American Dream Thesis

The American Dream is a concept that can be interpreted in multiple different ways, but the underlying idea is that it is the ideas built around America being the place where anyone can become successful. At one point the American Dream was about reaching dream-like goals such as becoming rich and famous; however, the idea has become more realistic because it is about being able to own a home, have a job, and live economically stable. In the past many believed the American Dream and it is the reason why many immigrants come to America seeking better lives. However, the idea of the American Dream is seen has decreasing and many people believe that this generation is going to be the first to do worst than their parents. An article “The American

The organization of the introduction is strong because it is in a reasonable order of giving background, mentioning the “They Say,” stating the claim, and expressing the three main points. King explains the background of the American Dream concept by explaining how “James Truslow Adams…wrote that the American Dream ‘is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement, regardless of social class or circumstances of birth’ (1931).” This background knowledge gives the reader enough information to understand what the American Dream. The introduction also sets up the thesis statement by mentioning the “They Say” of the conversation, which is that “Many liberal economists and activist say that the American Dream is dead” (citation). However, King continues to say he feels the American Dream is “more alive and important than ever,” which is how he clearly states his claim and gives the reader a glimpse of what is going to be discussed. Further, King expresses the following main points to support his claim about the American Dream: “it is the key to climbing out of the Great Recession, overcoming inequality, and achieving true prosperity” (citation). All of these aspects of the introduction aid King in

Because of the constant mentioning of the opposing side, King appears to be contradicting, which confuses the reader on his position. For example, King provides evidence that suggest that the American Dream is dead: “weak national real estate markets, sluggish job growth, and the slow recovery of liquid assists lost during the recession are obstacles to a full recovery,” but he fails to effectively argue ways to overcome these obstacles and support the initial claim of believing the American Dream is still alive because “it is the key to climbing out of the Great Recession”(citation). This is also evident when King mentions the opposing views of both Robert Reich and Paul Krugman because King gives their opinions but do not rebuttal in order to prove his claim. These aspects of the article make King seem confused on what he actually believes, which takes away from his credibility because he isn’t staying on topic with his original