Analysis Of The American Dream

King’s purpose is to convey the idea that the American dream is still attainable. He uses a serious tone to get across to the reader through his argument to assist the reader to understand his argument. The reader can see that with the use of diction, logos, and ethos, Brandon King’s “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold” contains. King’s diction use gives the article a great impact on the readers just because of his word choice. Ethos on the other hand, he gives a fact from New York Times that states, “that 72 percent of Americans still believed it was possible to start poor, work hard, and become rich in America” which helps his argument with facts. King’s use of logos completely helps the points that he is claiming throughout the article by stating the problems with people and their taxes, income, and more, but yet can still find a way the achieve the American Dream through hard work and dedication. Everything that King uses in this article is just a way to prove his beliefs about the American dream and how anyone can achieve it no matter what others may think how it may no longer exist in the U.S. All of the rhetorical devices used by King still are to back their own statement with rhetorical devices such as diction, ethos, and logos. And King describes the truth about the American Dream perfectly through

Throughout the essay “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” King conveys a stern argument that the American dream is in fact still alive. He begins the essay by explaining what exactly the American dream is and what position it should hold in our lives today. King states, “I would redefine the American Dream today as the potential

King uses both negative and positive expressions to convey his perception of the American Dream. For example, He highlights positive words, such as successful, growth and stability and uses them as reasons to why the country’s “Dream” still exists. On the other hand, King also uses words such as weak, expensive and unemployment to support his logic as to why some think the “American Dream” no longer exists.

The diminishing of the American Dream has only been a recent event. Back in the 1950’s, the dream was alive and well for all Americans, rich or poor. A job was easy to find, with up to 80% of the population employed, according to the U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis. With this total amount of people working, not only was there a substantial decrease in the poor Americans, but any family living beneath the poverty line had a greater chance of finding a job and moving up the economic ladder. This

Is the American dream still alive or is inequality between social classes causing the American dream to fade? Brandon King’s “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” and Paul Krugman “Confronting Inequality” are both great articles explaining and confronting the American paradigm. King and Krugman both believe that inequality is present and affects today's society. Krugman would say the american dream is gone because of inequality and King would say the american dream is alive but is decreasing because of inequality. Some would say that the american dream was lost a long time ago because there has always been inequality. I believe that inequality is playing a huge roll in our economy and I don't believe the american dream is gone but on hold because of the separation between social classes.

Summary: In the article, the author claims that, after over fifty years, the American Dream is now on life support. However, for some Americans, this dream is already dead. Within the source, the author goes over three tenets of the American Dream to check if they support the belief that the dream is still alive and well. These reasons were unaffordable housing, the fall of economic mobility, and the uncertainty in retirement. Furthermore, the author compares the past and present, showing readers how things have changed when it comes to achieving this dream.

“What is the true state of the so-called “American Dream” today? Is it still around, waiting to be achieved by those who work hard enough, or is it effectively dead, killed off by the Great Recession and the economic hardships that many Americans have come to face?” (Brandon King) King’s article focuses on the thought of if the American Dream is dead or alive. The American Dream is described as the potential to work for a secure lifestyle. King believes that the American Dream is still alive, however, Krugman believes that the American Dream is practically dead for most. It is also a belief that despite, the rules of the American dream not being taught, they can still have the possibility of working.

Writing in the article “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” Brandon King emphasizes “... a 2009 New York Times survey found that 72 percent of Americans still believed it was possible to start poor, work hard, and become rich in America” (King 573). A plethora of Americans spend most of their lives to working hard, they may not be working the same job, but they are working. Americans are choosing different career paths every day, which means that the “American Dream” is truthly about citizens creating their own American dream. Johnson, writer for the website Sunfell recognizes that, “Happiness and the reality of the American Dream are found in abandoning the false dream, and creating one of your own” (Johnson par. 9).

However, many indicators and disturbing trends will make a person realize how hard the American Dream is to achieve. Primarily, “for many workers, earnings have stalled” ( Macionis). Workers are getting paid the same year after year while inflation results in the necessities such as housing, education, gasoline, and medical care goes up. Next, “more jobs offer little income” (Macionis). Because the expanding global economy, many jobs have been moved overseas, decreasing the availability of high-paying factory jobs in the United States. Today, fast-food restaurants, and retail stores generally offer relatively low wages. Thirdly, “the recent recession brought economic decline” (Macionis). The drop involved with the economic recession resulted is a drop in housing values and a decline in other investments. Lastly, “young people are remaining at home”. More than half of young people ages eighteen to twenty-four are still living at home and the age of marriage as increased over time. “Research points to the conclusion that marriage has an important effect on social standing” (Macionis). For these reasons along, I believe that American Dream will never be a reality for many

The American dream has been an idea since America was first founded. When thinking of the American dream, one may think of a person rising from being poor to becoming rich, finding love, and gaining wealth and power. People’s views are constantly changing about the American dream, although it is generally based on independency, freedom, and a desire for something better. In the early days many wanting to acquire the American dream just wanted to own a lot of land and start a family, however in present times people wanting to acquire the American dream focus on more materialistic things. One may want a big house, a life of ease, and a nice car. The American dream has transformed into focusing on material items as an indication of being

The quintessential of the American Dream is that anyone can make it in America and become wealthy if they just work hard enough. In reality, there is no definite answer to whether or not the American Dream is plausible because we all view the American Dream with a different lens based on our own background and interests. However, nowadays, the American Dream is slowly fading away, making it harder and harder to achieve it, whether it might be due to one’s race, social status or gender.

The American dream represents many aspects for people who live in the United States as well as people who aspire to come and build a better life. When the dream was first being popularized, it represented an ideal life filled with freedom, equality and ultimately success (1). When people come to a new country and leave everything they know behind, they don't do it because they expect success immediately, but they do it because they strive for new opportunities (3).The meaning of this dream, however, has drastically changed over the years. In the beginning, this so-called dream consisted of working hard to gradually reach a rich life where opportunities and success were within reach, and those who put in the work would over time see results and an improvement in their lives (4). Today, many people who have come to this country find themselves barely scrapping past their year trying to afford healthcare while they pay off debts and live a somewhat satisfactory lifestyle (4). What really took a toll on this widespread dream was the introduction of credit cards, because in the near future of this dream it is seen that it completely changes the whole meaning of the American Dream (5).

The living conditions here are poor. I read about the apartments that they stay in. They fit two families into one apartment so that way they have enough money to live off. (Gjelten,)That is how bad their pay is. But fitting multiple families into a one bedroom apartment is not good living conditions. It can be harmful to both families and it can’t be sanitary. In the same article it talked about how immigrants now have an “Immigrant Dream”, which would hold the same meaning as “The American Dream” ( Gjelten,). They come to America expecting something completely different than what they get and now struggle to live the life they thought they could achieve. I feel bad for them because they go through so much and have something to be proud of, they got away from a dangerous place but still suffer. They take one little jobs that are given to them and barley make any money to actual enjoy life off of.

“A recent poll showed that more than half of all people in this country today don’t believe that the American dream is alive. Fifty-nine percent of those polled in June agreed that “the American dream has become impossible for most people to achieve." More and more Americans believe there is “not much opportunity” to get ahead”(Alternet). Many adults of the middle and lower classes American population no longer the American dream is no longer attainable because most if not all of the key elements of the American dream are no longer attainable. With financial inequality being at such a high percentage and steadily rising most do not think they can get ahead. The American dream is only attainable today by the wealthy and is no longer

Even though Dexter has had a privileged life, his point of view in the story represents the common man working towards an ‘American Dream.’ His view of the world is often rose colored and does not see the world for what it truly is until his dream is ripped from his hands. This effects the text because at first the reader lives in his shoes as Dexter blissfully allows himself to be seduced by his ‘American Dream,’ Judy Jones. Fitzgerald writes, “‘I don't know what's the matter with me. Last night I thought I was in love with a man and to-night I think I'm in love with you----’--it seemed to him a beautiful and romantic thing to say. It was the exquisite excitability that for the moment he controlled and owned. But a week later he was compelled to view this same quality in a different light. She took him in her roadster to a picnic supper, and after supper she disappeared, likewise in her roadster, with another man,” (5). In the moment, he allows himself to believe that she is in love with him. After all, if a beautiful girl who has a history of tempting men tells him she loves him, it must be true. As the text is told from Dexter’s point of view, the reader sees his foggy motivation and drive to keep chasing after Judy. The only thing that matters is whether or not she is with him, despite words she says may seem rude or unfaithful to anyone outside of his point of view. Even though Fitzgerald does not write the story in first person, he makes a great point of letting the