...Zheng fan Advanced Communication Strategies - ESLG 0610 - G04 Jeremy S. Gillette-Newman Date: 3/04/2013 American dream The American dream like the Statue of Liberty exists for people to have hope for a better future. In The Great Gatsby, it illustrated a man called Jay Gatsby was trying to win Daisy back by his richness. Recalling Gatsby’s life, he was always full of American dreams and his so-called success was also based on his American dream. Gatsby cared for Daisy so much but he failed to win his back because of his death. Jay Gatsby is merely a small character compared with the great American dream. He doesn’t represent the American dream since he misunderstands what is American dream. He uses illegal method to become rich and takes advantage of money to buy love. Eventually no one attend to his funeral. Before talking about Gatsby’s American dream, we take a glance of what is American dream. According to James Truslow, the American dream is, “Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement’. In other words, American dream is an optimistic belief. It should have no connection with his or her original social class. The American dream evokes people to pursue their dream by hard- working. The Great Gatsby settings in 1920s, which is called Jazz age. In that period, the society was super flourishing; money and pleasure blinded people’s eyes. People were too passionate with physical material...
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...King, in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Americans have to work together to accomplish their American Dream. Even though many people go through a lot of hard times, it should not stop anyone from reaching their dream. The “American Dream” can be attainable. The term “American Dream” has been existed for almost a century. The “American Dream” came to existence in 1931. Many people interpret the “American Dream” differently; a well-known interpretation of the “American dream” is “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence 1). Many immigrants that move to the United States look for a new life a fresh start, independence, and look for their dreams here because they cannot achieve their dreams from where their land. The “American Dream” is an opportunity to search for...
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...The American Dream' is based on the 'Declaration of Independence': 'We believe that all men are born with these inalienable rights - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' (Thomas Jefferson, 1776). This 'dream' consists of a genuine and determined belief that in America, all things are possible to all men, regardless of birth or wealth; if you work hard enough you will achieve anything. However, Miller believes that people have been 'ultimately misguided' and Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. The origins of the American Dream seem to have been rooted in the pioneering mentality of the 18th and 19th century immigrants, most of whom came to America because of a promise of a new and better life. In particular, the opportunity to own one's land. But land 'ran out' and so cities developed and massive variations arose in wealth, which meant that this 'American Dream' changed from being a potential reality, into being a dream, like the name implies. Most of Miller's plays are directly or indirectly about the American Dream, because ultimately this dream wasn't going to succeed as lots of people wished. Death of a Salesman written in 1949, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. To be hard working, honest and have ambition were the ways of the American Dream. This lead to success, wealth and in due time - power. But this dream for everyone developed, and encouraged greed, selfish behavior, pride and rivalry between one another...
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...century, America was looked upon by the world as the superpower and dream continent where people’s visions came true. America became the melting pot of world and all the cultures of the world met here. There was a thirst for fame, power and money. This opened a door of commercialisation of the society. Many people became greedy and inhuman in their pursuit of fame and money. A famous essayist, Bacon is of the view, “Certainly fame is like a river that beareth up things light and swoln, and drowns things weighty and solid.” (Of Praise 133) Instead of a healthy competition and right path towards success, many were blinded by the materialistic aspect of life. American society also saw mushrooming of commercilisation and competition among the section of people, who were ready to sacrifice anything and everything for power and fame. This destroyed their family life and career. One of the most dominant beliefs of American society goes by the name of “the great American dream”. This concept is based on the doctrine of self-help, which assumes that a person having self-confidence and self-initiation can rise from a lower to a higher position. This doctrine is mostly highlighted by referring to famous personalities like Benjamin Franklin and John Garfield, who became role models for the posterity. Though many benefited by aiming high goals in their lives, a section of people attached false notion to the American dream. They became fervent believers of the romantic concept that anyone...
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...American Dreams To many, America is the land of opportunity. In the early nineteen hundreds immigrants from all over boarded ships to come to America. These people had big dreams of making new lives for themselves in America. They knew they were going to have to work hard and most were willing to do whatever it took to become successful. If you are willing to put forth hard work and effort the American dream is possible for anyone to achieve. The American dream defined by many is the idea that anyone can succeed through hard work which potentially leads to a happy, successful life. Others also believe that freedom, relationships, and fulfillment play a role in the American dream. Critics often suggest that not everyone has the same opportunities of being able to “live the dream” because of class, race, religion, and ethnicity. In the story, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald symbolizes the hope and opportunity that can be found in the new land, what comes to be known as the American Dream in the quote, “a fresh, green breast of the new world(Chapter 9).” The color green symbolizes the hope and opportunity that can be found in the new land, what comes to be known as the American Dream. An example of a metaphor in the story is Gatsby’s house. This image serves as a key symbol of aspiration, reflecting on both Gatsby's success as an American self-made man and the mirage of an identity he has created to win Daisy's love. Gatsby follows his American Dream as he buys the house to be across...
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...Washington 1 Jalyn Washington English 101 Professor Macy 12 April 2015 The Dream The American Dream has many definitions. There are many different answers to describe Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. The American Dream in the late 1940s was to have the “perfect American household”(The American Dream). This was to have a house in the suburbs, a steady job, being married, having a few kids, and keeping up with the Jones’. Death of a Salesman is a harsh criticism of the American Dream. The American Dream in Miller’s play is depicted as the ability to become prosperous by being well liked, the ability to start from nothing to something, and pursuing others dream. It also depends on which character is asked: Willy Loman, Ben, and Biff’s American Dream. Willy Loman’s American Dream is the ability to become prosperous by popularity. Willy believes that personality, not hard work and innovation, is the key to success. Time and again, he wants to make sure his boys are well-liked and popular. For example, when his son Biff confesses to making fun of his math teacher’s lisp, Willy is more concerned with how Biff’s classmates react. Biff says he crossed his eyes and talked with a lisp (Miller 1770). Willy giggles and asked him did the kids like it and Biff responds with “They nearly died laughing!”(Miller). They all make fun of Bernard at the beginning of the movie. Willy marks Mr. Bernard for getting his stuff together and says “Oh well he won’t ever amount to anything...
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...The American Dream something that is easy because it is generally what everyone strives to live throughout their life. The Dream is that everyone should have an equal opportunity to achieve the best. I don’t agree with this “Dream”. I think it is actually impossible. No one will ever be equal in this society. Whites and men will always be “better” and even though that isn’t right it happens. With the luck of the draw you could live the American Dream, but without luck you aren’t going to be very lucky. Inequality is a major setback for everyone trying to achieve the American Dream. Source 1 states, “All americans should be equal.” but why won’t our society to allow them to be? Whites and males tend to be “superior” over everyone else. Men...
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...Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman uses a revolutionary technique to portray the protagonist, Willy Loman. He juxtaposes the scenes of present with those of the characters past to provide insight into Willy’s behaviours and beliefs and thus reveal how Willy has been victimized by the American Dream. The concept of developing a protagonist’s character by depicting formative experiences is one that offers an excellent approach to analyzing Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. By juxtaposing scenes of the protagonist’s present with scenes from Willy’s past, Miller provides insight for Willy’s behaviours and beliefs. Through lighting and sound techniques, Miller recreates significant moments in Willy’s life that shape him. Miller’s staging...
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...Death of a Salesman As all Americans can attest to, the American Dream is a benchmark that is strived for one’s entire life, as one is constantly trying to find their purpose and figure out how best to achieve prosperity. In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman spends his entire life identifying how he can achieve his personal American Dream. Willy strongly believes that fame is accomplished by being attractive and well-liked, and that it depends very little on one’s work ethic. This is precisely what Miller warned against when he stated that “it’s a mistake to ever look for hope outside of one’s self”, as Willy carries the false conception that if he is well-liked by others, he will realize his American Dream. In Death of a Salesman, Miller uses flashbacks like these as alterations of time that allow the reader to understand why the characters actions led to tragedy, and how Willy’s fate can be avoided if one uses hard work and dedication, rather than popularity, to attain their individual American Dream. Willy’s deranged perception of success is mainly shaped by Ben’s influence, because Ben had the opportunity of becoming rich through his personality and presence, which is exactly what Willy is striving for. Willy frequently immerses himself in flashbacks, in which he converses with Ben, and allows Ben to convince him to the point where he even tells himself “that a man can end up with diamonds on the basis of being liked.” In contrast, Charley attempts to break...
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...Earl Boswell 9/25/13 Dev. Writing II Ms. Harper Kevin Jennings’ American Dreams In Kevin Jennings' American Dream, he talks about some of the major cultural artifacts in his life that made his own social identity. While growing up in rural community in Lewisville, North Carolina, Kevin Jennings and his mother wanted what most people wanted in the 60s, the American Dream. One of the first cultural artifacts that affect Kevin Jennings was his father and his father’s ministry. He was brought up as a Southern Baptist and right from the beginning he was taught in his father’s sermons that, “gay people were twisted perverts destined for a lifetime of eternal damnation.” He knew from a very young age of six or seven that he was gay and that because of his upbringings and his father that he needed to hide his difference and pretend to be wheat he thought was “normal”. This trend of Kevin Jennings pretending to be “normal” followed him in to high school. He graduated from Radford High in 1981, which is another cultural artifact that shaped his social identity. While in high school he again tried to do what he thought was normal. He tried to date every girl he could get his hands on. Jennings said, that these actions were “earning a well-deserved...
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...I Can By Nas Search the internet for a description of the concept ”The American Dream” What does this concept cover? It is about the freedom in America and it includes the opportunity for prosperity and success and social mobility for the family and the children. James Truslow Adams said in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" 1. In your own words, briefly explain what is said in the lyrics You can do what you want or be what you want to be if you just work for it. Even if you come from a poor family you can become a rock star or a successful business man if you work hard enough for it 2. Who is the audience, who is addressing? The audience is the poor people. The people who don’t have the greatest opportunity to become something big and don’t believe in themselves. 3. Who is the “I” in the song? What role does he play? Different kids and the singer Nas. Nas tries to guide the children and he tell them how they can become what they want. He is kind of a supervisor for the children. 4. What themes do the lyrics deal with? Find 2-3 examples in the text ‘Hung with the wrong person Got her strung on that Heroin, cocaine, sniffin up drugs all in her nose...’ one example of the theme drugs ‘be careful, some men be Rapists, so act your age, don't pretend to be Older than you are, give yourself time to grow You thinking he can give you wealth, but so Young boys...
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...real-estate industry, however, at the expense of morality and family ties. Unlike Ira Ewing who is a boomer himself, Ysela, the narrator in an episode titled Oiga of The Republic of East L.A. written by Luis J. Rodriguez, is one of the descendants of those Mexicans who arrived in this city hundreds of years ago. Although, her ancestors used to own horses and properties and were the ones who named lands in this area, Ysela has got nearly nothing to lose after the family got ripped off by Anglos during wartime and she now lives in a trailer, suffering from homelessness and poverty. It seems that, from these two stories, people moved to Los Angeles do not always end up with happy or wealthy lives that they dream of. Los Angeles, which has always been said to be the place where American Dreams come true, is actually a hell, instead of being a heaven, where people moved to there would be degraded mentally because of the lack of traditional values in...
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...Death of the American Dream What is the “American Dream”? Does everybody have the same dream; does everybody want the same thing? Does everyone who tries for his or her dream achieve it? This unit we have read and discussed different literature that has dealt with aspects of the “American Dream”. Two of those texts that have had the most impact on me personally and my vision of my dream were “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller and “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. These two pieces of literature deal with aspects of each of the main characters pursuit of what they feel is their “American Dream”. It’s safe to say that both of these depictions end in a sorrowful way; with both of the main characters realizing that their dream won’t be fulfilled. Both of these authors show how the typical American Dream of having wealth and glory won’t bring one true contentment; it is this aspect of the “American Dream” that both of the main characters of the stories strive to attain. It seems that with every greedy aspiration for the “American Dream” comes unfulfilled lives and missed experiences; for this is what happens to Dexter Green in “Winter Dreams” and Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman”. The two texts portray the false determinations and unrealistic visions that can plague a man or woman with a strong thirst for the “American Dream” and end up leading a person to the edge of destruction. This thirst for the “American Dream” can blind someone from recognizing...
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...Death of a salesman The American Dream can be described as a belief in freedom that allows all citizens of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. Today, in America it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work. In the American mindset your societal role is not definitive but can change according to one’s effort. Those are values, which European settlers have kept and passed on to generations since the beginning of USA. This is exactly, what Willy Loman tries to live up to in Arthur Miller’s tragedy “Death of a Salesman” from 1948. One of the first problems which occurs in the play is, when we as readers find out, that Willy has tried to put his whole life into his sons, Biff and Happy, and they reward it just turning their backs on him. Willy still hopes, that Biff can go all the way one day, and become a businessman like his father. But hope became weakened one day after Biff flunked math. Biff was heading towards Boston to make his father help him, but instead he finds him with another woman. This makes Willy feel guilty with good reason, and he thinks that he is responsible for Biff’s choices in life and his failure to become successful. Another problem which Willy faces is that he is aging and his temperament is getting uncontrollable. Because he is getting older, he can’t do the same things as he used to. He can’t drive his car all day long anymore, and he is not making enough...
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...The symbols in each movie 1) The photos in BLOOD SIMPLE are the start of all the misunderstandings. In the past Marty didn’t know anything about the fair of his wife. But after the first few pictures taken by Visser, his anger came out and he started his revenge and got involved in this nightmare. The fake picture of Abby and Ray dead in the bed also misleads Marty. When Marty was about to give Visser the money, Visser shot Marty. And Visser throw Abby’s gun in the room to create a misleading scene. These things start with the fake picture. And as Visser says, “life is very uncertain and something can always go wrong.” The appearance of the fake pictures is the moment that life goes wrong for Marty. Marty’s life was totally changed because of this fake picture. He wanted to kill Ray and his unfaithful wife, but instead he is the first one who was shot and got buried alive. Because of the photos, a series of misunderstandings begin. Ray thought Abby killed Marty and Abby thought Visser was Marty and killed him. All the twists start from these photos. Everybody was confused after this. Nobody in the movie truly knows what was happening to everybody. Even Visser, who thinks he knows everything, was also confused at the end. The photos are fake, and this tells us that everything can happen because of money. The photos can be faked, and also the relationship and everything valuable in the world can be faked and changed because of money. The photos triggered the twists and misleading...
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