The American Dream in The Lost Beautifulness and The Gilded Six-Bits The America Dream is defined in general as a dream of a land that is better richer for everyone based on accomplishment and opportunity. This dream is usually sought after by people who have been deprived of their social and human values. People who have not been able to achieve this dream based on restrictions of their situations that plague their lives. These situations can be different for everyone, race, sex, handicap, etc. My question is this goal obtainable? To me there is one thing that powers this dream a desire to be of higher class, socially and financially. The one thing that drives this monster concept of the American dream has always been around since the …show more content…
This drive for her to feel like an American was drove from money. This ultimately put her on the street after her landlord saw the good work that she did. Money the landlord knew he could charge extra because the apartment was now in much better shape. In “The Gilded Six-Bits” Joe, sees himself in a similar situation which involved money. Joe had met a man by the name of Otis D. Slemmons who had opened up an ice cream parlor down the street. Joe was quite impressed of the heavy set man with hit gold teeth. Joe was talking about the man’s big gut in quote: “All rich mens is got some belly on ‘em.” (Hurston 1521). Joe wanted the dream so bad that he even wanted a gut because all rich men had them. This shows how money influences people to do whatever they can to make themselves higher in society. The American dream is all about money, money is opportunity and money is accomplishment. Joe was also later devastated by this monster of a dream, when he caught Otis in bed with his wife. Is this what the dream is about tearing down everything you worked hard for all your life? Did Hanneh really dream of being thrown into the street? Did Joe really dream of a big fat rich man sleeping with his wife? In the end the power that both drove these people to realize what the American dream is was money. They both wanted money and they both dreamed of money, and in the end it got the best of Hanneh and
What is the “American Dream” everyone talks about? The term “American Dream” was first coined by a historian named James Truslow Adams. This term is used to describe the America way of life. It describes how every U.S. citizen should have equal opportunities and the freedom to be able to achieve their passions and dreams while completely disregarding the social class. It is also the importance of economic security and wellbeing which is being able to have the resources and tools to live a comfortable. Also stated in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equally” with the right of “life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (U.S, 1776). Is the American Dream attainable? I believe that the American Dream is what individuals think about the United States and how in this country they would be able to get a job, and be able to fulfill their dreams. I also think that the dream of ours was once achievable, but not anymore. The American Dream is slowly dying. There are many sociological concepts which help us support the idea why it is vanishing.
No matter what you perceive The American Dream to be, it is possible to attain it and be successful. The American Dream is whatever your dream of success perceives to be. Hansberry shows how hard it was for colored people to find their
Dreams are merely your own fantasies living within your mind. The American Dream is anything you believe it to be, all depending on each individual's mentality. If there was a better way of saying this, it would be like this: “Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one’s time, for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams, we plant the seeds of our future” (unknown). The American Dream is a misconception for the ways that society has portrayed it to be. As how society paints a portrait in the minds of people, that America is only about freedom and equality where life comes easier than it does in other countries. There is no right way to fulfill the American Dream. For some it may be to simply emigrate to the U.S, to provide a better life for
"I think the American Dream says that anything can happen if you work hard enough at it and are persistent, and have some ability. The sky is the limit to what you can build, and what can happen to you and your family" expressed Sanford I. Weill. The American Dream is still alive and obtainable. Many people have a definition of what the American Dream that is obtainable in their minds. People all have unique individual lives.
America provides opportunity to achieve the American Dream yet so many argue that it is impossible today. The American Dream consists of having opportunity to be someone financially stable and having success in your life. It is a long road to the American Dream with many obstacles on the way. Everyone is given an opportunity to start, with education being free. It is up to the person to decide whether they will continue their education to open more opportunities for their future. The American Dream is a reality that can be achieved today through hard work, self-perseverance and motivation to succeed.
The American Dream is mostly impossible because of the amount of money that America is in debt. If America wasn’t as in debt as it is, the American Dream could be possible, but it would still be hard to accomplish. The American Dream began before the U.S was even born, starting in the 1600s
Achieving the American Dream is like fighting over the last TV on Black Friday. The American Dream is very limited. A person has to have a certain background to achieve it. The American Dream is an illusion. America wants one to believe that they have the perfect set of materialistic things to make their life better. The American Dream consist of having money, a nice house, a great looking car, and a family. Not everyone can achieve that though because of the barriers that they have in this country. The American Dream is not achievable by all people because individual’s divergent backgrounds.
First, The American Dream is not something that you are handed it is something you work for. Some people are born into wealthy families and they do not need to work for success. Jay Gatsby was snidely profiled and they said, "I thought you inherited your money." (Ch 5) People assumed that because of his wealth he was privileged. They were wrong, Gatsby worked for his money even though he may of not always had the best
The American Dream is pivotal to America's upbringing and culture. It has existed before America has. Its is the belief that a person could achieve success in America through hard work. The American Dream is somethings everyone wished to accomplish, and for good reason. However, the dream is increasingly getting harder to achieve than ever before. Be it for prejudice, persecution, social constructs, or even sexism. For some people, the American Dream is still a reality, but for others it will always be a dream.
The “American Dream” is a complicated topic to discuss. It has many different meanings depending on who you’re talking to. To me it means to have a healthy and happy family with a nice house and to do what I love to do. For many people their dream or even my dream is not attainable. I do not think that the “American Dream” is attainable for everyone. Some people do not have the perseverance or are not born into a situation where they can get an education. Some people may have that drive or the education or talent needed to accomplish what they want.
The American Dream was designed for immigrants and people who wanted to start a new life. It was set to motivate people to succeed in life by having a nice home in a good neighborhood, a nice family with children who get good grades and to be married to the person you love. The American Dream began hundreds of years ago when the new colonies were forming. The people left Britain to escape poverty and to find religion. When they got here, some of the promises occurred but they were still in agony because they were still working for the rich as indentured servants. Now in modern day, success comes from hard work, motivation and a strive for greatness, but many other things can cause you to not achieve your goals. Therefore, the American dream is unrealistic because society sets high standards and not everyone has an equal shot.
Research conducted by Sandra L. Hanson and John Zogby concerning shifting attitudes toward the American Dream states, “lack of thrift, effort, ability, motivation, and self-control are the most popular explanations for poverty among Americans” (Hanson 571). Such explanations demonstrate the growing issues that help to create the darkness of the American Dream. In placing such an emphasis on achieving success, the American Dream belittles those unable to achieve it and allows no room for failure. Though some individuals may work hard their entire lives, they may never find the material success that others such as Ben or Charley do. Even in the case of characters who have worked their entire life, such as Willy, the lack of tangible, material success creates a false idea that they did not do enough or did not work hard enough. Concerning Willy’s career and life, Ben states, “What are you building? Lay your hand on it. Where is it?” (Miller 1271). This statement pushes the misconstrued idea that whatever success one has achieved needs to be tangible and seen, which is not always the case. It can be argued that by the end of his life, Willy had found success. Linda’s proclamation that they were “free and clear” after having finally paid off the mortgage furthers this argument (Miller 1298). Out of debt, and with the comfort of a devoted wife and loving sons, Willy had achieved a life that many can only dream. However, because he and others do not recognize love and happiness as
Everyone has a dream. Whether it is to have a family, or even to become a psychiatrist, a dream is present in everyone. Those dreams are mainly referred to as “American Dreams.” Hard work is needed to be able to get anywhere in life. The American Dream is attainable if one is willing to put in the work to achieve it.
The American Dream is the belief where any American can be successful when completing hard work. Do you believe that the American Dream is achievable? Is it guaranteed for both natural-born Americans and immigrants? The American Dream is a definite reality because the United States is a country that allows various opportunities for individuals to work for what they want and access prosperity while doing so.
What is the American Dream and is it still achievable? If it is still achievable, then how can the American Dream be achieved? The American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work. The American Dream provides unequally for the modern-day society of the United States by limiting the types of people can achieve this dream and an example of which would be that someone that is a homosexual would have a lesser chance of getting a job than an average heterosexual but can still be achieved by the homosexual community. The American Dream is still achievable because those who work hard with determination can achieve it.