The American Dream

The "American Dream" is an idea that has always been different throughouttime. It changes in diverse forms and in the end involves success. The "American Dream" was a phrase used by the American people and peoplewanting to become American. It was always the idea that you can become a success. This is true in a partial way, but the true "American Dream" is that with somework and determination anyone can build themselves up in the economic classsystem.

"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work” (Fabrizio Moreira). For many years, men and women struggled to achieve the idealistic life of living on independent terms. Many characters in Of Mice and Men work in order to pursue and achieve the American Dream that consisted of having their own house and income. Characters in the book may use that dream to help the overcome their life struggles and personal problems. Of Mice and Men tells the story of two friends, George and Lennie, who find themselves on a ranch in pursuit of their dreams. Unfortunately for them, circumstances beyond their control cost Lennie and George their dream and much more. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck portrays how dreams create a false sense of hope in order to cover up the realities of life through George, Curley’s wife, and Candy.

The American dream is a subjective idea that can mean money and fame for some or just the idea of freedom to others. What we believe is our path to reach this dream determines whether or not we are blinded by corporations’ image of the “American Dream”. Corporation’s main goal is to subtly coerce consumers into believing in the corporate world’s idea of the “American Dream”. They accomplish this by placing consumer’s into general categories which depicts how they will consume and place them in a cycle of false-consciousness which ultimately leads to the circulation of money within the rich and the stunting of the poor’s “hope” and possibility to obtain a better life. The barrier that stops low class citizens from advancing creates a “new primitive” society in which everyone blindly participates in the “norm” and becomes stuck in time.

The American Dream: Is it fact or fiction? In the United States’ Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers set forth the idea of an American Dream by providing the American people with the recognizable phrase “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (USHistory.org). The green light at the end of Daisy Buchanan’s dock symbolizes Jay Gatsby’s “pursuit of Happiness” in the novel, The Great Gatsby, set in the 1920s on Long Island, New York (Fitzgerald, F. Scott). The American Dream is defined as “the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. The American Dream is achieved through

The American Dream is a concept that has been wielded in American Literature since its beginnings. The ‘American Dream’ ideal follows the life of an ordinary man wanting to achieve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The original goal of the American dream was to pursue freedom and a greater good, but throughout time the goals have shifted to accumulating wealth and high social status. Deplorable moral and social values have evolved from a materialistic pursuit of happiness. In “Advertising the American Dream: Making Way for Modernity”, Roland Marchand describes a man that he believed to be the prime example of a 1920’s man. Marchand writes, “Not only did he flourish in the fast-paced, modern urban milieu of skyscrapers, taxi

Throughout the United States, many people, unique as they may be, have one goal and want that is the same. For lots of those individuals, that goal is just to get around the immense amount of challenges that one day brings upon them. For many, they will do whatever it takes to provide financially for themselves and or their family, in an attempt to build supportable and desirable lives. This concept is known as the American Dream. In Barbara Ehrenreich’s, Nickled and Dimed and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the American Dream is an everlasting concept that is perceived differently by both of the book’s main characters. Although these two pieces of writing were written in different eras, the characters actions about the American Dream

Set during the gruelling Great Depression of the 1930’s, John Steinbeck’s touching novella Of Mice and Men focuses on the working class of America and two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, as they work on a ranch in hopes of owning their own land. Set in the dusty town of Soledad, California, Steinbeck’s classic characters offer a parable about what it means to be human. George and Lennie's ambition of owning their own ranch, and the obstacles that stand in the way of that ambition, reveal the impossibility of the American Dream, while the loneliness and isolation of the members of the ranch offer a true insight into the nature of human existence, especially when the weaknesses of the characters cause them to destroy those more

If the American Dream is defined as owning a house, like one of those two-story, four-bedroom, and white picket fence houses, or even a one -story, two-bedroom, chain-fenced yard, then no, I could not say with a strong conviction that this the dream that exists in the hearts of all Millenials.

Some may wonder if the old version of the American Dream (owning a home, starting a family, etc.) is still alive and well with Millennials in today’s age. With technology and the constant changing of how the world is viewed, it’s hard to say. Or is it? Being a realtor and a Millennial, I can certainly say that the American Dream is still alive and well. In fact, a good part of the Millennial group is starting to get into this dream earlier than their predecessors did. I, myself, bought my first home when I was nineteen years of age. Maybe most aren’t quite that young, but typically I have a slew of clients that are looking to own a home, as opposed to renting, that are of the Millennial age group. You’d be surprised to find that the

When the concept of the American Dream emerged in the 1930s, it possessed a uniform definition among the people. They believed that one could accomplish to their fullest ability as long as they put forth the effort. In the time of the Great Depression, people wanted to be happy and maintain financial stability for their family. Happiness also included fitting in with the standards set by society. This meant having the stereotypical family with a father, mother, and two children and living in a nice home in a suburban neighborhood. As society has evolved, the meaning of the American Dream has distorted into something else, but the underlying goal to live a happy life has remained the same. This is caused by the change in values, as well as the societal norms and expectations that are set today. People now feel as if they are entitled or expected to live a grandiose lifestyle and assume that it should be acquired easily. This new concept of the American Dream is met with disappointment because it is nearly impossible to reach, resulting in them concluding and claiming that the American Dream is unattainable. The new Dream is an unrealistic standard set on society that is counterintuitive as it prevents people from their main goal of a happy life. Meanwhile, the original aspect of the Dream still exists among some people and is still realistic, but now it is not as easy to achieve as it was back then.

Imagine coming into a country not knowing much about its culture and much less its language, where the social barriers are already enough of an obstacle to hobble around, but money must be earned, and children must be supported. This sounds insane, almost, but the hope of the American dream in my parents’ minds kept them steadfast in their wish to live it, and here I am today, writing this essay for UT Austin because of it. Growing up as a first-generation American citizen in a family where Russian tradition builds the foundation of the house presented me with a wide variety cultures and a unique point of life, especially in the eyes of my ever so curious classmates.

The American Dream has been a prominent idea in American society for a very long time. It says that anyone, from any class, religion, race or background can achieve a good job, a home, car and family through only their hard work. As time has passed, the American Dream fades further and further from reality and the large gap between people of all kinds is becoming commonly known. In 2011 the first large scale movement, Occupy Wall Street, that showed that Americans were conscious of the economic inequalities in the country and the world. People protested the “1%”, the top group of wealth owners in the country, and aimed for equality. The media even started to show the inequality between the 1 percent-ers and the rest of the population. The gap between the mega-rich and the rest clearly exists, but people rarely talk about the gap between gender, races, and all the inequalities at all levels of wealth. It is important to understand that a wealth gap does exist between the rich and everyone else but also to see that inequality is prevalent at all levels of wealth or understand why these disparities occur.

The American Dream is the idea that everyone is created equal and has the opportunity to achieve success through hard work and dedication.  Owning a home is an example of the American Dream.  This concept is “alive” with the millennial generation, but I would not classify it as “well”.  Millennials seem to be pursuing their own personal visions.  Some of those visions do not include home ownership, but some do.  Those that desire home ownership simply cannot afford the cost. Because of rising college tuition and the sparse job market, this dream seems out of reach for many. To attend their college of choices, most millennials could not even move out of state because the tuition is so much higher.  The students that did manage to finish college are spending several years paying off student loans, making it harder to pay a mortgage. Therefore, there is much hesitation to the decision of owning a home for millennials because of finances. Most of this group chooses to live with their parents and pay off bills before beginning their lives in debt with home ownership. Of course, there is the option to rent, but this is almost like throwing your money down the drain. Most young people do not understand the value in purchasing a home instead of going with an immediate, less expensive option of renting.

The American Dream: Work hard, get your dream career, buy a house with a white picket fence, and start a family. Historically, owning a home has been an essential part of achieving the “American Dream.” Owning a home allows an individual or a family to take pride in their property, allows them to raise a family, and allows them a safe place to grow. Unfortunately, the reality of the housing bust during the Great Recession, with its explosion of foreclosures, has led Millennials to become hesitant about buying a home. Millennials seem to be losing faith in homeownership as a key to prosperity, success, equity, and wealth, and no longer believe their happy ending pertinent to their “American Dream” comprises of buying a home.

The American Dream is alive and well. For many Americans, this dream has become a reality. The American Dream of owning a home is also a nightmare for a lot of other Americans. Although the American Dream is a sense of prosperity and success, it is understandable that many Americans will not be able to reach their goals. It is also safe to say that there are Americans that have a different American Dream. Today, newer generations of Americans have a different view on what happiness means to them. Millennials, although they may have different dreams and aspirations, still seek their true happiness and goals. There are also some factors that may contribute to their hesitation of homeownership. Some factors may include; the 2008 financial market, credit scores, home cost, being tied-down and having a different mindset. I will address these topics throughout my paper.