In the novel "Manhattan Transfer" by John Dos Passos, he depicts the reality of the lives of struggling immigrants pursuing their dreams in New York City during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The novel highlights themes such as poverty, the search for love, socialism, and the struggle for a living. The novel consists of a group of interwoven stories that tell about a variety of characters, such as "Bud Corpening," who emigrated from the countryside with dreams of wealth, and "George Baldwin," a young lawyer who seeks to win his first case, only to become romantically involved with his client's wife. . These characters provide a glimpse into the social and economic transformations that Manhattan has witnessed, and depict the daily struggles that individuals faced in their quest to live with dignity. The Manhattan Transfer is considered one of Dos Passos's greatest works, and was named one of the 100 best books of the 20th century by Le Monde.

جون رودريغو دوس باسوس هو روائي ورسَّام أمريكي يُعتبر واحدًا من أبرز الكتاب في "الجيل الضائع" الأمريكي، وهم أولئك الذين عاشوا فترة النضج خلال الحرب العالمية الأولى. يُعرف باسوس بشكل خاص بثلاثيته الروائية "يو إس أيه"، والتي تُعبر عن صراع الفرد مع المجتمع. في عام 1938، وصفه الفيلسوف جان بول سارتر بأنه "أعظم كاتب على قيد الحياة في زماننا". قدّم باسوس من خلال أعماله رؤية عميقة ومعقدة للحياة الأمريكية، مُسلطًا الضوء على قضايا الفقر والعدالة الاجتماعية، مما جعل له مكانة مرموقة في الأدب الأمريكي والعالمي.