The American Dream Synthesis Essay

American Dream Synthesis Essay

My Father comes from a true blue collar family. He comes from a family who barely recognize high school diplomas, let alone college degrees. As a teenager, his dad left the house. This was a vital time for him too, since he hoped to pursue a college degree. However, now he had a dream which looked impossible to pursue. So, naturally, he did not do fantastic in high school which might as well have been a failure because that meant little to no scholarships. He settled at a community college and with a lack of financial support he sought out a job. Learning from his failures and using his resources he worked during the day and went to classes at night. My father transformed what was formerly a blue collar family
As Barack Obama said at the 2004 Democratic National Convention years prior to his election, “They [his parents] imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren’t rich, because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential” () This quote was preceded by a story that speaks of the hardships his father endured, first getting educated in a tin shack in Kenya and then getting the opportunity of a lifetime in America. The most important part of this story however, is that his father did not take these opportunities for granted. He used his resources such as scholarships in order to make his last name known in America. Although some may argue that these resources are impossible in the modern era for someone who comes from a low wage family. However, there are always resources available to us in America, with free education and free transit with which to travel to school. The problem resides, then, in the successful use of these resources in order to become something from nothing. The next example comes from Hansberry’s play, “A Raisin in the Sun” when Ruth tells Mama, “Ain’t nobody business people till they go into business.” () This conveys the idea that in America it does not matter who you are or where you are from, it matters what you do and what kind of person you are. This is strikingly similar to the story of Bill
In conclusion, the American Dream is still possible if we correctly use what is in front of us. The reason we have this argument is because people fail to see the opportunity this country provides them. We always must remember three big points not outlined in my thesis. Use the resources given, remember that scholarships and the ROTC program are there for a reason. Next, take risks, capitalism is built for entrepreneurs, take advantage of that. Finally, that we must always learn from our mistakes because as soon as we stop doing that, we stop growing. Those three points, combined with my thesis, create the six keys to the American Dream. For example, just look at my Father, he showed all of these qualities and it paid off with a middle-class job and, more importantly, a steady home and income for his children. The real question is, are you going to sit idly by and watch your potential wither away? Or act, and create better environments for your children than you grew up