Preview

The American Dream

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
329 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The American Dream
The American Dream

The American Dream: freedom, equality, and the opportunity to achieve personal goals in life that could not otherwise be achieved in another country. The American Dream is the pursuit of prosperity and opportunities that drives people to push their own limits and persevere in order to lead successful lives and achieve the goals they set. Although, as long as any two people hold a different meaning to the term “American Dream” there is no clear cut definition one could give it. However, one can say that the universal representation of “The American Dream” is the opportunity for individuals to seek out their collective desires under a political umbrella of democracy. The American Dream is a reality; every citizen of the United States of America has the opportunity of achievement no matter what prejudices he or she may face. The concept of the American Dream is relatively well known, though, most don’t even know where the term “American Dream” originated from. The term “American Dream” was actually coined by writer, James Truslow Adams. His 1931 book, The Epic of America, defines the American Dream as the “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” In retrospect, Adams says that “The American Dream” is not depicted by wealth, but rather realizing one’s potential, and personal fulfillment. Thus meaning that the “American Dream” is not always about success, or about wealth, it’s about discovering that you have the potential to create your own American Dream. So no matter what race, religion, or ethnicity someone is, they all have the same exact chance at this “American Dream”.

Summed up, The American Dream is to discover ones self-actualization. It is to discover that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. “The American Dream” is to create your own “American Dream”, and having the motivation and determination to achieve

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    “The American Dream is a term that is often used but also often misunderstood. It isn't really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that.” - Unknown The American dream is the idea that every citizen of the United States of America should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.…

    • 553 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or the class they were born into can attain their own version of success in a society where there is equal opportunities for everyone. The American dream is not achieved by being lazy or by chance but rather through sacrifice, risk-taking and hard work. Both native-born Americans and American immigrants who work hard can achieve the American dream.…

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States; a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through…

    • 4763 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The American Dream is a national ethos of the united states in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success. In the definition of the American dream by james truslow adams in 1931. “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. The idea of the American dream is rooted in the United States declaration of independence which proclaims that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights including life liberty and the pursuit of happiness…

    • 3025 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The term “American Dream” is used in a number of ways, but essentially the American Dream is an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives.…

    • 215 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American dream is a complex idea that is individualized by personal ambitions. Although the definition can vary, most often, this ideation of American involves financial prosperity as a result of hard work. The American dream is not a myth, but it is slowly becoming eradicated due to decreasing quality of life and society limiting those who do not originate from a traditional background to certain lifestyles.…

    • 692 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “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.” (United States Declaration of Independence). In much the same way as the authors of the founding fathers, the American Dream can be defined simply as the pursuit and the achievement of happiness. Clarifications, like not needing to use underhanded means, are not necessary because it is readily apparent that these means do not provide happiness nor liberty. In other words, the American Dream is attainable through hard work, determination, and the fruits of honest labor, even though it is embodied negatively in literary contexts and positively in historical terms.…

    • 1571 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity. These were values held by early settlers, and have been passed on to following generations. What the American dream has become is a question under constant discussion. What is the American dream? Many authors, poets and photographers have tried their hand at depicting their idea or the concept of the American dream. Langston Hughes, one of the many distinguished poets in the United States has written a number of poems reflecting the African American way of life and how it coincides with the American Dream. Matthew Warshauer, a professor of History at Central Connecticut…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is a concept that can be traced to the founding fathers of America, which entails ideals such as democracy, equality, freedom, liberty, human rights and opportunity for all to live a better and prosperous life. These ideals are achieved through hard work in an environment that has no barriers and offers equal opportunities for all. The coming of the American Dream came with the declaration of independence from England. People were filled with hope as they believed in the right to freedom, life and pursuing happiness. The idea was the creation of a nation in which people would be free from restrictions to pursue the life they want for themselves. This definition of the American Dream has changed over the course of time as people started deviating from the ideals of liberty, rights, and hard work. Hard work is now just caused by wanting to make the most money and wanting to have power and control.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Today, many people are in search of the American Dream; freedom, equality, and opportunity. The American Dream is an opportunity and objective that drives people to push their own limits to lead successful lives and live the dreams that they imagined for themselves. Every citizen of the United States of America has the opportunity for achievement no matter what challenge. The term “ The American Dream” has a millions of interpretations, but one of the most famous ones would be, “ Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence 1) which is the dream that most Americans strive for. The American Dream is freedom, opportunity and satisfaction of needs and wants.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is the desire to succeed. Success can be achieved through hard work, and with hard work and success the American Dream can lead to happiness as well. The American Dream is attainable by all. It does not depend on social class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or anything that makes the person an individual. It relies on the ability to work hard and to strive for change.…

    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dream Act

    • 553 Words
    • 2 Pages

    According to dictionary.com the American dream is: “1. the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity, traditionally held to be available to every American; 2. a life of personal happiness and personal comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S.” Writer James Truslow Adams states that “The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement…each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable...” The main idea of the American dream comes from the Declaration of Independence created by congress in July 1776. In the declaration it is…

    • 553 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good 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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The American Dream is all about you as a person being able to have the freedom to do anything and everything you could possibly want with your life because your life is yours. To have the ability to live how you have dreamed about your entire…

    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages

    ”Den Amerikanse Drøm” er en betegnelse for troen på, at ethvert individ gennem hårdt arbejde og egen viljekraft kan opnå næsten alt i livet. Udsagnet opstod i 50’erne i takt med det økonomiske opsving, som forekom i Amerika i disse år. Udsagnet skulle være et symbol på, at alle havde ret til at udnytte deres medfødte talenter til at opnå hvad de ønskede, gennem hårdt arbejde og med en kraftig viljestyrke.…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays