The American Dream Essay

The American Dream is one of those terms that people refer to when talking about immigration, financial status, and so much more. But what does the term really refer to? People used to think of the American Dream as financial prosperity, religious and financial freedom, and all around success. Now, the term may mean something similar, but people are much less focused on it. If anything, the American Dream today is focused on gaining material goods and proving your bank account is larger than your neighbors. With today’s economy, laws and regulations, immigration customs, and overall attitude towards work, people are seldom focused on achieving the American Dream.

Today the “Dream” is more of a struggle for success. For some it’s a fantasy while for others, it is a long term goal. The media defines society today, thus it’s only natural that it defines the American Dream, one which is no longer focused on freedoms or liberty, but rather money and success. The American Dream not only calls for financial success but also emotional success.

Many years ago, my grandparents came to the United States in pursue of the American Dream. They came chasing opportunities and in hope of gaining a better life. As the years passed, they achieved their goal and continued their journey as dreamers. The American Dream as seen by many today is that any person, regardless of their background, can achieve great things in America as long as hard work and effort is put in. Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby, uses his 1925 novel as an allegory for his interpretation of the American Dream. The American Dream is a never ending dream; those who pursue it thrive for more, and those who achieve it are never satisfied.

As we studied in the previous unit, the American Dream is the idea that everybody is equal to each other and people can live their lives to the fullest. I also believed that this dream was for Americans only. However, after realizing that other countries and cultures had heard of how great life in America is, they wanted to be part of the American Dream as well. These immigrants took action by entering the U.S. through Ellis Island, which used to be the main hub for all foreigners to apply for ability to enter the U.S. The main reason that people immigrated to America was to have freedom. During World War II, many people were murdered for being Jewish. This act by Adolf Hitler showed that religions were restricted in Europe during World War II. People wanted to live a more free life with no restrictions to their religious beliefs, causing many immigrants to come to the U.S.

a. The impact cultures in North America have on the United States is that each region adapted the traditions and/or beliefs of those who settled in that area by maintaining dance, music, and crafts. Many English settlers did not respect the Native American cultures, and were seen as uncivilized and/or savages. Basically there was a clash of cultures, with new ideas pushing away old ways and mayor cultures oppressing others.

The American dream is all but a figment of the imagination that is unrealistic to attain since it is becoming harder and harder for any middle class to sustain itself in the middle or the poor society to prosper to the intermediate class. What once was possible is almost impossible to achieve success and wealth through hard work, persistence, and action. The top one percent of the American society is making it impossible for the lower class to hold on to hope for a better future. The richer are getting richer by remarkably increase profits. Yet, the lower class wages have either decrease in some sectors of employment or have remained stationary resulting in “income inequality. That is “…the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population” (inequality.org). Today it is even more evident that the lower class is stuck, unable to go nowhere. Savings is almost none existence to the middle and poor classes yet, they are working harder than ever before. Fortunately by having a free democratic society take control over “wealth inequality” the economic difference can stabilize through unionization for all low-wage labor.

Something else I think of when thinking about the “American Dream,” I immediately think about is all the people that come to the United States from all over the world for a fresh start. Their fresh start literally starts on the street with the few dollars that they thought would be useful for their new beginning. Quickly, they realize they can’t afford to live here because of the housing and low

Despite working hard to achieve the American Dream and to have a prosperous and successful life in America the rising costs of college and housing as well as lower pay in some states creates debt for many Americans. Although other people around the world come to America to reach the American dream, but are halted by all of the costs that reside to become a part of it.

Throughout history the American dream has been a fantasy that everyone wanted to achieve. The american dream focuses on opportunity, equality and overall achievement that includes both tangible and intangible objects. The american dream came from the early settlers in America who were striving to achieve equality and opportunities for everyone. The american dream appealed to everyone because it was possible for everyone to achieve. It wasn't all about how much money a person could achieve, but more about how everyone had the ability to achieve it. The american dream is still trying to be achieved today and is an ongoing process that many people are working hard to attain. The advertisements of the american dream are focused a lot on what people are capable of becoming as well as the material part part of the dream and how much they can own. Although the American dream seemed like a reality for most people living in the 1920's and 1950's because of the economic prosperity, it was actually unattainable because of the corrupted values of people living during this era.

The American dream is a rhetoric of hope and mobility to reach the heights of economic sustainability that you wish to achieve. The idea is that the amount of effort you put forth will emanate the amount of success you can produce as a byproduct of American society. This concept however couldn’t be further from the truth, as many have tried to work up for years but only got slightly better at best then they say what they were nearly a decade ago. Many researchers have demonstrated that not only has the American Dream often times been influenced by our socioeconomic roots, but that to progress out of it is like a dime in a dozen. Since education provides students the material to move onto the larger job industry, and because the disparity between high school graduates and college graduate has increased so drastically, Americans are clamoring for college now more so than ever before. Student debt has been an issue that has kept many Americans in the lower end of the social class spectrum to miss out on utilizing college resources. Many financial aid programs have been established to attempt to decrease this tendency, particularly the Pell grant having the most success. Unfortunately, despite the initial success of the Pell grant program, it still has its limitations on how much help it can provide to underprivileged students. An incentive based scholarship program such as the Performance-based scholarships where attendance rates, passing classes, and student involvement

We have come a long way from the publication of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In hopes of change, colonies came together to declare independence against the British King for his indictments. The Declaration of Independence was made entirely opposing the Kings unfair motives, injustice of systems, and the absence of public services. For which these opposing actions towards the king, was the general idea to become the American Dream. That dream consists of equality, justice, and freedom. The dream of freedom is for everyone to say and do as they please regardless of sexual preference, religious believes, race and body image. Freedom is opportunities to educate oneself, to better them and their children’s future. But after

Immigrants dreamed of coming to the United States for years. The United States is emerging and becoming more industrialized. Immigrants wanted a this thriving country for their own. They also wanted the government to protect each person’s opportunity to pursue their own idea of happiness. So these families immigrated and came to America to live the American Dream. The American Dream us achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking, and hard work, not by chance. Both sacrifice and risk-taking may have been hard for some families to accomplish in order to come to America, but it was necessary. These families that really had a passion to live in America, and to be happy needed to put in hard work, to get back a good result. The American Dream is something that needs to be worked for, not taken for granted and was not achieved by chance, it was achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking, and hard work.

The scent of the salty sea wafting through the air while aboard a cramped Mayflower filled with sickness and hope for a better life once on solid land. Fast forward a few years and it is no longer the sea but lacers of land . It is the freedom to be able to due as you wish . The American dream is the outcome of the hard work that’s put in for a better life. It is the working hard to achieve an ultimate goal. The expansion of our resources and the new technology of this age helps to provide for the American dream in the modern day. The American Dream is still accessible because those who work hard can achieve it, and those who strive can reach it, this is because the focus has shifted to having a simple life. through out the years, it may be accessible to all.

Many people would say that the American dream isn’t possible, is possible or maybe possible. But concluding that if maybe possible brings immigrants and citizens to thought. “Can I succeed?” Through their hard work in jobs and education, they live as an individual trying to achieve the American dream. The American dream to citizens and immigrants bring the determination and dedication,while citizens whom are born in the U.S las a high knowledge of how truly America is like. And immigrants who come to the U.S to achieve the American dream, and yet to know more about the American dream and impact society and themselves. So, is the American dream still possible? Maybe, it can be possible. Through people's hard work,dedication, and self change helps them achieve that American dream, takes hard work and individual self esteem to keep hanging there and have that goal reached.

It’s important to understand what the American dream is before focusing on its origins. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “The American Dream” “is a happy life achieved by any American through hard work” (“The American Dream”). The Dictionary.com definition states that the American dream embodies “the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity” (“American Dream”). These reputable online dictionaries differ in phrasing but are similar at their core. Both illustrate the idea that if you work hard, you have the opportunity to achieve. This is an important principle in the American psyche and the foundation on which the United States was established.