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I Never Was America To Me

Decent Essays

Everyone has an idea of the American dream which is along the lines of equality for all and equal opportunity. “The American Dream is the ideal that the government should protect each person's opportunity to pursue their own idea of happiness” (Kimberly Amadeo). The American dream was stitched into the foundation of what makes America the country it is and is meant to inspire citizens and noncitizens to come to this land of the free. But why the false advertising? The American Dream is not obtainable and never will be no matter how hard we work to reach this goal of having everything we want in life due to the systematic structure.
Throughout the poem Langston Hughes uses repetition of the words “America was never America to me”, to convey the message that freedom doesn't exist for people like Hughes. In lines 5 and 10, Langston Hughes says “America never was America for me” and “It never was America for me”. This goes back to the point that he has never felt a part of the so called American dream. But he is not speaking just for himself he speaking for everyone that has been dealt the disappointing end of the American dream. In lines, 20-25 …show more content…

The gap between the upper class and middle class is drastic. “In its 34 member states, the richest 10% of the population earn 9.6 times the income of the poorest 10%” (Anthony Reuben). The way the economy is set up its keeps the rich wealthy and the poor in poverty. In lines, 26-32 Langston uses statements such as, “Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!...Of grab the gold!...Of take the pay!…..Of owning everything for one’s own greed!” These lines describe a greed hungry America. Money is basically the center of what America has become, therefore everyone cannot obtain the goal they wish to reach because America doesn't care about the person rather than the

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