolizes Elvis Presley and the American Dream
Many people were reminded of the importance of Graceland, a symbol that unified fans from all over the world connected to the prosperous Presley family, which included Elvis himself, his wife Priscilla, daughter Lisa Marie, and granddaughter Riley Keough. At the same time, we can't ignore the significance of this widely-known tourist spot, as it also represents the place where Elvis once called home. From being born in an impoverished family in a small shack in East Tupelo, Mississippi, to dying in a 23-room Colonial Revival mansion, Elvis's journey to success is quite remarkable.
The contrast between his humble beginnings and the grandeur of Graceland is striking. Elvis, who still marveled at his Memphis home years later, once mentioned to a journalist friend that the two-room house where he was born could easily fit into Graceland's living room. The son of sharecroppers indeed had come a long way.
His life tale of triumphing over impoverishment and leaving behind a lasting legacy has captured the attention of people for centuries. Born with no aristocratic lineage or wealth, America's emphasis on amassing wealth has helped create successful individuals like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, among others. This focus on wealth over heritage has led to great advancements by the financially marginalized but determined individuals, who then passed on their dynasties.
However, Elvis was different from those wealthy robber barons of the Gilded Age. His American Dream did not revolve around the acquisition of wealth. His individuality and accomplishments were unique, yet he still managed to capture the attention of people worldwide. Graceland is most likely a significant factor in this.
In the southern culture, a house is considered the focal point of family and moral stability, safeguarding against the modern forces that threaten traditional values. It represents a sense of stability. As Ida Harris, a cultural writer and editor, said, "My physical home is a tangible representation of my identity, but it functions more like an archival space, holding more intimate details of who I am."
For a long time, the Presleys had no 'archival space' that future generations could visit. Poverty and debt led them to relocate multiple times, from Elvis's birth to 1948, when the family moved to Memphis. Gladys Presley, Elvis's mom, said, "We've always been in debt. Can't remember when we weren't. We'd sit on the doorstep, talking about our debts. At one point, Elvis would look up — he was just a little boy — and say, 'Don't worry none. One of these days things will change.'”
Once in Memphis, things didn't immediately improve for the Presleys – they continued to relocate, primarily renting apartments or homes and also living in a government-assisted housing project. As Elvis explained later, "I can never forget the longing to be someone. If you are poor, you always think bigger and want more than those who have everything when they're born. We didn't...So our dreams and ambitions were much greater because we had further to go than anyone else."
In every home they lived in, no matter how briefly, the Presleys integrated into their communities. Gladys made friends and mingled well with neighbors, with similar socio-economic backgrounds. They were all transient individuals, occupying the second-to-last rung on a southern social ladder that placed heavy emphasis on race and class, expecting them to 'know their place', as in staying there. Instead, they had a sense of 'place' derived from permanence and homeownership.
Despite selling over a billion records and having over 150 albums and singles certified gold or platinum in the US alone, Graceland represents Elvis's most significant achievement in personal and cultural terms.
Elvis bought Graceland, the second house he purchased after achieving mainstream fame, in 1957. He had acquired a ranch-style home for his parents in an upper-middle-class Memphis suburb the year before. Like many rural migrants to both southern and northern cities, the Presleys brought their working-class culture with them, which often horrified earlier city dwellers who had disowned their countryside lives.
The Presleys incurred the wrath of their new Memphis neighbors for Gladys' gardening, hanging clothes, and raising chickens. She frequently visited the housing project they'd moved away from, leaving few friends in their new home. After about a year, Elvis sought a different house. The family ultimately found Graceland.
Right after moving into Graceland, Elvis, who was an avid consumer, started making renovations. When it came to home decorating, he had no limits; he added anything he liked into his home. This was the same approach he used when it came to his music and fashion choices.
Interestingly, the cultural elite always saw Elvis as a tacky country boy. Whenever he managed to achieve anything, it was met with a joke that he was a "Horatio Alger in drawl".
While working, Elvis spent most of his time in Hollywood and Las Vegas. However, he considered Graceland as his home. It was his safe haven where he could remember his mother, who sadly passed away in 1958. The house offered a sense of belonging, a place where he could find stability and feel comfortable with who he was.
Unlike the elaborately designed homes of John D. Rockefeller's "Kykuit" in upper New York or Andrew Carnegie's 3-story mansion on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, Graceland had a different feel to it. These homes signified a different style and meaning. They symbolized a different type of success.
Graceland wasn't a representation of the glamourous lifestyles enjoyed by the wealthy elite. Instead, it represented a man who was born in a shack without indoor plumbing and rose to the top, yet never forgot where he came from. For the millions who have made it the second most visited home in America after the White House, this was the aspect of Elvis that truly mattered.
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Despite the controversy surrounding Graceland as a hub for fraudulent activities, many people still view it as a testament to Elvis Presley's enduring influence and the American Dream. Various opinions exist regarding the symbolic value of Graceland, with some seeing it as a representation of the juxtaposition between Elvis' humble beginnings and his eventual fame and fortune.
Elvis' journey from a small shack in East Tupelo, Mississippi, to his lavish mansion in Memphis, illustrates the power of personal ambition and hard work in achieving the American Dream. His Graceland estate, now a popular tourist attraction, serves as a physical manifestation of his success, inspiring awe and admiration in countless individuals who share his desire to overcome adversity and leave a lasting legacy.
