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American dream a myth essay
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The Sentiment of the American Dream
The American Dream has been a part of the quintessential American experience since the founding of its independence in 1776. People migrated from near and far to test how they would fare in the new world. Throughout the years, this enigma evolved until reaching its final form in the 1920’s: America’s fabled Jazz Age. It was here that the average American had high hopes of making something of him or herself. It was a period of bliss in which one wished to live a luxurious life, and during this time, the luxurious life made itself briefly available for the ones brave enough to chase after it. Now, the American Dream still exists in much of its previous form, but the end goal has become increasingly
In this novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts a story of loss and tragedy wrapped within the greater concept of the American Dream. Focusing on Gatsby, one can see a person who has appeared to have achieved that forlorn American Dream in a rags-to-riches type scenario. He was born into an impoverished family, and after having a taste of the luxurious life with Dan Cody, he sought to change his status permanently. He did what any daredevil, thrill seeker, or adventurous entrepreneur did to attain wealth back then: bootleg liquor for profit. Whether from bravery or foolishness, he became an instant success, earned millions, and could afford most all of what his heart desired. His cover-up backstory that is revealed to Nick, the main protagonist, was to deal with a tale of how he seemed to transpire as one of the seemingly lucky few who fell into money after a supposed tragedy. Gatsbyby was living his normal life when out of nowhere " 'my family all died and I came into a good deal of money '"(Fitzgerald 65). He tried to counteract his wealth a stroke of good luck, when in actuality, it was through his carefully organized and strategized bootlegging of alcohol that he earned his vast amount of wealth and riches. He was able to attain what most deemed the American Dream – luxury, fame, and a lavish lifestyle – through risk and strategy. Achieving the Dream is not so easy today, though. It takes much more than some organized crime to afford the lifestyle led by Gatsby and many other non-fictional people in the Roaring
F. Scott Fitzgerald penned The Great Gatsby in the midst of the Roarin’ Twenties. It was a period of cultural explosion, rags-to-riches histories, and a significant shift in the ideals of the American Dream. Fitzgerald’s characters all aspired to fill an American Dream of sorts, though their dreams weren’t the conventional ones. In the novel, the American Dream did a sort of one-eighty. Instead of looking west, people went east to New York in hopes of achieving wealth. The original principals of the Dream faded away, in their place, amorality and corruption. The fulfillment of one’s own American Dream is often marked by corruption, dishonesty, and hope.
First, what is the American dream? According to David Wallechinsky, “the traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can improve their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life, and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire” (1). “The American Dream” states, “It has always represented the possibility for individuals to succeed and live a life of wealth and comfort, made possible by both the political and economic attitudes in the USA and the individual’s own hard work” (1). Daniella Nicole adds that “in years past, chasing the American Dream meant the sky was the limit. . .” (1).
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows American dream as an unreachable goal for the characters. Of Mice and Men is a novel based on two childhood friends, Lennie and George, who travel together in search of work. Lennie, the gentle giant, has a mental disability and an obsession of petting soft objects. One day, while stroking a girl’s hair, Lennie accidently kills her. And eventually by the end of the novel, George is forced to shoot Lennie. Steinbeck shows American Dream as an unreachable goal because of a character’s standing in the society, their dreams to be unreal and their dependency on other characters.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was an unknown author who only received great acclaim for his book The Great Gatsby after his passing. He was always a keen believer that the pursuit of a dream was much more rewarding than the achievement. In this novel, Nick Carraway recounts the tale of James Gatz’s a poor farmer’s son’s transition to Jay Gatsby an affluent grandiose man. Gatz unlike the other central characters is new money. He overcame the conditions that he was born into. His parents were mere farmers but he has been able to reinvent himself both figuratively and literally. His achievements cannot be dismissed because of such factors as luck or wealth. The medal of honor Gatsby earns from serving in the war and the mansion he owns on West Egg are a consequence of his enduring persistence. Although Gatsby’s objectification of women is displeasing, this novel is considered a great American novel because it convinces its readers, at least briefly, of Niccolò Machiavelli’s ideal that "the ends justify the means." Gatsby transcendes the wealth gap through dealings with alcohol, gains fame, buys a mansion across from his Daisy’s house all in aggregate to be with Daisy Buchanan once again. His perseverance and his rise to fame and riches from nothing are the keystone of the American Dream.
Years ago, the United States of America was the prime example of prosperity and opportunity. In recent years, in the worst recession since the Great Depression, unemployment and interest rates have skyrocketed. The “American Dream” is an idea that was once a commonly accepted ideology in this country. It has since become only a fallacy. The “American Dream” is no longer an attainable idea, only a fantasy. The “American Dream” is not a true dream that will ever be equally attainable by everyone.
In 1931 when the American Dream arose, Americans believed that the harder one worked, the more one would prosper (Meacham, 2012). In other words, they strongly believed that the American Dream was gaining a better, richer, happier life. Today, the American Dream is still hoping to earn a college degree, get a good job, buy a house, and start a family, but according to MetLife’s fifth annual survey, 41% of the respondents said it was about personal fulfillment, while most American’s say it is out of reach for many (White, ...
The ‘American Dream’ means different things to each individual. What the ‘American Dream’ means to me is that I’m an American citizen who is free to do as I please under certain circumstances of course. I understand that many people have troubles trying to achieve this ‘American Dream’ though. If you look at the illegal immigrant problem, they have problems achieving this American Dream. I know that to get into the United States of America, you have to take a test, along with years of being in the system until you’re picked. You also cannot be a criminal and either you come here to work or you come here to stay; it costs quite a bit as well to achieve this dream. In my opinion it makes me mad when people come here illegally and claim that they
The American Dream is about not giving up. It is about working relentlessly through the hours of the day at two or even three jobs to supply your family with a sufficient income. It is about overcoming the language barrier, the achievement gap, and the limitations at any school or work force. To me the American Dream is about seeing the results of your dedicated hard work and paying it forward to those who are working just as hard to thrive. The American Dream cannot be measured based on the abundance of tangible goods; it cannot be taken superficially. Rather it is driven by not letting the lack of sustainable income or resources hold you back from achieving your greatest potential. The American Dream is still thriving today thanks to the entrepreneurs taking a lead in
The American Dream, as defined by Dictionary.com is, "the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available for every American." Unlike any other literary period, the Contemporary Period has taken the American Dream and contorted it into something completely obscene compared to its original form. The Contemporary Period began in 1939 and is still evolving in today's society. The American Dream was previously a goal that every American could achieve with hard work, but during the Contemporary Period the American Dream seems to be impossible to achieve. The dramatic shift of technology during the American Contemporary Period transformed the American Dream by giving it a more egocentric connotation along with affecting the daily lives of citizens, therefore establishing the aspiration for self-achievement, which can be revealed through the literature of this time.
The New World: a land of promise and aspirations. America: land of the free and home of the brave. The United States of America: a place filled with opportunities for everyone. When the country was still young, foreigners looked upon America as a utopia for the world. At one point in time it was that utopia, but over the years so many adverse rules and biased beliefs have built up that America is no longer a welcoming place for everyone. This is especially true for immigrants. No longer are they the huddled masses yearning for freedom that we praise from the past, but now their fight for liberty has been forgotten and our country has failed to welcome them. The American Dream is widely unachievable for immigrants
Before 1931, the phrase “American Dream” did not exist (Churchwell 344) the way it does now. But in that year, James Truslow Adams wrote a book called The Epic of America, which declared that “the American dream of a better, richer, happier life for all of our citizens of every rank, which is the greatest contribution we have made to the thought and welfare of the world...Ever since we became an independent nation, each generation has seen an uprising of ordinary Americans to s...
As Matthew J. Bruccoli noted: “An essential aspect of the American-ness and the historicity of The Great Gatsby is that it is about money. The Land of Opportunity promised the chance for financial success.” (p. xi) The Great Gatsby is indeed about money, but it also explores its aftermath of greed. Fitzgerald detailed the corruption, deceit and illegality of life that soon pursued “the dream”. However, Fitzgerald entitles the reader to the freedom to decide whether or not the dream was ever free of corruption.
“Money is the root of all evil”(Levit). Man and his love of money has destroyed lives since the beginning of time. Men have fought in wars over money, given up family relationships for money and done things they would have never thought that they would be capable of doing because of money. In the movie, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the author demonstrates how the love and worship of money and all of the trappings that come with it can destroy lives. In the novel Jay Gatsby has lavish parties, wears expensive gaudy clothes, drives fancy cars and tries to show his former love how important and wealthy he has become. He believes a lie, that by achieving the status that most Americans, in th...
I am a nineteen-year-old, Latina girl, trying to achieve the “American Dream”. My mother brought me to this land to offer me the opportunity for a better future. My mother believes a person can be anything she wants to be in America. Most people feel that America is the land of opportunity. Because of these opportunities, America gives people a chance to turn their dreams into reality. I knew my American dream since I young. I was brought to the land of opportunities at the age of 12. I am the first person of my family to attend to college. Being the first person, I know all the eyes are on me. I need to succeed and pursue my family’s American Dream: getting an education, being someone in the future, accomplishing what my mother
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.