Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

American Dream

Powerful Essays
1667 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
American Dream
My American Dream

For many years people have always been living in America but do not really know what the American Dream really is. I feel that the American Dream can vary on what it means because most people think very differently. To me though the American Dream means what I have accomplished in life, how I make my life decisions, and the way I am able to live life to the fullest. I have read and seen many different scenes in life that have made me to make the definition on what the American dream means to me. Even though people may tell me to do other things in life I will always try to keep a straight mind set towards what God has told me to do and what I really need to do with my life. Many Fellow Americans and I strive for the American dream in life, for this reason I will keep on trying to accomplish what the American dream means to me.
The Declaration of Independence was written for Americans to stay united, have freedom, and to fight together arm in arm. The three words that really stood out to me in the document were "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" these words many different meanings but I have my own meanings for them. Life is really hard to put a straight definition to but to me I feel that it means what I need to do for myself and why I was born. Liberty means to me that I can live any way I want to and nobody is able to stop me no matter what the consequences are. Happiness is really how I feel about my life and how accomplish I am. These three words all have a part in what the American Dream means to me. In "America the Beautiful" by Katherine Lee Bates, she also uses very powerful words like the “Declaration of Independence” I am able to see a part of the American Dream to

me when Bates uses "O beautiful for patriot dream / That sees beyond the years". When I hear for patriot dream I see that it is a free dream not a dream that was made for me but I can make my own. That sees beyond the years makes me feel that my dream will be there for years and I am the one in control of it. These two lines in "America the Beautiful" give me the sense of how my dream can be anything I want it to be. In "I have a dream" by Martin Luther King Jr. he quotes this to show how there is not much freedom but more segregation "When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city". This shows me that the American Dream is also about freedom for myself and everyone which is a big part of the American Dream. Segregation really affected much of how America was and how it really did not accept many other races other than white men and women. For the reason of segregation I feel that the American Dream is for everyone not just one individual. Rosa Parks is a very strong and thoughtful just like King and it shows in her story "Rosa Parks: My Story" "I said, "No." He said, "Well, I'm going to have you arrested." Then I said, "You may do that."". This really shows how I need to stand up for the right thing and what I want to do in life instead of not standing up for myself. Since Rosa Parks was such an inspiring person I feel that she wants anyone to keep striving for what they want in life. During Chief Dans George's speech he also uses his words like Rosa Parks in this very powerful part of his speech "I am a chief, but power to make war is gone, and the only weapon left to me is speech. It is only with tongue and speech that I can fight my people's war.". This gives me the feeling

that I can do anything with not much but just my thoughts to get me through life as long as I believe in my goals. I have always thought that words are very strong to keep me firm on the ground and to fight in what I believe in. Paul Laurence Dunbar was a great poet and expressed his feelings on segregation like King, from his poem “Sympathy” it shows me how it was like to be an African American “I know why the caged bird beats his wing / Till its blood is red on the cruel bar;”. I feel as if the African Americans had no put in on what they could do and they could not have their own American Dream as I do. I have the power at least in me to figure out what I would want to do but the African Americans could do nothing about how they felt and could not fight their freedom like I can. Many people have fought for what they have wanted and I will keep on trying to achieve my goals in life and to also do better than what I expect. My American Dream that I have thinking of these past few years is planning out the way I have hoped and I am hoping that it will continue this way for the rest of my life. Like KIng I am hoping that my dream will turn into a success and I will be able to prosper in my life. If I want my American Dream to turn into a great success I will need to stay grounded and be able to fight in what I believe in. If I am not able to maintain a steady life I can easily be put onto the wrong path and mess up what I really wanted to happen to me in the long end. And I also need to keep on believing in my American Dream to keep on pursuing it and never having to rethink on why I need to do what is set out for me. I also need to be as determined as Chief Dan George to let me get through hard challenges and to endure them. If I am confident enough in myself I can take the harder challenges so it will pay off to me in the end of chasing my American Dream. My endurance will have to stay with me wherever I go so I can be able to overcome my obstacles and keep on my course to pursue my American Dream with nobody ever getting in my way. The fights that I am going to have to make to become the man I really want to be is that I will have to speak for myself and not have a person to speak for me but to stand up for myself. Parks was a great woman and always stood up for what she believed in because she knew what was right and what would have to be done in order to have the situation be ended. The accomplishments that Parks made were made because she was a strong woman and stood up for what she believed in. I will need to have this skill to accomplish my American Dream today and in the next following years. This skill will help me very much because I will be outgoing instead of being a very shy person and not take the more challenging and complicated roles in life. Dunbar was a quiet man but would know on how the world treated him and how painful it was to get through during segregation. The feeling of hard work will be very painful but it will help me to get ready for the tougher challenges that will be put in front of me when the time comes in my life. When I know that it will be very exhausting and I will probably be very weary I will know that I am not the person who took the path that was easier but I took the path that needed some work to be put in to get that extreme goal that I will be looking forward in my life. Many Fellow Americans and I strive for the American dream in life, for this reason I will keep on trying to accomplish what the American dream means to me.

All of the American population all have different American Dreams but I for sure will know what my American Dream is. The people who I have quoted are the people that have shaped my American Dream into what I now believe in. So because of these people I am able to have my goals in my American Dream. These people are very inspiring to me and I will try to show people on how they have changed this world. When I have my American Dream completed it will be a very great accomplishment for me. The American Dream that I believe in is helping me get through everyday life and teaching me to learn from mistakes that I have made in my life. I will keep on striving for my American Dream no matter what difficulties I will be put to test on and I will overcome these to be able to believe in what I believe in.

Works Cited
Bates, Katharine Lee. America the Beautiful. 1910.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “Sympathy.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. 292.
George, Chief Dan. “There Is a Longing.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. 170.
King, Jr., Martin Luther. “I Have a Dream.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. 164.
Parks, Rosa. “Rosa Parks: My Story.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,
Timeless Themes. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. 168.
United States Congress. Declaration of Independence. 4 July 1776.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is a widespread idea. Depending on whose dream it is, it can also have many different definitions. The United States was founded on the idea of individual worth, and the ability of people being able to make their own choices to affect their own destiny. Being in a country which allows one to do these things is a privilege in and of itself. Culture and one's upbringing will affect their idea of the "American Dream". Most everyone is bound to have a different idea because of their unique personality.…

    • 606 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is something that is defined differently by those who are asked about it. If you were to ask my parents what the American Dream meant to him without hesitation they would say opportunity. Opportunity for a better life. Growing up my parents always told me how lucky me and my brother were. Lucky to have free education and health care. My parents are from India, when traveling to India you see the fine difference between an easy going life in a place like America and a chaotic place like India.…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The American Dream

    • 3069 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Bruccoli, Matthew J. "A Brief Life of Fitzgerald." University of South Carolina. 4 Dec. 2003.…

    • 3069 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The American Dream

    • 3111 Words
    • 13 Pages

    To achieve higher expectations of success than the previous generations, and accomplishing what hasn't already been accomplished, can be considered the overall American Dream. Generally, every child wants to surpass the achievements of their parents as a natural act of competition and personal satisfaction. Throughout The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and Death of a Salesman, there is a constant yearning desire to achieve the “American Dream;” whether it be reality or illusion. Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Miller, all portray the ideas of the American Dream relating to the time period that they are referring to. The strive to achieve a goal whether it be to be the wealthiest or achieve a great life by hard work seems to be the template for the original American dream in the books. To be able to support one’s family, have a decent job, a car, and a home, is the stereotypical, “American dream.” Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Miller incorporate their ideas of the American dream symbolically throughout their stories.…

    • 3111 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    American Dream

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A life of freedom, equality, and opportunity, more commonly known as the American Dream, motivates people every day to achieve personal happiness and material comfort. John Winthrop, Judith Sargent Murray, and Ben Franklin encouraged this lifestyle by writing to the people of the United States explaining in their own way how this utopian lifestyle can be achieved. Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” was written on board the Arbella on the way to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He inspired the people by saying that if they united in love, they would be blessed by God and have the power to impact the world. Murray’s “On the Equality of Sexes” sparked controversy as it shone a light on how women were treated in society and education. She is one of the first at the time to speak about the intelligence of women and the potential they could have if treated as equals to men. Franklin’s “The Way of Wealth” emphasizes the importance of thrift and warns against living a sloth-like life. The American Dream can be achieved through love, equality, and hard work.…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    American Dream

    • 538 Words
    • 2 Pages

    While living in America, I have witnessed many transformations within society as a result of the government and public policy. I do not agree that almost anyone can achieve the “American Dream”, as social status, race and gender can impact the success. My perception of the definition of the “America Dream” is that people are given equal opportunities to gain success despite their differences. The “American Dream” is also a dream that suggest that life should be fair and plentiful for all citizens.…

    • 538 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    American Dream

    • 1286 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The American Dream, something once thought to be the American lifestyle that once achieved, one’s life may be considered perfect. It started out simple, owning two cars, owning a large house in a suburban neighborhood, married with two children, and owning your own business. This may the American Dream after World War II has ended; however, because of the economic crisis, the increase of major corporations, and the cost of living; over the years, reaching this goal has been a very difficult to achieve.…

    • 1286 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    American Dream

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The American Dream is something that prevails within us despite the inevitable rises and falls of the economy, it is a triumphant hope for progress and prosperity. Brandon King asserts in his essay “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” that the American Dream is “more alive and important than ever” (573) but that its survival is dependent on the imperative support of large businesses and financial institutions to attain economic stability (575-579). I certainly agree with King that the Dream is very much alive, but our ideas about its continuity are in opposition. The resilience of the American Dream is not determined by the headway of big business. The Dream is, above all, reliant on the equality and unity of us, the American people.…

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American dream is different for every individual. This dream is an image of success that drives people to their own pursuit of happiness. It gives a chance for the underdogs to rise and let their dreams become a reality. The American dream has changed over the years. From having freedom of success to being better off than your parents were. People have a vest veracity of what their American dreams is. Whether it is love, a certain job title, or money the common end result is happiness.…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    American Dream

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Essential Question: “How is our understanding of culture and society constructed through and by language?”…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The American Dream has been all about a greater national vision, however as time has progressed, the American Dream has shifted from a greater national vision to individual material success. These cultural aspects of the American Dream complement each other and have an underlying relationship. One often “…winces a bit…” at the phrase the American Dream “… because it has become such a cliché.” (Source 7) Everyone does not know the true meaning of the American Dream because one interprets it in their own way. But the true meaning of the American Dream is that it is the dream of opportunity.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    American Dream

    • 1482 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The meaning of the American dream has changed over time. In its inception it was a set of ideals, such as freedom, opportunity, and equality traditionally held to be available to every American. These ideas were brought forth to show people to that all men and women are created equal. This equality was said to be achieved through hard work and dedication. The American dream is something that has been preached in the United States for decades. People from all over the World come to the United States to prosper and create what they believe will be a better life for themselves and their family. The biggest question today is, does the American Dream even exist anymore? Many different people have argued that it has been over for some time now. Some believe that it still exists, but is much different than it was when it first was presented. One can see the view points of both sides with the evidence that is presented. The American dream may still exist, despite the failing economy and lack of jobs, the downfall of the public school system, the budget deficits, and the warfare overseas. The dream of a better life in America is the reason why this country has so many immigrants, illegal or legal. There is hope in this country that does not exist in other countries because of the things that can be accomplished in this country that is somewhat impossible in other areas of the world. America is still a place where people can come and have the opportunity, whether they take it or not, to become anything and anybody they want. The dream is still there, it may have been altered since the time of its inception, but people still have the hope of a better life here more so than anywhere else. The American dream may need to be altered, but it’s not evidence to support that it is over entirely. It comes down to who do we as a people put our faith into, the government or ourselves.…

    • 1482 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    American Dream

    • 1040 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “People are so busy dreaming the American Dream, fantasizing about what they could be or have a right to be, that they're all asleep at the switch. Consequently we are living in the Age of Human Error.” (King, Florence.) Is this statement not showing the reality of the world during the time of the Great Depression? The American Dream was created with the promise of land, success, and prosperity. It gave the people of America the hope to believe that they can achieve anything they dream to be. As the forefathers of the Declaration of Independence had said, “It constitutes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This has all changed after the Depression. Of course the statement above is true! How could you obtain something so irrationally absurd at a time where there is nothing! John Steinback, author of the book Of Mice and Men, wrote about this universal thought. The works To a Mouse and Of Mice and Men claim that the American Dream is always unsuccessful and will only bring disappointment and devastation through the experiences of characters and/or comparable objects or organisms.…

    • 1040 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    American Dream

    • 3793 Words
    • 16 Pages

    an
 American
 society,
 there
 is
 an
 idea
 of
 a
 dream.
 Most
 people
 have
 dreams
 that…

    • 3793 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    My American Dream

    • 258 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The American dream can have so many different meanings to so many different people around our country. This is what makes the American dream so wonderful, the fact that you get to determine your dream is in some cases the American dream for some people already! Luckily I myself am able to determine my American dream. I have always thought of my American dream of being able to live a simple life in which I am able to have a stable job that I enjoy. Most importantly though is I would like to not only have free time and do things that enjoy like watch my favorite sports team or spend time with my friends. Overall I guess you could just say that I would just like to live my life to the fullest. Some other things that I would like to be included in my American dream is being able to manage my time the way I want to, although this sounds like a very simple wish in my opinion people don’t realize how much time can dictate your life. So many times I find myself missing out on the opportunity to do something simply because there wasn’t enough time. Lastly but most importantly I dream of living a long-term healthy life because no matter what you wish for, you would never be able to enjoy it without your health. I believe that my American dream is reasonable and achievable and one day I hope to end up getting to live a life similar to this.…

    • 258 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays