The Great Gatsby – The American Dream
Francesca Alabaster
English 9 section 1
Mrs. Buehler
March 28, 2013
Naïve hope
The American Dream is a naïve belief; it lies in the ideas of unlimited opportunity, impractical levels of success, and a perfect life. This Dream is particularly alluring for the poor, and immigrants fleeing oppression. It speaks of freedom and opportunity, a land full of unimaginable possibilities and endless wonder. From early colonists who left Europe as peasants and outcasts to seek land and wealth, to present day illegal immigrants hoping for a better life, the American Dream has drawn people to the United States of America. The belief in an abundance of land and jobs, which was once true, has persisted to this day. For centuries people have come to the United States, the land of the free, naïvely thinking this freedom will allow them to create a happy and wealthy life from nothing. On the contrary, few if any of these dreamers rise to fame due to hard work. People reward idiocy with fame and wealth; Paris Hilton is essentially famous for being famous. While for some, like Bill Gates, the American Dream holds true. These are just two stories, one might consider of success. Untold thousands still live in poverty, unable to follow their dreams because they have to worry about their next meal. Opportunity is nearly non-existent and freedom counts for naught, yet many of these people still believe that one day they will finally grasp that Dream, hiding just out of reach. The United States, the land of opportunity, the land of the free, is just another country in which to live from day to day. The American Dream is a temptation, an illusion behind which a country hides. Like the lottery, thousands, even millions come, hoping to win the jackpot, to fulfill the Dream, and in the end only a select few will receive that decisive and life-changing reward.
Most people have heard of the American success story, a success that follows in the wake of opportunity; however, it is only an
English 9 section 1
Mrs. Buehler
March 28, 2013
Naïve hope
The American Dream is a naïve belief; it lies in the ideas of unlimited opportunity, impractical levels of success, and a perfect life. This Dream is particularly alluring for the poor, and immigrants fleeing oppression. It speaks of freedom and opportunity, a land full of unimaginable possibilities and endless wonder. From early colonists who left Europe as peasants and outcasts to seek land and wealth, to present day illegal immigrants hoping for a better life, the American Dream has drawn people to the United States of America. The belief in an abundance of land and jobs, which was once true, has persisted to this day. For centuries people have come to the United States, the land of the free, naïvely thinking this freedom will allow them to create a happy and wealthy life from nothing. On the contrary, few if any of these dreamers rise to fame due to hard work. People reward idiocy with fame and wealth; Paris Hilton is essentially famous for being famous. While for some, like Bill Gates, the American Dream holds true. These are just two stories, one might consider of success. Untold thousands still live in poverty, unable to follow their dreams because they have to worry about their next meal. Opportunity is nearly non-existent and freedom counts for naught, yet many of these people still believe that one day they will finally grasp that Dream, hiding just out of reach. The United States, the land of opportunity, the land of the free, is just another country in which to live from day to day. The American Dream is a temptation, an illusion behind which a country hides. Like the lottery, thousands, even millions come, hoping to win the jackpot, to fulfill the Dream, and in the end only a select few will receive that decisive and life-changing reward.
Most people have heard of the American success story, a success that follows in the wake of opportunity; however, it is only an