American Dream Short Essay

The words “American dream” are uttered from the lips of the hopefuls coming to the grand country of the United States. Those five syllables assume a place in the hearts of the common immigrant and quintessential citizen, both hungry for the opportunities the nation has to offer. In my eyes, the American dream is a simple phrase that has bound the country together. Differences are kicked into the dust, and the people once segregated join hands to assist each other in the path of achieving their dreams. The dream is what maintained the glow of hope evident on people’s cheeks, and it conquers the ghost that lingers and shoots down every negative thought in the ears of the lost. The power to develop and achieve such a dream is in the fate of anyone’s hands; the only drawback is perfectly put in the words of Langston Hughes: “What happens to a dream deferred?” (Hughes, Langston. Dream Deferred.) A dream is only a reality if pursued. An American dream, simply put, is a dream of an American—legal or not. If reached, it can make one feel as if they had won the lottery.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the nation's most distinguished leaders fighting for racial justice. He directed the minority of the American population to "make justice a reality for all of God's children" (King, Martin Luther, Jr. I Have A Dream. Speech). His renowned speech, I Have a Dream, performed at the March on Washington in 1963, tugged on the heartstrings of the typical man and brought fresh perspective to the table. King brought his idea of the American dream to the plates of those willing to listen, and the particular points he hit during his presentation compares and contrasts greatly with my interpretations. The similarity of our views override the diff...

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...mon. Yet another resemblance was that the American dream lead to friendships, a seemingly small but nevertheless substantial similarity. For the duration of the journey in Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George collected an array of friends, including Candy, Crooks, and for a short while, Curley's wife. These friends were beneficial in achieving the dream of the farm, one way or another. In King's rally, he gathered over 250,000 people at the National Mall to speak of civil rights, addressing the citizens present as "[his] friends". John Steinbeck and Martin Luther King Jr.'s perspective on American dreams contain their own similarities and differences.

The American dream is still spoken of, even amidst modern society. Its true persona is open to interpretation and ranges widely from person to person. The dream itself is a mystery. It all depends on what is made of it.