The American Dream Truly Attainable For Everyone - 2601 Words

America, the country where social and economic equality are supposedly attainable for one and all, is not always infallible. There have been many blunders along the way with racism and incompetence. Is the American Dream truly attainable for everyone? Picture the 1940’s America. A tight knit Japanese American family living on the west coast, is going about their business, making a living and trying to achieve their version of the American Dream. While the parents are immigrants from Japan, the children were all born in the U.S. The parents and older children have jobs and work hard to afford a nice suburban life, while the younger children go to school to learn to be good citizens. They go about their business, never bothering anyone and have adapted to the American lifestyle. As they are working to achieve their dreams, the world and devastation of war cut their dreams short, forcing them into devastating conditions and choices no one should have to make. Families are split a part and the Japanese Americans are now looked at as the enemy. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese and the signing of the Executive Order 9066 sent over 100,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps, many times tragically changing their definition of America and the American Dream. The novel, Farewell To Manzanar, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and her husband James, is an autobiographical account of Jeanne’s internment experiences and feelings as a young girl at the Manzanar Internment Camp. ThisShow MoreRelatedIs The American Dream Attainable?976 Words   |  4 Pagesall work towards acquiring one thing: The American Dream. The American Dream is something that most citizens of America try their hardest to attain at least some point in their life time. This dream may include but is not limited to, wanting to reach a certain social class, having a safe country with strong military forces, and also wanting to â€Å"fit in†, or to find his or her’s place in life. Also, this dream may or may not look similar to the American dream you want to inquire. While most of us desireRead MoreMarxs Dream And The American Dream706 Words   |  3 PagesMarx’s Dream It all started with a dream, the â€Å"American Dream†. When first thought of, the â€Å"American Dream† was the idea of freedom and equality that America offered, as well as the concept that working hard can lead to success by anyone. The â€Å"American Dream† has since shifted to the idea that you can have it all, from a house to a well paying job that can support your family. However, the â€Å"Dream† is centered around private property and capital, and through Marx’s eyes, that is where it is flawedRead MoreNickel And Dimed, By Barbara Ehrenreich1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe concept of the American Dream has borne change since its conception in 1776, with the Declaration of Independence referencing men’s unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Its definition to the American people and its attainability is conditional upon the period it is prevalent in. In general, the American Dream refers to the idea that e very American has the equality, freedom, and opportunity to strive. Many classic pieces of American Literature highlight this conceptRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream Lives On Since 1776, the â€Å"American Dream† has continued to evolve. Originally, our forefathers intended the American Dream to be a country where individuals were free from the tyranny of royalty and nobility, working as a part of a whole, making everyone comfortable and happy - all men created equal with equal opportunity. Over the years, this original intent has continued to change. In 1931, James Truslow Adams stated that the American Dream means that, â€Å"life should be betterRead MoreThe American Dream1612 Words   |  7 Pagesof the American Dream appears to be tested, especially during Hughes time period. Although the American Dream will always be around, that does not mean there will not be times of disbelief, a power race or even grab, nor a call to action to restore the American Dream. The American Dream means different things to different people, but Hughes tries to make it universal in a sense. The speaker starts out by trying to explain what his vision of the American dream is, Let America be the dream the dreamersRead MoreThe American Dream In Jeannette Wallss The Glass Castle1519 Words   |  7 Pagescall it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.† Financial security, freedom to live how one chooses, retiring at 65 and living comfortably in old age, owning a home, knowing that working hard pays off: these are all fundamental beliefs tied to the American Dream. As newer generations are increasingly finding the dream to be unrealistic, people are beginning to abandon the concept; however it is still a very present ideology. While many believe the American Dream is a livelyRead MoreEssay on The Great Gatsby: The Corruption of the American Dream1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream. In this book he stated â€Å"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†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and once that phrase was written, The American Dream became what we truly know it as nowadays. It is the right of freedom, prosperity, equality and pursuit of happiness through hard work. However, The American Dream is an ironic concept seeing as it never seems fully attainable. AlthoughRead MorePoem : The American Dream1037 Words   |  5 Pages What is the American Dream?-- The idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The American Dream is defined as someone starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards prosperity and or wealth and fame. It also represents that people, no matter who he or she is, can become successful in life by his or her own work. The desire to strive for what one wants can be accomplishedRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays many different types of symbolism in many unique700 Words   |  3 Pagesamount of symbolism. Symbolism is portrayed through colors in this book chosen by F. Scott Fitzgerald, how yellow represents death and corruption, white represents false purity, and green represents things that are uneasily attainable. Jay Gatsby had his own American Dream and in his eyes he could only achieve that by repeating his past. His past consisted of being with his one true love Daisy Buchanan. Daisy lived across the bay in East Egg purposely across the way from Gatsbys home. OutsideRead More Shakespeares Macbeth - Creating Sympathy for Macbeth Essay example804 Words   |  4 Pagesfact that Macbeth sees his ultimate goal, his childhood dream, as an attainable thing that he simply must reach out and take should serve to evoke some sympathy from the audience. I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which oerleaps itself / And falls on the other- (I vii 25). Failing to act now would only be a show of Macbeths cowardice and failings. Everyone has an ultimate goal; not everyone gets the chance to attempt to reach it, and fewer still actually