With the same motif of the family tragedy, the trilogy shows that Americans have an embarrassment of riches and a paucity of spirituality and morality, focusing on the disillusionment of the American Dream.

• 通过三部对失败家庭描写的剧作；萨姆.；谢泼德力图揭示美国当今社会物质极大丰富与精神极其贫乏的现状；透析出了美国人所一直追求的美国梦业已幻灭。