The order used here is determined by the complexity of the works that were selected for study

People from all around the world have dreamed of coming to America and building a successful life for themselves. The "American Dream" is the idea that, through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit in terms of financial success and a reliable future. While everyone has a different interpretation of the "American Dream," some people use it as an excuse to justify their own greed and selfish desires. Two respected works of modern American literature, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, give us insight into how the individual interpretation and pursuit of the "American Dream" can produce tragic

In literature, themes shape and characterize an author’s writing making each work unique as different points of view are expressed within a writing’s words and sentences. This is the case, for example, of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “Annabel Lee” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death.” Both poems focus on the same theme of death, but while Poe’s poem reflects that death is an atrocious event because of the suffering and struggle that it provokes, Dickinson’s poem reflects that death is humane and that it should not be feared as it is inevitable. The two poems have both similarities and differences, and the themes and characteristics of each poem can be explained by the author’s influences and lives.

America is often referred to as the “land of opportunity”, a place where someone who has nothing can persevere through the necessary means to achieve the “American dream”. However, in the novel, No Country for Old Men, written by Cormac McCarthy, he tries to question if this proves to be a reality. The underlying question he asks throughout the book is whether or not the blind belief in the “American dream” is costing Americans their values, forcing them to take shortcuts. McCarthy gives readers a glimpse of what cutting corners to achieve what could possibly be a pipedream can lead to for not just the character, but for Americans as a whole. He uses a panoply of characters in the novel to portray his outlook on Americas past, its present,

After World War II, America had to take a step back and take a look at their country. The American Dream had been restored upon the atrocities of the war. In the 1930’s the American Dream was primarily focused on working hard, men providing for their families, and trying to rise from the depression. In the 1940’s, post World War II things changed and consumerism and feminism began to play a key role along with many other factors. There are many ways to describe the American dream and what aspects were influential to it, such as World War II, modernism, new technology and entertainment.

The theme death has always played a crucial role in literature. Death surrounds us and our everyday life, something that we must adapt and accept. Whether its on television or newpaper, you'll probobly hear about the death of an individual or even a group. Most people have their own ideas and attitude towards it, but many consider this to be a tragic event due to many reasons. For those who suffered greatly from despair, living their life miserably and hopelessly, it could actually be a relief to them. Death effects not only you, but also those around you, while some people may stay unaffected depending on how they perceive it.

The American Dream is often one of the most well-known benefits of living in America. It is the push factor that has driven millions of foreigners to flock to the so-called land of opportunity. Originally, the American Dream was established by a clause in the Declaration of Independence. It reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence par. 2). The original American Dream, as laid out by the founding fathers, was freedom from religious persecution and the right to live a happy life. That simple idea has undergone a significant metamorphosis and now the American Dream is much more complex. It has turned into a deep avaricious dream. This transformation has been noted in contemporary literature, especially in the novels Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. These pieces of literature can be read as a larger commentary on the mutation of the American Dream and how it is now more of a negative desire for greed and material. Both Fitzgerald and Alexie surmise that the American Dream has been twisted and corrupted into an uncontrolled desire that has become unattainable for many and that the pursuit of the dream has become dangerous.

What truly is the “American Dream”? Furthermore, during the Great Depression, even the concept of the “American Dream” was not readily available and was no more than a fallacy at the time. For the 2 protagonists in Of Mice And Men, their dream, like many others, was to “live off the fatta the land” and become independent. However, this was not such an easy task at the time, not just because of the rough economic times, but because people of that era still had World War 2 still very fresh in their minds, with the harbored hatred and untrust that came along with it. Nevertheless, for the millions who died in the course of the war, this “American Dream” was not only something worth living for it was something dying for too. However, in the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the author emphasizes that the dreams and hopes were delusions and has a grim outlook on living life in search of a dream.

In today's world there is one thing that can be found across the globe. This thing is highly influential, loved by many, and of of the most innovative things to ever be seen. What is this thing? It is America. The modern world would not be the same without it. But what does it mean to be American? To be an American, you must follow one principle: you must chase the American dream. Being American is not about being successful or even having money. It is the simple concept of chasing the American dream not succeeding in achieving it. This essay will explain the American dream and how it relates to the American identity in three ways: Through classic American literature, a study of historical documents, and a close look

The American Dream was a prodigious and fascinating objective, in which everyone wished to accomplish in the 1920’s. Money, social status and happiness was the ideal image. Everyone desired and craved to achieve this dream in hope to have the opportunity to acquire success and the image of a perfect life. But this dream was corrupt. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby shows us that the so called “American Dream” is in fact just an illusion everyone had but could not obtain, because everyone alway seemed to be missing something to their picture perfect life.

American Literature has never ceased to reveal what this land has to offer and the idea that you get out of it what you put into it. The idea that you could have freedom, opportunity, and the ability to make money became known as the American dream. People wanted this dream to become their reality, no matter the cost or who stood in their way. On the other hand, it was obscure to those who had never experienced it before, including some within our own walls. Authors from decades past give us insight as to what both of those worlds look like.

Revolutionary Hebrew language author Shmuel Yosef Agnon is widely celebrated for his expert and unique takes on worldly issues through creative, diverse, morally themed short stories. Both “Agunot” and “Metamorphosis” showcase real world issues that still apply to society today. In this essay, I will analyze four societal problems that appear in the aforementioned short stories and determine how they help the story come to fruition as well as how and if they are still relevant today. The main societal problems found in these stories include society interfering in romantic relationships, impulsivity, lost love and the rising importance of money. These thematic societal problems are imperative to the storylines of their respective stories; they serve to push the story over the finish line, and directly determine the ending in both stories.

A major emphasis in this essay is put towards James Truslow Adam’s book, The Epic of America. In this story, America’s history is presented and shows how America has matured over the course of time. The main point Adams wanted to convey was the concept of a “bigger and better” life. He gives this the title the “American Dream”. Edward Bernays’ book, Propaganda, is also mentioned throughout this essay. It is viewed from the mass manipulation perspective. Various author’s opinions and statistics from their personal research are convey. Rather than looking at just one view point on the media’s influence on the American dream, both sides are displayed to show how it has shifted and conformed. To add to the credibility, certain studies and research are expressed through this

The “roaring ‘20’s” was a decade dedicated to extreme change and immoral growth of both men and women. Strong authors in the early 1920’s revealed and portrayed this growth into their writings, and the true actions that not only their characters communicated, but the actions that real American people expressed. This established the downfall of the “American Dream”. The American Dream, a standing classic that embodies the hope that one can achieve financial success, absolute power, and a keen sense of happiness through personal satisfaction. Detached from morals and good decision-making the people of this time had a mind set for self-satisfying wants and to entertain their inner desires for “love” and affection. In The Great Gastby, F. Scott

Poems are like snowflakes. While no two are the same, they all have common structures and themes. One prevalent theme in poetry is that of death, which is present in both “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost. Dickinson perceives death as a gentleman, while Frost perceives death as loneliness, which provides insight on how the time periods of the poems, the genders of the authors, and the authors’ personal experiences influence literature.

the theme of death. The speaker of the poems talks about the loss of a