Significance of Title

The title American Splendor is ironic because it plays on the idea of the “American Dream” juxtaposed against the crude nature of the world Harvey is representing. The title implies that he’s living the “American Dream”, but once the audience delves into the stories it’s clear that he’s living quite an ordinary life, with the ups and down that come with it. He talks about feeling left out, not finding a meaningful relationship, and he sometimes reflects the life of others like in stories like A Tune is Introduced n’ Cleveland and The Rank.