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American dream reflected in American literature
American dream reflected in American literature
American dream reflected in American literature
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Squidward, in “Naughty Nautical Neighbors”, ruins a fun game between Patrick and SpongeBob and manages to pit them against each other. Squidward’s meddling casts him as a somewhat devious and unlikable character. He is a fun crusher, and this characterization maintains throughout the episodes. Squidward’s rude attitude is a reflection of his own discontent. Squidward works as a cashier at the Krusty Krab, but the life he dreams of involves luxuries that he could not afford with his current salary. He is unhappy with his rudimentary career and lower class life. His internal dilemma is exemplified most clearly in “Squillium Returns”. After leaving the Krusty Krab one night, Squidward sees Squillium Fancyson, Squidward’s archrival. Squillium Fancyson is famous and “made millions doing everything that [Squidward] wished [he] could do,” as Mr. Krabs puts it. Squidward is caught off guard and frantically hides his Krusty Krab hat in a trash can because he does not want Squillium to know that he is not nearly as successful as him. Squidward is thus portrayed as individual concerned with appearance, he wants to be wealthy because it carries more prestige and class. Squidward is obsessed with the class and fame aspect of the American Dream. So much so, Squidward lies to Squillium and says that he owns a five star restaurant. Squillium says that he is going to come see Squidwards restaurant and bring his entourage to eat. Squidward panics because he does not own a five star restaurant, and he feels as though he “really needs to impress Squillium”. Squidward possesses an obsession with class ascension and prestige. He wants to impress others with wealth and power that he does not have. The show conveys this aspect of the American Dream as pr... ... middle of paper ... ...senting the review plays. As soon as SpongeBob hears that he did an amazing job he says “Well, back to work,” and modestly returns to his station behind the grill. Krabs, on the other hand, changes the name of the restaurant to the “Crusty Sponge” and capitalizes upon everyone’s love for SpongeBob. While Squidward problematizes the class and fame associations with the American Dream, Mr. Krabs casts the aspirations of financial gain as potentially immoral and undeserved. SpongeBob, however, creates a new kind of American Dream, much like the Dream described by Sandage. One in which success is not a defining characteristic. Instead, SpongeBob presents a dream of working to please oneself and to please the ones you are serving. SpongeBob works with passion and enjoys his career, hoping only to make the lives of his customers better through his burger making skills.
"SpongeBob SquarePants Season 3, Episode 12a (Club SpongeBob)." Polly Streaming -. polystreaming.com, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold? written by Brandon King discusses what the American Dream is, how it has evolved, and how to live it to the fullest. He writes that the American Dream in the past meant to live a wealthy, materialistic life, however the American Dream today is to live in stability. The American Dream also has the potential to be viewed from multiple perspectives as everyone is different and have their own opinion as to how live the American Dream. King also addresses that inequality is the main problem according to many; the government is only making the rich minority wealthier, ignoring funds for the lowers classes. The American Dream will never die as long as planning ahead and proposing policies to sustain economic growth are tirelessly acted upon.
Squidbillies is an animated cartoon show about talking squids living in a random county in the Appalachian Mountains. Dougal County, the setting of this comedy, is a dusty, distorted place in which the squids wreak havoc everywhere they go. The show follows the patriarch of the Cuyler clan; Early, the alpha squid himself, drinks heavily, chain smokes, and talks ‘shit' (in colloquial terms) to everyone he encounters.
In the United States there is an idea many pursue called the American dream, which differs from person to person. The American dream according to americanradioworks.publicradio.org is “a revolutionary notion: each person has the right to pursue happiness, and the freedom to strive for a better life through hard work and fair ambition”. Yet it has been said there is no real definition of American dream, instead it merely proves that it has an unconscious influence in American mentality (Ştiuliuc 1). The American dream is different for each person because everyone yearns for things that will they hope will in return make them happy. Whatever that may be, each person goes through different struggles to obtain what they want. According to Frederic Carpenter, the American dream “has never been defined exactly, and probably never can be. It is both too various and too vague” (3). The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse depicts the different interpretations on what the American dream actually is through the opinions and actions of Hector Esperanza, Efren Mendoza and Mrs. Calhoun.
We were raised considering the jobs we could do in the future and the universities we may attend; we heard that hard work and dedication was the only essential to fly in this world. Everyone was aware of the standard of living that was expected and few hesitated to buy into the legendary dream. The American Dream itself is what we all grew up desiring. Suburban homes, multiple cars, hefty paychecks and fantasy vacations are its elements. The American Dream is exclusive and unsatisfying at its core.
People aspire to achieve greatness, sometimes causing them to be or become someone they are not. The American dream is defined as someone who starts out low on either the economic or social level and by working hard earns his or her way to fame, wealth, or prosperity. Many characters such as Myrtle and Gatsby, in the novel The Great Gatsby, all wanted power, money, and happiness and would do anything in their power to obtain them. Recent events support the claim that the American dream can be achieved with costly repercussions. People are willing to corrupt themselves in order to achieve their goal.
The American dream has been a tangible idea, greatly sought after by many over the course of American History. The dream has eluded many, to strive for achieving in America’s open markets, and become a self-made man from the sweat of one’s brow. The idea of become self-sufficient, and have limitless dreams that take one as far as they are willing to imagine is captured very differently from The Great Gatsby to A Raisin in the Sun. Both novels seem to have the American dream as their subject, but both end up having very different outcomes to how one achieves it, and if the dream is truly in existence, namely with the characters of Jay Gatsby and Walter Younger. The books mainly brushes upon the idea of what the American dream truly is, how one achieves the dream, and what the real fulfillment the dream encompasses.
The American Dream, in my eyes, would be described as unrealistic. It's a notation put in people’s minds that an individual can achieve anything he or she sets his or her mind to do. Now the outlook is being perceived as pessimistic, then again, I believe “The American Dream” is overestimated. When I was a young child, I aspired to be a princess who lived in a castle with a handsome prince and live happily ever after; I aspired to be a princess until I was thirteen. Still, it was instantaneously disappointing when reality dawned upon me, I could never be a princess. Although it left me completely devastated, I soon realized, there’s a huge difference between dreams and reality.
The conception of the American Dream has since long been distorted and the principals have undergone, as John E. Nestler depicts it in his essay “The American Dream”, “a metamorphosis” from the basic idea of freedom and equality to materialistic and individualistic ambitions, which would constitute “a sign of moral decay”. In A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry uses the character Walter Lee Younger to illustrate the distorted interpretation of the American dream and its consequent adverse effects. Walter grew up in a time, when money would apparently reign the world and be the center of attention a...
For some, simply having infinite wealth and popularity is enough for them to be happy. For others, they need something that money can’t buy. Two books that express these qualities are: The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both of these books describe the life of a wealthy man but each of them have different ideas of the American dream. Examples from these books will show how the American dream differs from person to person.
Becoming rich and famous is the most common and what most people think of when asked what the American Dream means to them. However, as mentioned before there are many definitions or individualistic ideas as to what the American dream means. For example, in Jillson’s chapter, he mentions how Benjamin Franklin and him assuring immigrants that even though they may arrive in America poor, that if they work hard that would soon become masters and establish themselves in business, marry, raise families, and become respectable citizens. That is what the many immigrants coming to America viewed as their American Dream being completed. Cullen discussed several different American Dream. One of them he mentioned was the dream of upward mobility. In this
The American dream is the belief that anyone can be anything. Many businesses, big and small are examples of the American dream. Some people who have achieved their American dream are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Madeleine Albright, Freddy Adu, Sammy Sosa, etc. Everybody has different ideas and expectations of their dream. In the words of James Truslow Adams the American dream is the belief that life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of
The American Dream is a difficult concept to describe because the dream is usually different for different people. Nevertheless, if we define the term ‘American Dream’ it is the uphold ideal that everyone has the right to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ as stated in the Declaration of Independence 1776. The American Dream is also known to be an improved social and financial status by hard working. The vision of the American Dream for Of Mice and Men for George an...
Due to continuous changes in the concept of the American Dream throughout its prolonged existence, it is difficult to have one sole definition. The American Dream has always been a major concept that stems off of many ideas such as liberty, prosperity, equality, and opportunity, which still exists, to some degree, in our vision of the Dream today. America has always been known as the “land of opportunity” and has always emphasized the importance of future generations surpassing the success of their previous ones. But just because our present concept of the Dream may seem to overlap past concepts, it does not mean the Dream has remained what it was in the past. Actually, it is an entirely new image, morphed by social, political, and economic issues. What has it become? A society corrupted by materialism and deteriorated by the failing economy, leaving younger Americans hopeless and older Americans fearful of America’s future. It’s alarming that Americans are constantly taking their rights and freedom for granted, always wanting more than they can get– and quite honestly, what they can get is not even that much to begin with. As our economy collapses into chaotic hardships and our desires override our moral obligations, the American Dream has ultimately become the American Nightmare.
In today’s society the term “American Dream” is perceived as being successful and usually that’s associated with being rich or financially sound. People follow this idea their entire life and usually never stop to think if they are happy on this road to success. Most will live through thick and thin with this idealization of the “American Dream” usually leading to unhappiness, depression and even suicide. The individual is confused by society’s portrayal of the individuals who have supposedly reached the nirvana of the “American Dream”. In the play “Death of a Salesman” Willy thinks that if a person has the right personality and he is well liked it’s easy to achieve success rather than hard work and innovation. This is seen when Willy is only concerned how Biff’s class mates reacted to his joke of the teachers lisp. Willy’s dream of success for his son Biff who was very well liked in High School never actually became anything. Biff turned into a drifter and a ranch worker. In the play “Seize the Day” Tommy who is financially unstable also pursues the idea of getting to the “American Dream” and becoming wealthy. He foolishly invests his last seven hundred dollars and eventually loses it leaving him broke and out of work. In both plays following the American Dream is followed in different characters and in both the characters are far away from it leaving them broke and forgotten by almost everyone.