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Recommended: The transformation of the American Dream
American literature is much different from literature most authors write today. American
literature has meaning and a sturdy purpose. Three words with important meaning in society appear in
American literature. The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or
restraint is the legal definition of freedom. Freedom allows people to express anything or do anything
they want to if it doesn't offend people and as long it isn't violating any rights of others. Without
freedom a lot of things would be stolen away from us. The state of being equal, especially in status,
rights, and opportunities is the legal definition for equality. Equality provides a safety barrier for people
because is assures them that no matter who they are they're going to have equal rights and opportunities
as the person standing next to them. A set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something is
the legal definition of opportunity. Opportunity is a chance someone can have to do something.
Without opportunities how can anything be accomplished? These three things all go hand in hand.
Without one it's hard to have the other two. This is why these three things put together is known as the
American dream. American literature teaches people of today's times how the American dream has
evolved and how it has affected the world around it.
Freedom is seen in American literature in the form of freedom being available and people
having it or in the form of freedom being taken away and freedom being unavailable. “That's all right-
that's all right- if you'll hold my box a minute, I'll go and get you a frog.”(Twain, 467). This quote is
from Mark Twain's The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. This...
... middle of paper ...
... her. Opportunities have a large impact on the way someone's
life can end up and how it can affect everything for them. This opportunity for Gatsby could make
everything for him. When it comes to how this pillar has changed over time, there have been more
opportunities for different types of people due to equality, but the term of opportunity has not changed.
The American dream made up of freedom, equality, and opportunity has greatly impacted
literature and history and how the world works. Literature teaches us that over time these three things
have changed and has made the world a different place. As the American dream changes, so will
everything else. American literature teaches people of today's times how the American dream has
evolved and how it has affected the world around it.
Works Cited
American Literature Text book, The Great Gatsby
Throughout history, Americans have sought to spread the spirit of equality, which is believed to be the realization of true freedom. Before establishing this freedom, every American had only one question stuck in their head: What is freedom? Our country received it in the year of 1776 from the British through a series of difficulties and wars. African Americans defined it as an escape from slavery, while immigrants defined it as their acceptance into a new society. More yet, women of the women’s suffrage defined their freedom as their recognition into society and for their rights to be equal to that of every other man. These different perceptions of cultures/groups in America tied together to form an American view of freedom. Freedom is something that every American should be willing to do anything in order to maintain. We may have weapons of mass destruction, but when it comes to living in a peaceful, American lifestyle, our freedom is our greatest weapon.
Literature; it has compelled us, entertained us, educated us, and drove us to madness. It has served as life instruction, by using the characters as the lesson plan. It is sometimes blunt, sometimes ugly, and in Truman Capote’s case, is so gruesome that we do not dare forget it.
The American Dream There is no set definition to be found anywhere of the true meaning of The American Dream. Any hope, dream, or goal pursued by anyone in the history of America is an American Dream. In modern times the accepted dream seems to be 2.5 children, a house with a white picket fence, and a perfect spouse. However, as it is shown throughout literature from the early days of America to contemporary times, the American Dream is not always so simple a concept. America was originally founded on the dream of freedom.
Emerson, Ralph W. "The American Scholar." Give Me Liberty!: An American History. Brief Third ed. Vol. One. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 270. Print. Voices of Freedom excerpt
Freedom. This influential idea has lead many of people march to demand their freedoms. Whether that freedom be from Great Britain or slaves owners, many of American’s have marched for their rights. What is the definition of freedom? Freedom is defined as the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without opposition. Freedom is a part part of American culture. Some may even say that America’s very foundations were built off of freedom and the right to do as we wish with our lives. In the eighteen hundreds American Colonists were feeling the pressures of the British that would soon lead the the Revolutionary War and our freedom. Some people might consider this idea of freedom as radical and possibly way ahead of it’s time back then. But it
Within the veins of every American flows the undeniable drive to succeed. This power creates rich from poor, turns struggles into money and ultimately opens the window for all peoples to better themselves. Although the American dream still converts dirt into gold today, views on this leap to greatness have changed moderately since the 1920’s.
They started changing their lifestyle into a materialistic, self-obsessed one. It built the paradigm of American Dream, which triggered the infrastructure of America in that era. As the result, there came the economic boom where people gradually gained wealth and became the “new money”. However, the perception of American Dream has changed into materialism lifestyle due to the emergence of new money everywhere.
Equality and equal opportunity are two terms that have changed or have been redefined over the last 100 years in America. The fathers of our constitution wanted to establish justice and secure liberty for the people of the United States. They wrote about freedom and equality for men, but historically it has not been practiced. In the twentieth century, large steps have been made to make the United States practice the ideals declared in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The major changes following Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her bus seat to a young white man and the Brown v. Board of Education trial in 1954.
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. In America there is numerous of choices that someone may make on a daily basis. If someone were allowed to make their own choices and were being told what to do; then they would not be free. When someone is allowed to speak when they want to, and say what they want; such as their opinion or view of something. Being allowed to have a right to speak is one of the most important characteristics of being an American. Thinking and stating your opinion in any predicament it a strong part in being a citizen because people in the United States are known for being able to think in their own ways. Freedom can stretch too many things such as being able to do as they please, they are not forced into doing anything that someone may want. The citizens of the United States are not made to do anything that one may not want to do; like
Do you consider your life full of freedom?Perhaps you overlooked some freedoms and took them for granted. Freedom is defined as having the power or right to speak, think, or act without hindrance or restraint. There are many examples of freedom being demanded. Even America has had its share of wars for freedom from the Revolutionary war to the Civil war. Freedom is never given, but demanded.
Many believe that freedom is being able to do and say whatever you'd like without consequences. In ways this may be true but, when we say or do things that are against rules or that challenge society we might find ourselves in trouble. But if we don't challenge society or anything else for that matter we find ourselves stuck without change. Leading to the idea that the true meaning of freedom is being able to speak up for what you believe in; Whether it results in punishment or not. If that's what you believe in then preach it all you want. Our government might have the authority to take away our freedom by locking us away or finding another form of punishment. We find that freedom is a recurring theme in our MyPerspective
“Immigrants are ruining this country”, is a statement made by almost every conservative in the United States. Yes, with their cheap labor, cultural traditions, and food contributions immigrants are making America a colorful and tasteful disaster. The American dream is so high in thought, yet so low in actuality. This well known dream-or nightmare- of rags to riches shines clear from sea to shining sea. However, the end goal of the American Dream varies from person to person. For some the dream plainly translates to happiness. Although for others, the end goal is an obsession of materials; beachside mansions, exotic cars, pets from the deepest parts of Africa and more things without any real meaning. The dream is only a goal if one is either
Freedom is often spoken of in what can be referred to as a loose sense of the word. One country has more freedom than another; a twenty-one year old has more freedom than a fifteen year old. What exactly does this word mean? For different people it may mean different things, but there has to be an equilibrium that can be reached in order to determine the meaning of freedom itself. In one form, freedom can mean that a person has "exemption from an obligation."* If only the root (free) is looked at, it can be interpreted that one is "not under the control or power of another."*
The idea of the “American Dream,” has been widely addressed by the famous writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his several novels, especially in The Great Gatsby. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby reveals a particular example of those who are devotees of pursuing the American Dream but eventually end up by sacrificing themselves. The concept of the American Dream can be totally different for people, all of whom have their own understanding of these words. In brief, the major essence of American culture has always emphasized on the value of the individual, the pursuit of freedom, the improvement of competition, and the promotion of realism. The common truth of this novel is that each character has their American Dream, which gives them the opportunity
Literature also gives us glimpses of much earlier ages. These glimpses take our imaginations back to the roots of our culture, in some instances. The study of Literature, through our history, enhances our understanding of our modern world.