Defining The American Dream

What is the American dream? The simplest version of the American dream is a nice house and family, with the white picket fence in the front yard. For many families this dream came true, but for others, it was not quite possible to achieve. In Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, Nick gives his thoughts on Gatsby after things between him and Daisy fall through. He says “He must have felt he had lost the old warm

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (Democracy, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, and Equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and

My interpretation of what it means to be an American includes the “American Dream”, freedom, and racism.

What is the American dream? The American dream is what the founding fathers wanted for our country. That perfect life where nobody had to worry about personal and economical safety. When Franklin Roosevelt wrote “The Four Freedoms”, the American dream is what he was writing about. In his article, Roosevelt states the basic things expected in America: "Equality of opportunity for youth and others. Jobs for those who can work. Security for those who need it. The ending of special privilege

Many people today arrive in the United States of America in pursuit of achieving the American Dream. What is the American Dream, and what does it mean in today 's culture? The term “American Dream” was established since the Great Depression representing Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness; the very values this great nation was founded upon. The Dream was said to be successful if a person worked hard to achieve his/her goals. Even though prior the American Dream has been terminated however, citizens have transform it in terms of personal goals since the 1930s. Author Brandon King describes the American Dream as an, “Opportunity for each according to ability and achievement”(610). The American dream has to do with the concept of achieving success; being able to perform daily tasks to provide a brighter future for a person, and his/her family. Essentially, if you are passionate enough about what you do, success is always possible even with manageable obstacles. Although, hard work is one of the factors in achieving the American Dream, self-motivation has also made an impact. The reality is every citizen has the opportunity of achievement depending on his/her choices, and access to education.

The term “American Dream” is defined as an idea which believes that all people have the possibility of prosperity and success. The idea first came from James Adams, a noted American writer and historian. He claimed, “Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement.” Therefore, the core concepts of the American Dream were closely linked to hard work and opportunity.

The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity.

The idea of the American Dream has been around since America was founded, but until 1933, it was not put into words. In the article American Faces 1933’s Realities, by James Truslow Adams, he defines the American Dream as “ ...a vision of a better, deeper, richer life for every individual, regardless of the position in society which he or she may occupy by the accident of birth” (1). The American Dream does not have to be described as having copious amounts of wealth. To some, it is only a vision of a better life for themselves and their families.

The American Dream is a concept that is essentially older than the United States, dating back to the seventeenth century. It was then when people began to come up with hopes and aspirations for the newly discovered, unexplored continent. The “American Dream” is in essence the idea in that puts forward the notion that all people can succeed through hard work, that all people have the right to the pursuit of happiness, and be successful. The definition of the American Dream has been expanded upon and redefined over time. The concept of the American Dream has always been debated and put under criticism. There are many that believe the structure of American Society belies the idealistic goal of the American Dream. It points out examples of

The American dream is the ideal that every US citizen should have a equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity In the fictional novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ by: John Steinbeck throughout the book we see characters pursuing the American dream. George and Lennie the main characters have this fantasy of owning their own land, rabbits, chickens, and more pushing them to not give up. On the way they meet characters like Crooks, and Candy who lonely want to join them on their journey. In the novel Steinbeck uses the characters to develop the idea of the American Dream and the boundaries in their way stopping them from reaching their dreams. ‘In Of Mice and Men’ Candy a old man who had nothing to live for, after seeing his dog die because it

It’s hard to say at what age people start to daydream about life’s possibilities. It must start early being as a child, I’ve always envisioned my future life to be like the stereotypical American dream. I may have inherited that dream from my mother; she came to the United States from Mexico at only 15 years old. She came to pursue the same dream - - the opportunity to achieve wealth and success. Growing up in a traditional Hispanic household is something I will always cherish, but one characteristic of Hispanic culture is the mindset that women are meant to be housewives and mothers. This expectation worked with my perception of the American dream. I thought, perhaps I could be the mother that was always baking and cleaning. I wanted a two-story house with a white picket fence and an American Flag in the front yard, the ideal family of four, a golden retriever, and I could be the perfect housewife. I wanted the female version of the “American Dream”. As children, dreams are untainted by reality, but over time dreams change. I realized that life’s fulfillment needs so much more than just material objects. My childish American dream focused on material things: I never wished to be emotionally secure, but just to have things. My definition of “success” evolved. Now, my greatest aspiration in life is to be content; which to me means to be financially stable, to earn a master’s degree, and to have a career that allows me to give back to my community. The biggest difference

The American Dream was that everyone could live a happy life and be successful through commitment and hard work. The American Dream was more than an idea than reality. Many immigrants came to America wanting a better life and to pursue the American dream for themselves. The theme of trying to get the American dream is present in John Steinbeck’s book “Of Mice and Men” by having Lennie ask about the place (his and Georges interpretation of the American Dream) where him and George will live one day: “Lennie said, ‘Tell about the place, George.’ ‘I jus’ tol’ you, las’ night.’

Since Columbus made land, people have been searching for the “American Dream”. Many people have their own idea and ideas that have changed over a period of time, but what exactly is the “American Dream” defined as .Origins of the dream have been rooted in the pioneering mentality of the eighteenth and nineteenth century immigrants, most who came to America because of a promise for a new and better life. The American Dream was sought through hard work and determination. After the time of the World Wars, society changed and so did the view of the “American Dream”, it changed from a potential reality into being a dream. People were striving to reach their definition of the American Dream. Beliefs and values took a turn. The American Dream

The American Dream is the result of possibilities and success. The term “American Dream” was been invented by James Truslow Adams in 1931: “That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.” Another reference to the American Dream appears in the Declaration of Independence (1776). The author wrote that people are “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The question of the debate was: “Is the American Dream Still Alive and Well?”

While the meaning of the American Dream has evolved multiple times between 1865 and 1980, almost every person agreed on as to what the American Dream meant in their respective time periods. The definition of the American Dream in some form has always consisted of freedom, and the ability to advance economically. Also, in more recent times things such as owning a suburban home, moving into the middle-class, being able to spend on consumer goods, and having a perfect family became a part of the American Dream. However, throughout American history there has always been groups who have not had equal access to the American Dream. External factors such as legislation, racism, sexism, and the political environment, resulted in former slaves, blacks, poor Americans, women, and immigrants not having fair access to aspects of the American Dream such as complete freedom, equal opportunity, the ability to advance economically, and the ability to enjoy the luxuries of an affluent society. Between 1865 and 1900 former slaves did not have equal access to aspects of freedom such as, “Self-ownership, family stability, religious liberty, political participation, and economic autonomy.” Later on, between 1900 and 1939 lower-class Americans, women, and immigrants did not have equal opportunity to advance economically. Later on, the American economy shifted after the second World War, and Americans were moving into the middle-class, however blacks, and immigrants did not have equal access to the