Reconstructing the American DreamThere is an old adage which says, “The root of all evil is money.” This, however, is not true in America. In America, money is not the problem, the love of money, or materialism, is the problem. Materialism is at the core of our American dream. We grow up learning that success is rooted in material wealth and power. We live in a country where material things mean more to the general populous than a good education, where material things dictate the amount of money we spend, and where material things motivate our lives in most every way; something needs to change. Realizing that we are corrupted by materialism is not difficult. What is difficult, however, is finding a solution to the problem. Habits recognizes the difficulty by saying, “And since we have believed in that dream for a long time and worked very hard to make it come true, it is hard for us to give it up, even though it contradicts another dream that we have that of living in a society that would really be worth living in.” (Bella, et. Al. 285)Materialism is closely tied to our individualism. We are taught to pursue our materialistic American dream, to get ahead in life, to be somebody, to pursue our own happiness. Even our own Declaration of Independence assumes we are individuals first and for most: “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. . .” For Americans to be primarily self-reliant and selfish is not surprising. Americans only do what is beneficial to themselves, if it helps someone along the way, then that’s great, but helping people is not their initial motive.
In order to have the necessary balance between individualism and community, we must be willing to give and then, only after giving, take what has been given to us. If we learn to give, and then take what has been given to us, we will see a dramatic change in American society. A change from a materialistic mindset, to one which promotes the betterment of society, a society which as Habits says, “would really be worth living in.” (Bella et. Al. 285)Our individualistic idea of the American dream must change. It must change from being materially based to morally based. Our motives for doing things to get ahead need to change. Getting ahead is all well and good, in fact, I think it’s vital to a society to have such a motive, but our reasons for getting ahead need to change. We need to do things to help others, not ourselves. We need to get a good education to have an educated society which can function with the other surrounding societies, rather than getting a good education to get a good job. We need a new American dream, one that motivates the betterment of society as well as the betterment of our individual selves. This new American dream can only be achieved if we remove our selfish motives, and replace them with morally based and community minded motives.
Другие работы по теме:
Great Gatsby Essay Research Paper The Great 2
Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper The Great, Great Gatsby Experience The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its illusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is central to many novels. This dream is different for different people, but in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness.
Gatsby 17 Essay Research Paper The
Gatsby 17 Essay, Research Paper The American Dream in The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald sees the “American Dream” as something corrupt, and not easy to achieve. The “American Dream” is made up of a long social ladder, and it is often impossible to be accepted at the top of this social ladder. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby as a good example of the “American Dream.
Midsummer Night
’s Dream:Analysing Puck Essay, Research Paper Considered one of Shakespeare’s best plays, “A midsummer’s nights Dream” reads more like a very intense dream as it entices you
Great Gatsby Themes Essay Research Paper The
Great Gatsby Themes Essay, Research Paper The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has a central theme about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its illusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is central to many novels. This dream is different for different people on the way they seek them, but in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth, popularity and power.
America Essay Research Paper To some it
America Essay, Research Paper To some it is an inconceivable notion of perfection.To many, though it was a dream come true. Freedom, equality, and liberty. The right to do and say exactly what you want and to do what you want, to practice and religion and believe in any government.The American way of life is based on the fact that all men are created equal and all men should be given the same rights and privileges.The American people are extremely fortunate and sometimes overlook the gift of religion and government freedom which they posses.everyone has an equal opportunity to go for the American dream in full stride and not be denied along the way.The reason most immigrants came over to America in the mid-1800 s was to be successful and make a better life for themselves and their families.
Dream Deffered Essay Research Paper Dream DeferredHe
Dream Deffered Essay, Research Paper ?Dream Deferred? ?He knew as he stood there that he could never tell why he killed. It was not that he did not really want to tell, but the telling of it would have involved an explanation of his
Anatomy Of A Muscle Cell Essay Research
Paper John Centore1 English 202 Dr. Crowley The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach illusionary goals. The attempt to capture the American dream is pivotal to many novels. The dream itself is different for many people, in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, this dream can only be fulfilled by having the money and influence to acquire this happiness.
The American Dream Essay Research Paper Americans
The American Dream Essay, Research Paper Americans have always had a universal dream ranging from marriage to freedom, and of course, money. Some Americans pursue them more diligently than others, while the others just sit and dream.
True West And Death Of A Salesman
Compared Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman and True West can be compared in terms of their visions of the American dream. Both of these plays focus on characters that spend their lives pursuing this dream and fail at happiness as a result.
American Dream Essay Research Paper Listening to
American Dream Essay, Research Paper Listening to the panel discussion on the American Dream helped me to realize several things about past, current, and future generations. I found it interesting that a majority of the great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents worked in either a factory or a mill, or on a farm.
Jamestown The Basic Of American Dream Essay
, Research Paper Raj Desai3-27-99Interdisciplinary projectJamestown: The basis of the American Dream One might wonder what the relevance of Jamestown would be to the American dream. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America. This in and of itself is not part of the American dream.
FScott FitzgeraldS
“The Great Gatsby” Essay, Research Paper The Great Gatsby One of the most prominent themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald?s novel, The Great Gatsby, is of the American Dream. This dream can be many things to many different people, but everyone does have some sort of goal that they want to accomplish in their life. For Jay Gatsby, the dream is that through wealth, power, and financial stability, one can acquire pure happiness and self-satisfaction.
Deathofasalesman Essay Research Paper Through the character
Deathofasalesman Essay, Research Paper Through the character Charley, Arthur Miller illustrates how the American Dream may be achieved through hard work. To Charley, the American Dream is having a comfortable life and putting his son Bernard through college. Charely worked consistently throughout his life, never trying to shoot for too high hopes.
Dreamer
’s Dream Essay, Research Paper You may cry and wipe your tears away, Bleed may you do till the end of days, You may see and dream the bay Of stones and shadows of sorrow today.
The American Dream Concept In The Death
Of A Salesman Compared To The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper The American Dream is a theme that many books attempt to touch on, yet few are truly able to examine or explain it. Both Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman and F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel The Great Gatsby are prime examples of these types of talented stories.
American Dream Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper The American Dream What is the American dream? I decided to ask a few people as to what they thought it was. One person told me that the American dream was to be rich. Another person told me it was having a perfect family situation. The last person believed the American dream was to be able to do absolutely nothing.
Poem I Dream Essay Research Paper I
Poem: I Dream Essay, Research Paper I dream of a life that me and you will forever share Where we eventually call home, I really dont care I dream of a time when I will again be the one that you trust
A Salesmans Death Essay Research Paper An
A Salesmans Death Essay, Research Paper An Analysis of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman When people accept an ideal to live by it can be a glorious and noble thing unless they become so obsessed with the ideal that it becomes a yolk and they are unable to realize their dream. This is especially true for Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman.
Gatsby
’s Pursuit Of The American Dream Essay, Research Paper Gatsby’s Pursuit of the American Dream The Great Gatsby is about the American Dream, and the decline of people who attempt to reach the dream like goal. The attempt to reach the American dream is a common theme in many movies that have been produced. This dream is different for different people, but in The Great Gatsby Jay believes that the source of happiness is money.
Puritans Essay Research Paper The Puritans developed
Puritans Essay, Research Paper The Puritans developed an ideal that could be attained by working and following what the bible. The modern American Dream is always stereotyped by money, power, and happiness. The
American Dream The Great Gatsby Essay Research
Paper The American Dream as portrayed in The Great Gatsby is the reality of the love of money. The characters in the novel dwell on the fact that they have money. The novel is about the power of money.
Gatsby Essay Research Paper English Outline Thesis
Gatsby Essay, Research Paper English Outline Thesis Statement: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck both portray the same views of the American dream in the struggles towards the dream, the protagonist?s determination to achieve the dream and the disappointment of failure to achieve the dream.
American Dream Essay Research Paper Great Gatsby
American Dream Essay, Research Paper Great Gatsby By: Katherine The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deals with the difficulty of attaining the American dream. The American dream is different for every individual, but Jay Gatsby, the main character of the novel, believes the American dream is eternal ha iness through love.
Jack Kerouac Essay Research Paper The novel
Jack Kerouac Essay, Research Paper The novel On The Road written by Jack Kerouac is a book that can be read as a quest taken by Sal Paradise who sets out to test the American Dream by trying to pin down its promise of unlimited freedom by following the example of Dean Morairty. In the book ? the road? becomes a symbol of freedom or escape for Sal and his friends.
Gatsby Essay Research Paper Dreams and goals
Gatsby Essay, Research Paper Dreams and goals can never be fulfilled if they are never dreamt, and sometimes even those that are imagined and toiled for are lost along the way. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbolism to clarify Jay Gatsby’s detachment with the American Dream. Gatsby is convinced that his path to happiness is lined with riches and popularity, although he will never find contentment by changing to fit the mold.
American Dream Essay Research Paper scribes the
American Dream Essay, Research Paper scribes the defeat of the American dream, and that the American ideals differ with the actual social conditions that exist in society. For the American constitutions stands for the freedom, and equality among people, but the truth of the matter is that social discrimination still exists and the grouping among the classes can never be overcome.
Dreams And Ambition Essay Research Paper I
Dreams And Ambition Essay, Research Paper I am sure everybody that still live in this world had their own ambition .For example, what is the dream of a fat ladies or men? Of
American Dream Essay Research Paper American DreamShow
American Dream Essay, Research Paper American Dream Show how Willy Loman’s “American Dream” of success can be compared to at least three other works of literature we have read this semester and their main character’s interpretation of the “American Dream” of success. Mention specific examples to support your thesis.
Poem Dreams Essay Research Paper dreams A
Poem: Dreams Essay, Research Paper dreams A dream is a dream, is a dream. So come with me to a place not so far away where a dream is a dream and skies aren’t so grey. A dream is a dream, is a dream. So come with me and fly away. So come with me and fly away to a place where there’s always a way, and no reason not to stay. So stay with me in this place tonight, I promise you I’ll hold you tight.
The Great Gatsby Essay Research Paper Haja
The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper Haja Turay English 3b Mrs. O?conner In the book the Great Gatsby, none but a few people had the idealistic ?American Dream?. To some characters it seems the ?American Dream, ?has replaced by materialism and greed. What does the American Dream mean? What does it stand for? If a person has achieved their American Dream how should they go about living? The American Dream is the vision to be successful and to provide from and family the best way you can.
My American Dream Essay Research Paper My
My American Dream Essay, Research Paper My American Dream By Ben Warner “I have a dream.” Martin Luther King was a man with a dream, a man that would later die for that same dream. We all have dreams. No matter how small or how large, we all have them. What are my dreams? Well, my dreams run hand in hand with three of our five themes this year.
Dreams Essay Research Paper A dream is
Dreams Essay, Research Paper A dream is a dream, is a dream. So come with me to a place not so far away where a dream is a dream and skies aren?t so grey. A dream is a dream, is a dream.