Success In America

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The American Dream is a culturally worshipped idea of what the perfect life in America should look like. This image is upheld by the people of this country to motivate their efforts and strides towards the ideal life they hope to live. It is often stated that the American Dream is defined by the rising of individuals above the socioeconomic status of their parents. This standard creates high expectations for individuals, and leads others to believe that the only way to be successful is to display the model of this dream. Americans grow up with the notion that there is only one definition of success, yet it is impossible for everyone to experience American life in a singular fashion. American society is formed through the multitude of experiences …show more content…
The criteria for success in this country is based off of socioeconomic status. Individuals who are born into a wealthy family will inherit the privileges of being able to afford a better education, home environment, and all other opportunities money can buy. In the webcomic “On a plate”, the lives of Richard - a white male born into a wealthy family, and Paula - a woman of color born into a family lower on the socioeconomic scale, are compared in side-by-side panels. Because of their difference in wealth, Richard goes to a “...great school. Well resourced, good kids” (Morris) while Paula has no choice but to go to a school which is “large” and “underfunded” (Morris). Because the two individuals are born into different classes, their expectations for success will be different. “The expectations set for Richard” (Morris) will be to get higher grades, go to a better college, get a higher paying job, and live out his American dream. Paula will be expected to get passing grades, maybe - if she’s lucky - get financial aid for college, get a blue collar job, and not live out her life in luxury. In fact much of her life will be dedicated to help people like Richard live their lives more decadently. At the end of the webcomic, Paula is a server at a party. Ironically, the party is for Richard who is boasting about his success in his career, and how “no one ever …show more content…
Though Americans take pride in their thinking that hard work can make anything happen, and that the greatest successes come to those who put effort in their endeavours, this is just another lie. Americans do not become successful due to personal effort or work ethic. The American Dream is dead in its original form. Death of a Salesman reveals the sad truth of society that no matter how hard you try you will still likely die without making an impact in the world. Though Willy spends his whole life working tirelessly, and taking great pride as a salesman, because of his lack of finance, he never becomes well known or remembered. This fault carries on to his eldest son Biff. Biff is unable to be as successful as society urges him, and he too will never fulfill his American Dream. Biff explains his hard work by saying "I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up...And it’s a measly manner of existence...To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two week vacation... And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still — that’s how you build a future” (Miller 22). Biff does not realize that even his hard work will not bring him a future of prosperity. What he explains is the typical life of a working class adult in America. Individuals who are not born into wealth live this way their entire lives, and still do not achieve their dreams. In “On a plate”, no matter how many jobs
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