In The American, selling of the self is present through art, sex and tradition. When a human gives away a small amount of his or herself through his or her art his or her sexual favors, or him or her following of tradition, a small part of the soul is lost each time, and eventually, the self will be lost.

Prostitution is seen with Mademoiselle Noémie Nioche's selling of art. She copies others' artwork and sells the portraits in order to make money, therefore, making her one that prostitutes. When one paints a portrait with his or her soul and feelings, a slight fragment of that person is placed within the portrait. The portrait is a reflection of the artists' thoughts, feelings, and self. As a result, when the creation of paint mixed with the emotion of the artist is purchased, a small piece of the...