Challenging American Dream

As children, we grow up believing that we can do anything, be anything. The world is our playground, and we were free to imagine our future. Consequently, this imagination and boundless opportunities is what draws so many to the ideals of the American Dream. The unwavering hope that anything can be achieved through determination and a tireless work-ethic. The common misconception is once we have attained the dream, the luxuries will come soon after.

Through hard work and dedication the American Dream may still be attainable. The dream of all Americans is a crucial thread in the country’s tapestry woven through politics, music and culture. This thread is what gives all humanity the drive to excel in anyway possible. Money ,jobs, education, careers, and relations will help Americans work towards the dream they have built for

However, in recent years, we have entered into the worst recession since the Great Depression era. Where unemployment, growing economic inequality, and medical care have skyrocketed. Despite those odds, the American Dream is still a goal that many people strive for and hope to reach. As a matter of fact, in an essay written by Brandon King, “The American Dream: Dead,

America still to this day holds on to the idea of the “American Dream”. This is rather surprising in today’s society and the ups and downs that the nation is facing. The dream in the past was more about freedom and equality. Moving through the decades, this dream has morphed into something quite different. Instead of what America means for all of its inhabitants, the nation has become more individualized. Society has moved to interpret the dream of what America can do for the one. Instead of the unified nation, America has been known for in the past, a shift has started creating an inconsistency in who can realize the dream. The myth of the “American Dream” has been hugely affected by increased materialism, the gap in economic status, and the fantasy of “rags to riches” idea.

The past and present models of the American Dream have greatly influenced the nation 's ever growing population and economy. They possess some significant differences, but share important similarities as well. In order to be truly successful in one 's pursuit of happiness and prosperity, it is relevant to define and understand these attributes, both good and bad.

With America actually being seen as the land of assurance, the American dream is usually associated with the freedom and opportunity of gaining prosperity, recognition, power, triumph, and contentment. On the surface, this dream appears virtually delighted, offering individuals the exceptional hope of accomplishing success despite of one’s race, religion, or family history. The American Dream is accurately what it seems to be the chance of perfect lying nearby the corner. However, the actual nature of this dream prohibits the pleasure of the victory one has earned, as the desire is always demanding one to work a slightly harder and gain a slightly more.The American Dream can obliterate any prospect

When the phrase “American Dream” is uttered, it is typically associated with having money or striving to have money. The dream of much of the public is to have money and to be able to purchase anything they desire whenever they want. For some, this dream is not about money, but it is about having the opportunity to better his or herself and his or her loved ones. In either case, there are certain circumstances and obstacles that make this dream increasingly difficult to attain. Some would even be willing to argue, the American dream is unattainable. “American Dream” is defined as the concept of every citizen of the United States having an equal opportunity to achieve success and happiness through hard work, sacrifices, and risk-taking (Fontinelle);

Many years ago today, the United States of America was the prime example of prosperity and opportunity. It established America with the idea that its citizens would be guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, it is true that people have liberties and are free to pursue happiness. However, in recent years, in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Unemployment, growing economy inequality, and medical care have skyrocketed. Despite the odds, the American Dream is still a goal that many people strive for and hope to reach. In fact, an essay written by Brandon King, The American Dream: Dead, Alive or on Hold? He says, “the American dream is a dream in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with the opportunity for each according to his/her ability and achievement…” (King 610-611). Therefore, the problem with the American Dream lies not within the dream itself, but within the means people pursue to attain this dream.

The American Dream has held a special place in the hearts of patriots since the very founding of America in 1776. It has been a subject of many authors who grapple with its attainability, and is a beacon of hope gazed upon by victims of circumstance. The Dream has been interpreted by great minds in various ways, and has been deemed both an evil deception and a great promise of a better life. However, the American Dream has morphed from this promise of opportunities and second chances--in fact, it has become viewed as a cause for societal competition and the reason for decreasing happiness among the American people. As Americans attempt to “achieve their goals,” and “keep up with the Joneses,” they subject themselves to the materialistic cycle of greed. Success, and the goal of the American Dream, has been redefined. To be put simply, the American Dream is now to be richer than one’s neighbor, despite the fact that happiness--and thus, the Dream--cannot be achieved solely through wealth and material goods.

“The American Dream” is advertised as being the act of a person having an idea, goal, or as the saying suggests, a dream, and then them spending time, energy, and money to make it come true. However, if you haven’t realized it yet, there’s a reason they call it a dream because it hardly becomes a reality. More and more people are realizing this so called “dream” is nothing but a hoax, and that the promises America assures and guarantees such as equal opportunity and equal success are nothing but pure manipulation. Furthermore, the American dream no longer stands by the virtue of discrimination and prejudice, overwhelming debt, and failed establishments.

Nowadays, many Americans wonder if the American Dream is still alive. At one point in our country, people felt that they could achieve success by working hard. However, after the economic hardships and recession of the 21st century, a number of Americans not only lost income, but some also lost their jobs. Although there has been slow progression to improve the economy, there are those who question whether or not the dream of Americans can ever be achieved again. With unemployment levels still high and salaries failing to increase, there certainly is doubt in most of Americans. In his essay, Brandon King formulates ways to redefine and change the way to look at the American dream. After analyzing King’s essay, one can see his view as believing that the dream is still very much intact. As he points out, the American economy is a very complex system that has had downfalls, but there is always a way to get back up from it. Regardless of your economic status (poor or middle class), if one has a working job, it is possible to succeed based on how much someone is willing to work to achieve their goals. As King would agree, the American dream is not only still alive and well, but anyone can reach success.

The opportunity given by the free soil in America was exceedingly extraordinary that the pursuers of the dream were more sluggish that hoped for wealth and prosperity to fly into their hands. Similar to Poe, in “The Legend of the Sleeping Hollow,” Irving Washington illustrates how lethargic pursuers of the American dream didn’t succeed. The American dream was created from the liberty in America, but it stayed a part of American culture as a small piece––for the corruption of the ideals it was truly meant to be. The pursuers of this dream diverged from its original intention, and therefore this dream was almost became a myth. Although a majority of the population failed to realize the true path to achieving this great dream, the dream still exists, as millions of immigrants come and citizens seek to work hard everyday to find

The United States of America has been through, overcome, and made numerous mistakes over hundreds of years. America has had wars, slavery, the Great Depression, and so many other terrible circumstances and happenings in their country. Despite all of the events America has been through, they were able to overcome them. Therefore, they were capable of continuing to be a free country and allowing their people to worship, feel, act, think, and believe however and whatever they choose. For these reasons, I have extremely high hopes in regards to America moving toward a more unified and successful future.

So I say to you, my friends, that even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream,

The American dream is a term often used as motivation for people who are seeking a better life outside of their torrid country. According to James Truslow, who coined the term American Dream, the definition is, “a dream of a social order in which each man and woman shall be able to attain to their fullest stature of which they are innately capable.” (68) The American Dream is sought out by many, but they are often denied the privilege of prevailing in a predominantly successful society run by the top 1% who care more about a person’s last name and economic status. For many, the American Dream is trading in the impoverished life they once lived in a second or third world country for financially stable and secure life to provide their family with a steady foundation for when they reach adulthood. Throughout history, influential figures have preached about the importance of the American Dream for the people of America, but in reality the American Dream is merely fiction. For hundreds of years, minorities who arrive in America looking for a better life are waking up to the truth—the American Dream does not exist. While there are plenty of people who find success within America, more times than not they are already privileged white elites. The American Dream is just a dream for most because America in recent years has imposed a lot of obstacles: hardships relating to an inflated economy, no jobs, and a uniform system with no change is damaging the possibility of the American