...opportunity to reflect the past year, to make plans for the future, personal goals and dreams and to ask ourselves one very important question: “What really makes me happy?”. If the answer to this question is: “America”, then you’re in best hands with The American Dream because we can help making your dream come true. The „pursuit of Happiness“ is a solid term in the United States Declaration of Independence. The American Dream has already helped many people to live their dream and counts 18,000 lucky Green Card winners so far. Winning a Green Card is the admission ticket into the land of the free with endless opportunity. LIFE, LIBERTY AND GREEN CARD LUCK The United States Declaration of Independence, announced on July 4th, 1776, claims: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…“ With this announcement, the United States declared their independence from the British Empire and became a free nation. This significant change has had a tremendous influence on American society and encouraged many people from other countries to immigrate to the United States. This was a revolutionary idea, as back then, European countries were still reigned by kings. THE MEANING OF „THE AMERICAN DREAM“ There is no general definition of The American Dream or the pursuit of Happiness since every individual has their own idea about...
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...settlers in North America have enslaved and oppressed African Americans. Slavery continued until the Emancipation Proclamation was established towards the end of the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that those who were once slaves were to be set free; however much more than a document would be needed to diminish the ideas and attitudes white people continued to hold onto. Into the 1960’s, one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclaimed was written, African Americans were still suffering from inequality and discrimination. The need to end racial segregation and discrimination sparked the build up to The Civil Rights Movement. Like society, literary trends started to focus on racism and prejudice. In particular, the principled southern-bred writer Langston Hughes shows social injustices and racial prejudice in his writings because he experienced the culture first hand. His poems became the voice for African American’s because he clearly depicts the emotions they felt during this time. Literature as a whole grasped the public’s attention towards The Civil Rights Movement to show the importance of social equality. Langston Hughes’ poems “Merry-Go-Round” and “Dreams” express how necessary it is to put segregation in the past, and encourage African Americans to stay hopeful in order to reach their dream of living in a racially equal America. The Civil Rights Movement was victorious because many African Americans did not get discouraged and lose spirit, but instead properly...
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...The American Dream What is the American Dream? As this question comes up, different people have different thoughts floating in their minds of what the American Dream really is to them. For some, the American Dream is to live their lives within the laws of the American Constitution. For others, it is the dream that is fulfilled with chances, successes, and wealth. Therefore, the America Dream comes to be the freedoms, the opportunities, and the prosperity for all. America is the country that holds the strongest Democratic Constitution of laws that protects human’s rights. For many years, thousands of immigrants have been coming to America searching for these rights, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” (Declaration of Independence) Within the Constitution, the people are guaranteed to be able to express themselves freely, to be created equal, and especially to put faith in their own beliefs as they wish. Overall, living the American Dream is to obtain the freedom of speech, the freedom of political, and the freedom of religion that are protected by the American Constitution. America has become to be the “Land of Opportunity”. The United States of America has created many turning points in the immigrants’ lives with its endless opportunities. From the “many useless plants, wanting vegetative mold”, (from Letters from an American Farmer) the immigrants receive the chances to refresh themselves in the American Dream. They get to attain better living conditions and achieve...
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...The American Dream: An American Constant As a newborn child lies in his mother’s arms in an American hospital following his birth, he doesn’t possess courtesy to be grateful for the gifts bestowed upon him; this baby hasn’t merely been given life. This infant has been given an opportunity that we have come to know as The American Dream. This ideal will be held constant in the mind of this moments old baby as soon as he is mature enough to yearn and desire the concept of gain. America is widely believed to be a land of opportunity, so the concept of The American Dream is an ethos taken to heart in almost every being who respects America. Every day, people set out to achieve their full potential and succeed. Though, in America we are blessed with freedom, I feel the assumption that being free yields success and happiness is a false premise. I believe the only way to define true success of this ideal is unconditional happiness and success. To achieve this dream proves nearly impossible; as humans, we instinctively desire more. Success, like the concept of The American Dream, is truly subjective. We go to different colleges, have different majors, and surround ourselves with different people; how can success truly be defined? To me, The American Dream proves to be more hope and incentive to better yourself and your family for future generations to come. In respect to the subjectivity of the term, The American Dream will always mean different things to different people. As a...
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...equal” and that everyone has the rights for “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This document led to the national ethos that is the American Dream. This dream states that "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class. Following the Civil War the United States of America underwent large scale change and by the start of the twentieth century was one of the richest nations in the world. By 1950 the U.S.A. was the richest country in the world and a superpower. The state was not the only thing to change during this period. From the late-nineteenth century up to the 1920s average Americans experienced a dramatic expansion in wealth and prosperity. However, with the Wall Street Crash in 1929 the U.S.A. experienced an economic depression that destroyed millions of livelihoods. This eventful period of American history led many to question the American Dreams place in modern America. This research paper will examine the interpretation of the American Dream in literature between the Progressive Era at the start of the twentieth century and the 1950s economic and social boom. In order to do this the paper will examine the novels The Jungle, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman. These three novels all examine the American Dream in different decades. Written in 1906 by Upton Sinclair The Jungle is a novel that portrayed the life of immigrants and the working class in early-twentieth...
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...Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Shattered American Dream Every immigrant has a dream, a vision full of hope expecting to make it wherever he goes. In grapes of wrath, they had this vision too. “[People are] movin’ ‘cause they got to. That’s why [we] folks always move. Movin’ cause [we] want somepin better’n what [we] got” (Steinbeck, 128). The American dream was seen as a simple concept by the immigrants in the Grapes of Wrath. According to them, “You can reach anywhere and pick an orange” (Steinbeck, 34). They thought they will just go to California and get plenty of jobs for everyone and get rich. This is highlighted in page 34,”there’s work there and it never gets cold”. What the immigrants did not know was that finding an ideal life in the west was nearly impossible. Additionally, those who were looking for an ideal life were corrupted by the system. In his book, Steinbeck said that the attainment of the American dream was nearly impossible due to the economic instability and constant government interference. The Joads found unpredictable jobs in California (Ownby 73). They failed to achieve the American dream and so they did not succeed in California. Before they migrated from Oklahoma, the Joads had a good life. They had land, a home and money. Their migration was fuelled by their hopes of finding success and a better life in California. The Grapes of Wrath is set during the great depression. The great depression was a result of the inaction by the federal government...
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...like most Americans believe, they are human beings that are trying to make a better living for themselves. Living and growing up with immigrants, makes the world be portrayed though a different lenses. Immigrants live on constant fear of being deported, even when they have not done any criminal activity. Immigrants pay attention to the news, for any laws that may affect them or benefit them in any way. However, most laws or people are against immigrants, for the prejudice that are set for these immigrants. There is “41.3 million immigrants lived in the United States in 2013, accounting for 13 percent of the overall U.S. population” (Zong).Theirs Mexican, Muslim, Chinese and many other races that are in the United States and each of them have had an obstacle here in the United States. This country is known for welcoming others, having people achieve the American dream. But the government and the people seem to say otherwise, because most of these immigrants do not come close to that dream others talk about. Hearing immigrants story about how in their native country people think that America is glory, the best of the best, because the American dream is a dream everyone can accomplish. This dream is less likely to be reached by immigrants with the obstacles they have. One obstacle is obtaining citizenship, this process takes years to develop and get granted. The laws that make it hard for them to not live in constant fear, one example of their disturbance of peace is law HB 56. ...
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...------------------------------------------------- AMERICAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Civil Rights Movement Deyana Faraj On the 4th of July 1776, 56 delegates to the Continental Congress signed a document that would not only declare independence of America from British colonial power but less than 200 years later, become the backbone of a new established America where the walls of discrimination and segregation would finally begin to deteriorate. The Declaration of Independence is a powerful document that has led to the development of equal rights and social justice within societies on a world context. More specifically, principles in this document were instrumental when argued by African American Civil Rights leaders in achieving equality and abolishing racial segregation and discrimination against African- Americans in the United States, during the African American Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968). Before the American Civil Rights Movement, laws known as Jim Crow laws had forced racial segregation of facilities and the prohibition of intermarriage. These laws were similar to the apartheid legislation and it became the law mainly in the south of America. Where there is inequality and injustice within a government, the people of the nation demand change. Since the Jim Crow laws were enacted, the laws that mandated racial segregation in public areas and the prohibition of intermarriage in the Southern United States were socially and morally unjust and this fuelled the American civil rights movement...
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...Unarguably, the American Dream means something different to everyone. Those who dream the American Dream, however, share a common aspect they all hope to achieve: happiness. Out of many factors which play into one’s happiness, one may be the relationships people share with others. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck both imply that the American Dream is primarily about achieving happiness through relationships such as family and companionship— A statement still relevant in modern society’s view of the dream. However, while Hansberry argues family is more important than achieving the dream, Steinbeck argues companionship is essential to achieving the dream. Hansberry reveals that having a family is...
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...Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness When our forefathers drafted the Declaration of Independence, they were seeking a place where “all men are created equal” with the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” They were the dreamers who saw potential in America. A little further down the road to the 1880s and Americans were still dreaming of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a world where all men are created equal. We commonly refer to it as “the American Dream.” This phrase was first used in 1931 to describe the attraction that brought immigrants to America. The pursuit of the American Dream is still something that is chased by the masses today. Huck Finn, Jim and Pap were all seeking to achieve that dream, though it had different meanings for each of them. Huck’s pursuit of the American Dream had to do with being able to be free to go where and when he wanted, without seeking permission from anyone. Huck felt if he were free to do as he pleased, then he would be a rich man. His happiness had nothing to do with financial wealth. Huck stated that fact to Judge Thatcher. I don’t want it at all-nor the six thousand, nuther I want you to take it; I want to give it to you-the six thousand and all…Don’t you ask me no questions about it please. You’ll tale it-won’t you?...Please take it..and don’t ask me nothing-then I wont have to tell no lies. (Twain 25). When Huck saw money, he did not equate that with happiness. Instead, he...
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...how he is much better than them. Troy’s life is a difficult one, and the connection between baseball and Troy’s trying life leads me to my point. The use of baseball in Fences is to symbolize the American dream and it being unattainable to Troy Maxson. First, how is it that our American pastime can be directly related to and represented as the American dream? There are several connections between the sport and the American dream that lead me to my thesis. The article Baseball as History and Myth in August Wilson’s Fences does a great job of connecting these two seemingly unrelated subjects. This article starts with a great quote by John Thorn saying, baseball has become “the great repository of national ideals, the symbol of all that [is] good in American life: fair play; the rule of law; equal opportunity; the brotherhood of man; and more.” Fair play shown through sportsmanship between the two teams, rule of law in “objective arbitration of disputes,” equal opportunity as each team is given a chance on both offensive and defensive sides each inning, and brotherhood as fans share the stands as they root on their team. The article goes on to make a very valid point about the baseball diamond itself. The playing field can be looked at as archetypal, being “a walled garden, an American Eden marked by youth and timelessness.” This ever-lasting battlefield for teams also plays well into the American ideals and American dream. As Bart...
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...Jeremiah Mertz American Lit Is the American Dream Still Alive F. Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner are commonly considered two of the best writers of the twentieth century. Their novels depict the lives and struggles of people and give insight into the life of the early 1900's. Their stories often concern the American Dream. In these stories it seems that both these authors are saying that the usual concept of the American dream does not result in happiness and is false. Many people associate accumulating wealth, power, and status as the American dream. In Faulkner's and Fitzgerald's stories this is not the case. Their stories state that the dream is not about accumulating wealth, power, and status as this does not make a person happy, but that creating close relationships and spending time with loved ones creates true happiness and that is what the American Dream truly is. Faulkner's story "A Rose for Emily" centers around the character of Emily Grierson. Emily Grierson was the only relative left of an aristocratic old southern family. These families had wealth, power and status. They were the families that controlled most of life in the old south. Despite the old south falling, Emily still had her wealth and status. She was well known around her town and everyone respected her. The town tried to support her the best they could after her father had died and even remitted her taxes as a sign of respect. Yet Emily was not happy. After her father's death she was seldom...
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...true until there is justice we will never have peace.(Line 12) Living under Dictatorships I search for you and I cannot find you. Your body tortured is nowhere to be found. (Line 16) If one’s dream is everybody’s dream to break the chains and begin our journey Let’s be confident Let’s go ahead, my race, Let’s preserve time for those to come.(Line 24) You’ve been abducted, America Your mouth has been gagged and today it’s our turn to bring you freedom. I’m calling you America our future awaits us and before it dies on us we will find you.(Line 33) I’m searching for you America. I’m calling you America Oh, Oh Fighting for our race and our freedom And we will find you among the darkness, You’ve been vanished by those who’re afraid of your truth. While we search for the truth Searching for our America Mama and papa’s dream And it’s our turn today to set you free. (Line 43)“Looking for America” 2013. Ruben Blades website. June 19, 2013, 05:05 http://www.rubenblades.com/lyrics/?currentPage=5. When listening to the lyrics of this song it reminds me of people like my mother and father who to me relate more to the familiar version of “The American Dream”. I grew up in Puerto Rico and have seen the struggles of my family to give us enrichment in life, within our home and education. For my family it has been easier to convert to the norms and values of the United States, but for others I have seen their struggles to be...
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...Floyd Ogle Instructor: English 1A 11 September 2008 To Catch a Dream On August 28, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., possibly one of the most eloquent, and certainly one of the most passionate men to ever share his heart, delivered a stunning and earth shaping speech. He delivered this speech not only to over 200,000 people in attendance at the Lincoln Memorial, and not even to a nation struggling with the perils of racism and equality, but to generations of people who share in a dream and strive for freedom; a dream that many still dream today. Even though we are closer now than at any point in history, we have yet to experience the freedom of which Dr. King dreamed. Racism is not a problem only in America, most every nation deals with racial issues on some level. Though none of us could ever forget the tragedy of the Holocaust, we tend to forget that it was racially motivated. Hitler’s goal was to exterminate the Jewish people. “Anne Frank was murdered by the Nazis in Bergen-Belsen [concentration camp] for being a Jew, just one of over one million Jewish children to be killed in the Holocaust” (Melchior). The Holocaust, while the most prominent, is not the only example of ethnic cleansing that the world offers. Darfur, the Sudan, Croatia, and Kosovo, just to name a few, have all dealt with this racial horror. South Africa, as well, deals with racism. As the political power shifts toward black South Africans, white South Africans face continual racial violence...
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...Children’s Dreams Come True Immigration has been a heavily debated issue in United States politics for decades. It is a topic that policymakers weigh in on concerns of the nation’s security and its economy. Congress, which is in charge of evaluating laws is unable to effectively resolve an agreement on establishing a reform for immigration, making the decision policies transfer onto the executive branch. The executive’s responsibility to place a definitive reform on immigration will lead to dissatisfaction with the states and local governments. The notion of the immigration system has always been confounding to its own legislature that constitutes regulations on the naturalization process. In these case, children who came here illegally...
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