Hans' journey spans eighty-nine years from 1924 to the present, and it represents a microcosm of the aftermath of WWI and WWII. The U.S.A. is a nation of immigrants, a melting pot of ethnicity, and a composition of its parts. Hans Gruber's life is a small, unique component of that composition, but all Americans can enjoy my Odyssey thru Hell because it depicts one man's triumphant quest against all odds to live the American Dream.