American Dream Identity

The great strong standing United States of America is known today as one of the most power houses in the world. The principles she was founded on included on freedom and prosperity for some. In the founding years of an entity the most work is done in laying down the foundation. America chose to complete the task of building a beautiful nation of freedom and prosperity through the exploitation of slaves. Today, blacks in America are still healing from the scars that slavery in America has written on African American DNA. The fruits of slavery produced the internalization of negative: mentalities, inferiority of identity, and images in black media.

From the very birth of the nation, the “American Identity” has been here. It has changed as we grew as a nation, slowly starting to represent not only American born citizens, but to represent the immigrants who moved here with their own hopes and dreams. The American Identity can be defined as a fluid, ever changing idea that has changed over time to represent the ideals of immigrants, as well as people we perceive as different.

Defining what really is to be an American does not sound as easy as it seem. It will always be complex process. As immigration continues to fuel the growth of the population of our nation, racial and ethnic gap increase and evolve along with it. Racial and ethnic identities become more and more convoluted and difficult to understand. Race and ethnicity continue to intermingle and push a cultural shift in the US– a shift that plays a significant role in redefining America in a day-to-day basis.

Black people in the U.S have been fighting for themselves since the birth of America. Many today say that it will never stop. They may say that the challenges they face will never disappear. During the 1800s Blacks went through extreme hardships. Most of which were regarding slavery and the many attempts to put an end to it. The title of Howard Zinn’s Chapter Nine in A people’s History of the U.S represents much more than a typical reader would presume. The title has a meaning that represents a bulk of black history in the United States of America. The chapter title “Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom” represents the everlasting fight that black people in the United States of America have had to put up for their own rights and freedom because blacks fought during the time of slavery and didn’t give up, the time period spent fighting to end slavery, and even after Slaves were freed they have had to continue fighting for the reason that they weren’t given true freedom.

encountered by members of every level of society; however, most of all affected by this idealism

Throughout the life span of the United States, from its infancy after the Revolution to the present, people have asked, “What is an American?” This question goes far beyond asking who is a citizen or who resides in this land. No, it asks what the identity of an American is? Through popular, art, film, and literature, the American image is defined as being based on embracing our individual identities.

The American Dream is indefinable. There is no one set of words or characteristics that the entire population assigns directly to its definition. With the American population consisting of people of various races, ethnicities, ages, classes, and genders, it seems trivial to even attempt to attribute a single definition to the concept of the American Dream. It is this inability however, to be confined within one single meaning, that allows for the American Dream to govern the desires and goals of the large and diverse American population. And, regardless of all of the heterogeneity within society, the American Dream is generally a goal of all American peoples. In examining this idea, I began to think about the specific meanings attributed to the American Dream for different types of individuals. I broadly outlined the American Dream for myself, to represent the belief in hard work as a pathway to success and raising oneself in society. Consequently, this higher position in society allows for the possession of increased amounts of power. My definition however, neglects to take into account the certain other societal constructs that could possibly have a decisive role in how to both define and achieve the American Dream for the wide variety of people who pursue it.

Americans have not only defined themselves by their religious, ethnic and racial identity, but also by their individual freedom and common values. America has become a nation where its people can fight for what they believe in. Our founding fathers have formed America to be “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. Being apart of the American culture and living on the land founded by our leaders specifies the meaning of the American Identity.

American Dream: Noun, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. That is the definition of the American dream according to Dictionary.com, but the American Dream is more than a definition, but a way of life for many. Millions of immigrants come to our country in search of this “American Dream” including my grandparents but more and more are disappointed. So does the American Dream exist? Has it ever existed or has it all been an illusion?

Additionally, America is also known for being a free place. It is known that everyone must be treated equally and have their own rights. For example, part of the American identity is being known for practicing democracy. People being free, having their rights protected, and having equal treatment is what makes up the American identity. Those three factors are still going on meaning that the American identity is still alive and nothing has changed it at all. Another reason why the American identity is still alive because part of someone’s identity is again being know for something or influencing something. Another example, is that many people have immigrated to the United States for the American dream. That is a huge contributor to the American identity because it has influenced many people to come. The American dream is still alive so the American identity is still

Sylvia Plath and Truman Capote throughout their work both create unique individuals with internal and external forces holding them back. In The Bell Jar, we are introduced to Ester who is a young and attractive women in college with a successful path in life but is held back by madness and depression. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, we are introduced to a unique character who makes up most of the story. We are introduced to Holiday Golightly but is refereed to as “Holly” throughout the story, Holly is the main character of the story and the narrator writes about her life. Holly makes a living as a companion to many wealthy and important men, who lavish her with money and expensive beautiful gifts. The narrator meets Holly when she leaves her husband and moves to New York, throughout her life and the story Holly is extremely unstable and irresponsible. In both, The Bell Jar and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, societal norms and the american dream are major themes that help the readers understand the characters lives and behaviors.

American identities Is a huge impact on our life. It’s who we are! Well if you are not sure or just have no clue how an american identity is made well I will tell you my point of view of how they are made. Being an american has nothing to do with the color of your skin or what race you are. Some people confuse that though. There are conflicts in america almost everyday on race and immigration. I have strong beliefs that If you go with the traditions of america and you work hard at being an american that makes you one. We discriminate

What does it mean to be American? The American identity has always been a complicated discussion. It is by nature identified by diversity. Many think it has to do with the birthplace of the person and others think it has to do with their inheritance. In 2011, Amy Chua published Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother as a memoir. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother presents the evolution of this American woman. The elements of Chuas evolution seemed to involve; native identity; inherited identity; resisted identity and resolved identity.

Family relationships, individual identity and the American dream are all seen throughout this story. Blanche DuBois and her sister Stella Kowalski both desire to be happily married. They will go to great lengths to get and to keep the men in their lives. The sisters want the best for each other, however they do not always agree with what that may be. Family is important but which family member will prove to be more important?

“It’s a great day in America.” The question is, for who? The aura of oppression has plagued the black community indefinitely. While the principal of American values is sound, there is an overwhelming concern with regard to the reality, of who is welcome into the “American Dream.” An undertone has boiled beneath the surface of these values for generations. The robust history of racism in America is alarming. While it is important to note that gains have been made, is a race that is almost won considered victory? Let’s explore. On American soil, in a suburb of Tulsa named Greenwood, Oklahoma, war was waged on America’s own. A massacre so savage, many have opted to delete it from their memory all together. The local and state authority of Oklahoma went as far as to omit it from the public records altogether. Grotesque acts that claimed not only the lives of thousands, but has tainted the American Dream in its entirety. Thus, begging the question, “What exactly is the “American Dream?” In 1921, the face of society certainly differed from what we see today. Flagrant racism did not hide behind closed doors or live behind pursed lips. Racism was widely accepted as a way of life. The bigoted heart was worn as a badge of honor. The oppression of the black race was a sign of the times. Slavery was profound across much of our nation, and blacks were treated with extreme aggression despite their succumbing nature to the ill treatment, they were force fed daily. The vast majority