...The American Dream* (*Adjustment Required) The American Dream is a constantly evolving and developing concept that adapts to the current social and economic conditions of a time period. In “Millennials’ Ball-and-Chain: Student Loan Debt” author Malcolm Hadley describes the difficulties young Americans facein this day and age because of the cost of education and how it’s affecting their outlooks on life and their goals. In his article, Hadley iterates what is holding this generation back:the “tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt” (Hadley); As a result, they cannot afford to have what is commonly associated with being an independent adult. Many millennials find themselves dreaming of living independently, marrying, or being able to buy an apartment. The author continued to expand his argument by delving further into the lives of millennials who do choose to start families and lead traditional lives and how their student loans continue to burden them; often couples both have debt and are reluctant to go into that next phase of their lives while so indebted. Essentially, what Hadley argues is that being chained to their student debt is making young Americans strive for more simplicity than the traditional...
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...question, burning in every American’s heart; Is the American Dream, the thing many died in hopes of, still alive today? Many would say no, that we are in recession and that no one is born in equal opportunities, but those people forget the fundamental principles behind the dream. The American Dream is the idea that everyone has the ability to have equal opportunity and lead successful lives, and that idea is still alive because we still have the same laws protecting our rights and the only thing that could rob us of the dream is our own attitudes towards it. The United States Constitution has gone through a few changes over the years, the addition and revision of the first ten amendments and other clarifications being examples. However, every U.S...
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...The American Dream is achievable and obtainable in America because that is what shaped America. There is room for more people to seek their dreams and obtain a better life. Anyone can achieve this dream if they work hard enough, and make the right choices. It’s tough, and may be unbearable, but anyone can try again to make a better life. It may be difficult and hard to do, but America was shaped by people who were poor who rose up from the ashes of poverty. The United States is a big country, and surely, it can save people from poverty and horrors of the world. People can come in poor, and with enough education and hard work, they could end up rich. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s possible. People are losing faith in this concept. (Source 5: The New York Times Poll: “Many Feel the American Dream Is Out of Reach”, Poll Shows” by Sorkin and Thee-Brenan, 2014.) Perhaps it’s because of the pollution, over crowding, or how much harder life has become. No dream is easy to achieve, so the American Dream isn’t easy either. People will make room and move on, it’s a step by step process to become rich, or even middle class. It isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible....
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...American Dream No Longer Reality? The United States is in really poor shape with the recession. In Bob Herbert’s article “Hiding from Reality,” he points out that unless the United States makes some drastic changes, the American Dream will fade away due to the increasing difficulties people will have in trying to reach it. The main problems include struggling to find a job after college, struggling to buy a home and car and paying for them, and overall issues with recession in the United States. Getting a degree and a college education is a great thing, but what use is it if people cannot find jobs? According to Herbert, there is not much of the American dream left (564). The economy is in terrible shape; the education in public schools is not as good as it should be, there are budget deficits and overseas warfare. This all show the horrible and sad shape that our country is in. The problem is, according to Herbert, that we as Americans are in denial about the extent of the rot in our system (564). We are in such bad shape that it can take a decade or more for employment to rise back to a level where one can say that the economy is good. This is due to the slow progress we are making in trying to improve the economy. Workers born in foreign countries gained 656,000 jobs while workers born in the US lost 1.2 million jobs in 2009 (Herbert 564). However, the immigrant workers experienced much less pay than Americans would have received. This shows that many places will hire immigrants...
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...multi-millionaire. No worries on paying the bills, no worries about what will be on the dinner table, and no worries about paying for the children’s college. Is the American Dream equally achievable for each of these individuals? The American Dream is possible for each of these individuals to achieve, just harder for some to get to that point. As it turns out the...
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...to a poll done by New York Times, only 64 percent of people said they still believed in the American Dream. This is the lowest percent in two decades. The American Dream has changed over time. The American Dream started as people wanting a better life for everyone but now it has diminished to people not even believing in it or others being very optimistic that we can still fulfill the ‘dream.’ The American Dream is different for everyone that you ask. Some might say that their dream is to own a house with 5 children. Others might say it is to have a good education, healthy family, and a steady job. Some even say that it is to own 5 cars with 3 houses across the globe. Everyone’s view on this term is different. Some may think that...
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...Nuong Nguyen Professor Renee Gaines English 102 - #3300 9 November 2014 Paper #1- Resubmit edition The struggles to achieve the American Dream in The House on Mango Street Sandra Cisneros is the author of several books including The House on Mango Street. She has been writing for more than forty-five years, publishing for more than thirty-five years. The House on Mango Street was first published in 1984, and has sold over two million copies since its initial publication and is still selling strongly today. The book tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh realities and natural beauty. The house on Mango Street is not the house, which Esperanza has been dreaming about; however, it is symbolical of the struggles to achieve the American Dream. That dream of the young girl depicts a reality. The house on Mango Street has much better quality than the third floor on Loomis, which is where the Esperanza lived before. That improvement shows that Esperanza’s family is trying to make their dream come true, little by little in changing their lives. It also proves that her family can achieve the dream of the real house. The house on Mango Street depicts a house in which the family resides. In any event, the place on Loomis is merely a third floor that Esperanza cannot proudly admit that it is her house to the nun passing by. Esperanza describes the gloomy third floor as, “The house on Mango Street is ours and we don’t have to pay rent to...
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...Adam Shepard and Chris McCandless were two young and intelligent men who embarked upon their own journeys. Despite having different outcomes and differences among each other, they both made impacts on many. However, the question still remains. Who served a greater purpose and who was more admirable? Adam Shepard served a greater purpose and was more admirable because he showed his readers that the American Dream is still possible and achievable through hard work and determination. As Shepard and McCandless set out onto their journeys, they both create goals for themselves along the way. Before Shepard sets out onto his journey, he comes up with a plan/goal beforehand. Shepard hopes to live in a house, own a car, and have $2000 cash by the end of his project (one year). As he is about to embark and make his way to his destination he will start “literally from scratch with one 8’ x 10’ tarp, a sleeping bag, an empty gym bag, $25, and the clothes on my back” (Shepard, pg. xiv). As for McCandless, he didn’t have as much goals for himself. McCandless had planned his escape/disappearance in advance. He hitchhiked his way to Alaska and meet some people along the way who...
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...Interpretation When I hear “American Dream” I immediately think of having opportunities to achieve every one’s individual goal that they have for their life and where they want to end up. For many years, the United States has been a symbol of freedom and opportunity around the entire world. Also, the dream has represented a idea and ultimate goal that people had in terms of where they wanted to be in life. This dream included having a family, a house, a job, etc. for many years and is still a dream for many today; however, the “American Dream” can also incorporate other aspirations as well and can be much more flexible in terms of what is considered an “American Dream”. Similar to the individuals being interviewed within the New York Times...
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...Compare and Contrast Argument Essay Adam Shepard and Chris McCandless were two young men who shared a desireable dream to prove something after graduating college. Adam Shepard wanted to see if the American Dream was still achievable in todayś society and Chris McCandless wanted to go out into society and test his self reliance. Although they both had a great impact on people Adam Shepardś journey served a greater purpose because he impacted more people, he was more admirable, and he achieved his goal within the first six months of his journey. Adam Shepard overcame many hardships throughout his journey. He kept a positive mind set and constantly worked hard to prove what he believed in. Many people viewed shepard as weak and unprepared but forget that he went into this journey not knowing what to expect nor what the outcome would be. Shepard used the government's services to help prove that the American Dream was still achievable in today's society. For example he worked jobs provided by the shelter he was staying at...
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...Some however, say that the American Dream is not real, that it is simply a dream that cannot be realized due to social or political obstacles. The truth is that many of these obstacles can be overcome through hard work and perseverance. The American Dream is achievable through hard work and the determination to keep going, no matter how slim the odds seem to be. One important aspect of the American Dream is that one’s past has no bearing on the achievability of the American Dream. One can come from nothing and become the richest person in the world if they put their minds to it. Andrew Sullivan, in his essay, My America, touched on this when he wrote that what matters in America is not where you come from, but “where you are going” (Sullivan, Para 5). This shows that in America, people don’t care about one’s past as they do about one’s future. Here, the past is not a hinderance, it is simply something that is there, motivating one to do better, to achieve their American Dream....
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...Throughout the years the American dream has changed. America has changed undeniably and the American dream has changed along with it. The American Dream used to be simple and transparent something everyone could afford it was simply living well. Through the years the American Dream has changed even though it’s similar it isn't the same because it's something only 1% of the American can achieve now. The American Dream is more materialistic. Now what caused the American Dream to change? In the past things were different, the American dream was much simpler; to own a house and be with your family. During World War II when men went to war they dreamt about coming home to the American dream when they got back the dream would be, homes filled with...
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...4.10.12 The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on hold 1. The writer’s central argument is that the American dream is not dead or on hold like many Americans think, but that the values and ideals of the American dream are still alive in today’s society. The writer point of view is that external factors such as the economy, has made people believe the American dream is unobtainable. According to the writer, that sentiment is not true because there are still opportunities in American to achieve the dream. 2. The writer uses many examples to prove her point. In his first example, the writer uses historical data pertaining to when the American dream slogan was created. The next example was a New York Times poll who’s goal was to see how many Americans felt it possible to start poor, work hard, and become successful. His last stat was on how many Americans were renting homes instead of purchasing them. The writer uses quotes from authors about his subject. He quotes Robert Reich’s “the year Wall Street bounced back” and Paul Krugman’s” The conscience of a liberal” The writer also inserted New York Times columnist Bob Herbert and D. Chapman into his paper. There were few comparisons and he used logical explanations to blend his argument and the evidence. 3. I think the writer is convincing because of the evidence he presented and his analysis of the argument. The writer always presented a point in each paragraph and thoroughly explained it. When the writer argued his...
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...The Great Gatsby and The American Dream While many countries around the world are working toward equality of social status and avoiding a large gap between rich and poor, there is still a strong desire in people for social freedom through the accumulation of wealth and extravagance. The Great Gatsby’s depiction of the connection between material goods and the American dream is still relevant today. At first glance, the movie may seem to be about the failed relationship of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. However, the major theme of the novel is the accumulation of wealth for social status and the idea of being able to reach a high level of success regardless of family history or lack of money. To understand the connection between the two it will be necessary to have an analysis of the culture values in the 1920’s, what people consider to be the American dream, and finally if there is still a strong desire to achieve the American dream in today’s society. In order to understand the connection between The Great Gatsby and the American dream it is first important to have a good understanding about the movie and motifs of the movie/novel itself. The story takes place in a post war America in the 1920’s when Nick Carraway moves to New York to pursue his career in finance. Nick soon discovers that he is neighbored to the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby, who is known for his loud, lavish parties. Jay and Nick soon become good friends and Nick begins to learn the motifs behind...
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...The American dream can be defined as the of pursuit of happiness in a person’s life. In today's society, some people believe the American Dream is in their grasp, but others do not see how that dream is achievable. The American dream is a reality because the more work that the person puts in is the further more in the future he gets. If a person works hard enough for most of their life, they can definitely achieve their dream. In the book, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, there is a character name Gatsby and shows that people need dreams to move forward in life beside moving back. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby went from rags to riches overnight and he was living the American dream by cheating his way social, and financially. In the novel Gatsby had a big house and inside the house had extravagant parties all the time. Gatsby lifestyle was and still is the definition of the American dream. But Gatsby was still searching for his dream and that was Daisy “Fifty...
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