The Right To Fail William Zinsser Analysis

The Evolution of the American Dream The traditional form of the American Dream is portrayed through hard work, the ability to better yourself, and financial success. Throughout the course of time, not only do customs change, but the ideals of the American Dream are modified as well. In most cases the basic characteristics of the traditional American Dream is translated through the actions of a successful society. Although this philosophy does not imply to the modern beliefs of the American Dream, many individualists began speculating that there are two options to the ideal American Dream, whether it’d be success or failure itself. Many who came to the United States thought of it as an icon of freedom and success. They
As William Zinsser explains in his essay “The Right to Fail”, he emphasizes the modern definition of the American Dream by stating that no person or group of people have the right to say what is the “right path to the top, or even to say what the top consist of” (Zinsser-89). Zinsser’s essay addresses that failure isn’t bad and success is another option, because “success and failure are again becoming individual visions” (Zinsser-89). This upgraded ideal of the American Dream provides new access who at a point could not fulfill their dreams. There are those who chose the option of the modernized version of the American Dream. Take Roberto Acuna for example, in the essay written by Studs Terkel. Although “[his] mom had always wanted [him] to better [himself]” (Terkel-70), he chose to become a man of his people instead of a “company man” (Terkel-70). Acuna worked hard to try to better the lives of those left behind, who lack the access of the American Dream. Acuna wants people to comprehend “how the fine salad got on their table” (Terkel-71) by choosing to “fail” in the sense of him not having a “successful job”, according to