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American Dream Now

Decent Essays

According to James Truslow Adams the American Dream is, "a dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." The American Dream changes with every generation, but it still resembles James' definition. The Puritans pursued a life of religious freedom. The colonists pursued a life free from tyranny. All of these dreams were ideas or concepts to follow in order to become happy. What is the American Dream now? The American Dream has shifted from concepts to objects. Americans don't see the American Dream as a belief anymore, but they think of it as something to obtain. This shift was the result of the changing of American morals and values. Today, the …show more content…

Just as the holiday rolled around, our neighbors pooled together all of their money and bought twice the amount of fireworks that my father had accrued and put on a better show. Even though it was just fireworks, this story displays the desire to become better than someone else. My father wanted to become better than our neighbors, and my neighbors wanted to become better than my father. This cycle of egos is like a whirlpool because in the end everyone gets sucked to the bottom of the sea. No one comes out on top because someone else will strive to become better and then replace them. In this never ending marathon of egos, the American Dream cannot thrive because it is always threatened by someone else's dream.
In the beginning of the Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan is beautiful and charming. However, Daisy reveals her true nature when she chooses Tom over Gatsby then allows Gatsby to take the blame for Myrtle's death. Daisy is revealed to be in love with money, ease, and material luxury. She is indifferent to everything except money because it is this she puts paramount. Although most Americans aren't as rich as Daisy's character, they all have the same ideals. Many people are just like Daisy Buchanan because the only thing in life that matters to them is

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