In many ways, Las Vegas can be an escape from a stressful life. A vacation away from all the worries and problems that weigh down the American people in their daily lives. Many people come to seek fame and fortune. But the pursuit of this American dream comes at a high cost. Hunter S. Thompson paid this price the hard way, and even then he did not achieve the American dream he sought. In Thompson's novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Thompson explains that drugs will change people, even turn your best friends against you and that these drugs can make you happy, but will not allow you to fully achieve the happiness that the American dream promises through allusions and symbolism. Hunter S. Thompson was born on July 18, 1937, to an insurance agent named Jack Thompson and a young woman named Virginia Ray in Louisville, Kentucky. Thompson showed an early interest in reading and journalism according to Andie Tucher, even going so far as to start a newspaper with friends early in his schooling. When Thompson's father died in 1952 and that seemed to push him into trouble with the law for a variety of crimes, an assault was his last chance, putting him away for two months and missing his graduation. As he grew older, Thompson became a renowned journalist through his work involving the Hell's Angel in 1966. Thompson's next masterpiece came in 1971 with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. This novel popularized Thompson's version of journalism called Gonzo Journalism. (Tucher, Andie) Gonzo journalism is best explained by Princeton University: Gonzo journalism tends to emphasize style over accuracy and often uses personal experiences and emotions to provide context for the subject or story. covered event. It ignores the 'polished' ... middle of paper ... brutal drug lifestyle. Fear and disgust are complicated and simple at the same time. Although it can be difficult to follow, the story hinges on a simple statement at the heart. Drugs are not the solution. Drugs will cause people considered best friends to kill each other without any remorse. To achieve true happiness, you have to work hard and not fall into the trap of drug use that so many other people have fallen into. Works Cited “Gonzo Journalism.” Princeton University. Princeton University, November 1, 2013. Web. November 28, 2013. “Mescaline.” Medication information online. Drugs.com, November 25, 2013. Web. November 28, 2013. Thompson, Hunter. Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: a wild journey to the heart of the American dream. Illus. Ralph Steadman. 2nd ed. United States: Vintage Books, 1971. Print.Tucher, Andie. "Thompson, Hunter S."; American National Biography Online, February 2000. Web. Thu Nov. 28 2013