The American Dream Research Paper

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American Dream Research Paper : Final Draft

In American literature, many works are usually associated with specific time periods of our country that relate to the constant pursuit of the "American Dream". Whether it is the Roaring Twenties and its sequined era, the Great Depression and its hardships, or post World War II and its wish for powerful revival, the nation has the same intent. So, the study of a couple classics reveals how this theme deals with more than one nation's issues and hopes, but rather with the role and place of our individual in society, as well as the universal meaning behind humanity as a whole. While working to reach the American Dream, characters have to fight in order to keep true to themselves. First, knowing who to trust turns out to be a difficult process. Indeed, in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the narrator known as Nick Carraway gets involved with an unreliable and dishonest rich youth. From Daisy's manipulative and heartless ways to get what she wants at any moment, to Tom's treatment of women, passing by Jordan's carelessness and lies ; Nick is thrown into a reckless world in which he …show more content…
To start with, selfishness is rejected, and the idea that people should stick together and help one another is praised. Indeed, in The Grapes Of Wrath, the lesson lies in Jim Casy's belief that "Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's part of" (Steinbeck 24) and that every person is holy, in Ma Joad's actions to keep the family strong, and everyone else's activities at last, as the closing scene symbolizes where Rose of Sharon breastfeeds a dying stranger, proving that it "Use' ta be the fambly was fust. It ain't so now. It's anybody" (Steinbeck 445). As well, Nick's everlasting loyalty to the eponymous character of The Great Gatsby, and Linda's constant altruism towards her family in Death Of A Salesman reinforces the ideal of

American Dream Research Paper

The remains of the so called American Dream The American dream was built up as the people began to migrate to America the dream was formed by what they were seeking by coming to America. Some Immigrants were looking for a better job to make more money, so that their children would have a greater life than they did, and others sought out freedom of religion. During the industrial revolution many immigrants came over for better paying jobs with the uprising of many factories jobs became more readily…

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American Dream Research Paper

The American Dream Growing up, the term “American Dream” seemed to be something that everyone fantasized over. The American Dream is a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward in social mobility achieved through hard work. There are many situations that must go in a persons favor in order for them to be successful in achieving the American Dream. American citizenship, physical condition, and family background affect a person’s chance of achieving…

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American Dream Research Paper

“American Dream” According to most people in America, the "American Dream" is defined as being provided the opportunity to catch their dreams, do whatever they chose to do (as long as it's legal), to settle down with their dream spouse, and to live a plentiful life full of joy and happiness in their dream house. As good as that sounds, life doesn't always pan out the way we've planned. I've never known anyone who hasn't gone through struggles, and I have never known a plan to work out exactly how…

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The American Dream Research Paper

Minseok “Steve” Koo America Historical Survey 33 – 155 – 06 Dr. Robert Voss September 2, 2014 The “99%” versus the “1%” Different people define the American Dream differently, but simply put, the American Dream is something like the following: a national ethos of the United States which illustrates the ideals such as the opportunity for success and prosperity, equality, democracy, and an upward social mobility achieved through diligence. In other words, people can succeed in whatever they do if…

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The American Dream Research Paper

a better life for their families. Unfortunately this dream has at times been built on the backs of those who are neglected the rights to pursue it. Exploitation ranging from the blatant to the deceptive have transpired to get America where it is today. America today is rich in culture and wealth but we didn’t get here for free. To set the scenario in which the rest of this takes place we need to understand the fundamentals of the American Dream. What began long ago as a wish to be free of an oppressive…

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American Dream To Me Research Paper

What the American Dream is? “The ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. A life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S.” What the American dream to me? I would say the American dream to me is being about to live in peace, liberty, justice, the pursuit of happiness, going to college, having the able to live life without fear. To live life to the fullest, also be able to see the world with…

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A Raisin In The Sun American Dream Research Paper

A Raisin in the Sun: American Dream The American Dream can be defined as, “the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American” (Dictionary.com), but is this the true case in our country? Has it ever been? Let me bring your attention the the fact that the quote says “every American”. This means every man, woman, and child and every black, white and hispanic. I do not think that our society at any one given time was able to make this a perceivable…

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Sociology and American Dream Essay

after the American Dream. Throughout his quest he developed specific strategies to attain his goals. Unfortunately, he failed. Yet does this mean the American dream is dead? Your job is to write a collegiate essay that examines the American dream in a literary analysis. You may do this by focusing on one of the following literary perspectives. With all these perspectives, you need to synthesize at least three works from the research list: The American Dream: Define the American dream and argue…

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Archetype In The Great Gatsby

Jay Gatsby: American Dreamer I am interested in writing about the American Dreamer archetype. A person who falls into this architype is usually someone who has a goal and is willing to do anything to achieve that goal. My research paper will be written about Jay Gatsby, a character from The Great Gatsby, who falls into the American Dreamer architype. Jay Gatsby is an American Dreamer because of his dream of eventually finding his long lost love Daisy. The sources available for this paper are as follows…

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Why Do African Americans Choose Violence Or Non-Violence?

The main claim of this article is that most African American chose violence over non-violent meaning of protest because violence can reveal manhood but non-violence does not; however, non-violence finally got faith from both African American and White American because it contains the concept of hope that violence does not have. Wendt supports his argument by analyzing how gender norms were identified during the civil rights era. Wendt finds out that “ The gendered nature of southern violence carried…

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