...2011 The American Dream It is hard to define the words true American. There are many different qualities in an American that don’t always make them a good person. Good people are loving and caring. There not always concerned about if they are going to be rich and famous. Good people care about others and accept people for who they are not based upon race gender or class. A true American possesses none of these qualities. Although not all of the qualities in a true American are bad many of the qualities are not favorable for a person looking to be a good all around person. True Americans are greedy, class conscious people, and have a vary large amount of self confidence. Confidence is a large part of American culture and many true Americans pride them selves on the ability to block out fear. Having little or no fear can only improve the lifestyle of a true American. A true American is a hero. An American hero is someone that saves lives and makes the world a safer place. There are types of jobs that can make one a hero, such as a lawman and a soldier. To become a hero, one must face his or her problems head on. It is not easy for anyone to face there fears head on. Not very many people can face them. Then again, it’s not easy to become or be a true American. True Americans are hard to come by and have rare heroic qualities like putting others in front of themselves. Although being a true American takes no fear, most real Americans have a taste for money. True Americans...
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...continent searching for a better life. The discovery and expansion of America caused for people to migrate over and begin new, and better lives. The American people dreamed of a new beginning and a flourishing lifestyle, driven by hard work and dedication. The American dream can be accomplished through perseverance and working hard to achieve our goals. In Alexis de Tocqueville’s, That the Americans Combat the Effects of Individualism by Free Institutions, it is made clear from the beginning that the American dream can be accomplished by oneself through hard work but it can be made easier through the help of other men trying to accomplish the same goals or objects. “Men...
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...The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a story surrounding the decay of the American Dream in the 1920’s; a time when virtually anyone could achieve the dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character, encompasses every fault in the warped idea of the American Dream in the booming 20’s making The Great Gatsby, the perfect title for the story. The American dream is commonly defined as “The ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. (Dictionary) Almost any American would describe the American Dream as a stable income, a sustainable job and the chance to provide the opportunity for the following generation to do even better. In the booming 20’s, that dream was available to almost every...
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...“It was like he came along and whispered a dream in everybody’s ear and then we all dreamed it.” Through his music, Elvis Presley made it easy for Americans to live the American Dream. He made it easy for people, especially teenagers, to take a break from the real world, and command center stage of their dream world in the confines of their own home. The American Dream is a vision with diverse sense and meaning from previous generations up to the generations of today. Many believe the American Dream is finding success and showing it off through “booby prizes”, when in actuality all of those little things are just part of the dream and not the final success. To achieve happiness within oneself is the true success, and if within this success a person is also able to gain “booby prizes”, these are just extras and not what compose the true American Dream. It is no argument that Elvis had a way with music as his lyrics touched a variety of people. He grabbed the attention of teenage girls (and their angry parents) with his charm, curled lip, good looks and gyrating hips. Whether people saw him as a positive or negative influence, the question remains as to whether or not they really were listening to what he had to say. Elvis sang many different songs but it was his emotion and personal influence that made the songs as powerful as they were. Elvis showed America that a small town boy from working-class beginnings could rise to rock and roll legend in both life and culture...
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...The American Dream 1. Give an outline of how the American Dream is interpreted. Arnold Schwarzenegger writes that with hard work and determination he managed to make his dream come through in America. He says, that he understands the immigrants yearning for freedom and opportunity, but that to get those and to get success you have to work hard and give something back to America. He thinks, that one of the most important things to do to be able to fit in and blend in to the American culture is to learn the language. Not out of duty, but to be able to be a part of the everyday life in America and get the best out the cultural life of America. The second thing, he thinks, is important to get a good life in America is to participate in the democracy and to be involved in how America ended out to be, as it is today. The last thing, that he considers important, is to give something back to the America who has been welcoming you. It doesn’t have to be much; just something that helps people or something that makes a difference, small or big, in other people’s lives. Arnold Schwarzenegger believes, that your dreams can come true in America and that everything can be achieved, but not without hard work. Anya Kamenetz claims that the “old” American Dream is wounded. She is of the belief that the young Americans need a new and edited American dream, where the assumption of the dreams aren’t money and material things but a dream based on a social safety net, more time for the Americans...
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...American Dream The American Dream is defined as a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the United States especially by working hard and becoming successful. ("Merriam-Webster Dictionary") A shadow has been cast upon the eyes of average Americans. What is wrong with the American dream? Our attention has been shifted from the true problem of economic inequality to the patterned racial discrimination. Take for example Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks, Ellen DeGeneres and Kelly Ripa. Oprah and Tyra are both African American while Ellen and Kelly are Caucasian. Tyra is a lot younger than Oprah. Ellen is a homosexual female while Kelly is not. Do these differences of race change the fact that they make a equally substantial amount of money? Today in America we feel the need to justify the economic inequality not with class differences but with the racial borders. As Walters Michaels describes in The Trouble with Diversity he states that “the argument, in its simplest form, will be that we love race – we love identity – because we don’t love class” (Michaels, pg 966). Is this the art of the fundamental teaching of our elders? Is America truly the melting pot of the world, or should it be the salad bowl? In this social “salad bowl” we would be open to retain the cultural identities of our ancestors while assuming a part of larger America whole. The American dream is and always has been fundamentally powerful because of...
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...The play A Raisin in the Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry is about, an African American family struggling to survive. The reason this is important is this because, the people in this family have dreams of their own; but, they have an issue with money. Since they are struggling with money not everyone's dream can come true. The reason this paper is being written is to tell about each person's dream and how it is presented through The American Dream. Each of these characters affect society in different ways; they change it, fix it, and create new ways in life. In A Raisin in the Sun, Mama’s dream is to buy a nice house for Travis to live in and that can’t get taken out from under them; so, her dream is to give a better life to Travis and the rest. The reason for that is she wants Travis to be able to have a home when he gets older. (Act 2) Beneatha's dream is to go to college to be a doctor. The reason for that is, when she was younger one day her and some friends were sledding down porch steps and that day her friend got really hurt, when she watched as the ambulance took him to the hospital and found out he was going to live that was when she decided to be a doctor. (Act 3)...
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...American Dream The United States of America is the land of freedom, justice, and opportunities. All your dreams will come true if you come to this country. Sadly This is not true , Many of the people who came here have wanted a better life for themselves and for their children ,but they really do not know what is going to happen to them. They decide to move away from their places from the place which they born at and come here. They thought America is like a money fountain, they though that they can find work easily and we will be rich in small amount of time. Sadly that’s never happens. The American dream never can true expect to those who are rich already .You come to this country, you work, you receive a lot of money, you buy a very big and beautiful house, you have perfect kids, and you then decide to buy an expensive car so it can match your social status. The idea of moving up the social ladder is attractive, yet it is literally nothing but a dream , not a lot of people can go up this ladder some of them just stay at the same level and some of them should thanks god that they are not going down this imaginary ladder. The American Dream is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, no different between black man or white man, Christian girl or muslim girl with hjab and also Jews men and woman should be the Same ,no different between no one. I belief that every person has the chance to achieve success....
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...Living The American Dream The American Dream is one of the reasons our country is so populated. In the 1800s, immigrants came from all over the world to live the American Dream. It was the inspiration behind huge bounds in technology, industry, and lifestyle. Without this concept of the American Dream, we would more than likely be a third world country struggling to survive in an economically driven world. It is what defines us as a nation, and to this day, it still powers whole generations of American citizens. The American Dream dates all the way back to the late 1700s during the revolutionary war. Our country was founded on the belief that freedom of choice was a right, not a privilege. That belief has carried through to this day. Many foreigners come to America to escape religious or governmental prosecution. America has more opportunity than any other nation on the globe, and that blossoms from the American Dream. In America, people have the opportunity to purchase a home, the opportunity to purchase a car, the opportunity for a higher-level education, and the opportunity to practice whichever religion they so choose. With all of these opportunities also comes responsibility. All of these things are what make America, and the American Dream so beautiful and majestic. In the article Keeping the Dream Alive, written by Jon Meacham, the author explains the historical beginning of the American Dream. The American Dream was created by James Truslow Adams. In the article...
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...Gatsby’s Ruined Future Gatsby’s Lost Dream "The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement."(Adams 1931). In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald criticizes the American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, a lonely man named Gatsby started out with no money, but he did a series of illegal acts in order to achieve his success. Despite his success, he was still unhappy because he had no one to love. In the end, Gatsby’s ultimate dream was to marry a beautiful and rich women, and acquire the American dream, which is to be rich and have power or importance. However the American dream forced Gatsby to seek materialistic...
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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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...corridors, and the strong gusts of wind that blows in every night, slamming on doors and windows. The mansion represents the American Dream, a goal or hope for a better future. The loneliness of the mansion represents the result of someone who tries to escape reality in a never ending search for something greater. It has been common today to dismiss the life people currently live in and focus on the future that many believe will be better. At first glance, many might say the American Dream is beautiful. But on a closer inspection, depicted by Kimberly Hearne, The American Dream hides the truth of reality. Based on a Marxist view of “The Great Gatsby,¨ F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the American Dream as a false hope that people seek to obtain in order to escape reality....
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...What is the American Dream? When describing the American dream, there are endless possibilities. The beautiful thing about the American Dream is that it is different for every single person. One person’s dream may be to be an NFL superstar, making ten million dollars a year. Conversely, someone else’s dream can be making minimum wage just to ensure their family can eat. This alone is what makes America the greatest country in the world. Everyone can have a different dream, but they have every possibility to achieve it. Although, it is not a guarantee the person will achieve their dream, it is a guarantee they will have no unfair regulations stopping them. A neighbor of mine at home has a very sad story that led to his pursuit of the American dream. He was one of the highest regarded Medical Doctors in Egypt. He was making great money, and his family was very happy. Then his life was turned upside down when a family member of his was killed because of his religion. He was Christian, and some radical Egyptians hate Christians, so he had to move to America to keep his family safe. His story relates to a quote on page four, “The idea of the American dream has been attached to everything from religious freedom to a home in the suburbs” (Hochschild). Unfortunately his story does not end like the Hollywood motion pictures, but he is completely happy with his current life. He now lives in a two room apartment with his wife, and two daughters and he is working as a cab driver, and...
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...A Disappointed California, Which Tells Lie Everyone has his own dream. What is a dream for you? Does it come true for you? I believe that every person’s dream is to get better lives such as better cars, opportunities, and education in the life. People move one place to another place to get better lives as their dreams. Most of people think that America is the best place in the world, especially California. Some peoples’ hopes become true but many hopes do not come true. Some are upper class people who have their own business in their own country and their lives totally change to employee when they come to California. They have no chance not to come to California. So they have to leave their business and come to California. California provides the dream of having a better life. In contract, California is a lie and disappointed place for people whom immigrate to California because many things make people’s history disappear, people about segregation and have short lives by Americans and people have poor lives in California. History is vey important for every nationality. Everyone should know about his/her background and country history. But now most of children have lack of their own history. It is really disappointed for grandparents and parents. Many Vietnamese people immigrate and build a new life in the United States during the Vietnam War. The reason people from Vietnam run to the United States was if they continued living in Vietnam, they had less chance to survive in their...
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...American Dream The term “American Dream” is used in a number of ways, but essentially the American Dream is an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives. Many people have expanded upon or refined the definition of the American Dream, and this concept has also been subject to a fair amount of criticism. Many people believe that the structure of American society belies the idealistic goal of the American Dream, pointing to examples of inequality rooted in class, race, and ethnic origin which suggest that the American Dream is not attainable for all. The idea of an American Dream is older than the United States, dating back to the 1600s, when people began to come up with all sorts of hopes and aspirations for the new and largely unexplored continent. Many of these dreams focused on owning land and establishing prosperous businesses which would theoretically generate happiness, and some people also incorporated ideals of religious freedom into their American Dreams. During the Great Depression, several people wrote about an American Dream, codifying the concept and entrenching it in American society. For people who believe in the American dream, anything is attainable through hard work. The concept plays on the idea that American is a classless society, although it is obviously not, as any honest examination of the United States will reveal. The idealistic vision of the American Dream...
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