This chapter focuses on the psychological depression and violence that come with unfulfilled dreams. Imbolo Mbue's Behold the Dreamers is crucial to exploring this aspect of the migrant experience upon arrival abroad. The novel tells the stories of two families: Jende and Neni Jonga, African migrants from Cameroon; and Clark Edwards, a wealthy Wall Street banker in the United States, and his wife, Cindy. The intersection of the stories of these two families comes when Jende is hired by Edwards as his personal chauffeur. Jende's employment creates an invaluable opportunity for crossexamination of each other's situations. Jende is given a window seat into the workings of the capitalist system in America. In this way, he is brought face to face with the dynamics of a system that he will have to navigate if his dream is to be accomplished. In working with Jende, Edwards comes to see the realities behind the operation of the immigration system in his own country. In this way, he understands the restrictions of the system that produces migrant labor from which he benefits. As the story unfolds, Jende realizes that his perception of the dream was misconstrued and that capitalism was a stumbling block to its achievement. He sees the realities of the capitalist system in the lives of Clark and Cindy and recognizes the contrast between the superficial attractions and the profound realities. Jende concludes that the cost to achieving his dream is too high and returns home with his family at the end of the novel.

In the opening sections of the novel, Mbue focuses on the dream of the migrant. By dissecting the story of Neni and Jende, she provides a framework for defining both dream and dreamer. Neni's story is a clear illustration of the conflict between the dream and the systems that work to thwart its achievement. At the opening of the novel, she is celebrating a year and a half of residency in New York City. She is depicted as living the American dream, satisfied and fulfilled, even at this early stage in her journey.