StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

The myth of American Dream - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Name and Number of the Course Date THE AMERICAN DREAM: A MYTH Introduction “America is a nation composed almost entirely of immigrants” (Loupe & Ojeda 1). The arrival of immigrants began with the European colonization of the New World from 1492 till 1763, and immigration from various nations continued through the following centuries…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.1% of users find it useful
The myth of American Dream
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The myth of American Dream"

Download file to see previous pages

The American dream is that America is the land of opportunity that all can equally avail of; with immense possibilities and opportunities for upward mobility. It is closely related to the myth of meritocracy that those who work hard “will enjoy and profit from these opportunities” (Loupe & Ojeda 1). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the American dream, and the myths related to the concept. The American Dream The American dream includes not only the hope for a brighter future and a formula for success, but also knowledge of outcomes from the fulfillment of the dream.

The outcomes include home ownership, improving life chances for children which is today denoted as sending them to college, “having a chance to get rich, and achieve a secure and comfortable retirement” (McNamee & Miller 9). The prospects for making the American dream come true have declined in recent years, leading to American workers feeling pessimistic about the future. Social Mobility and Economic Success The American dream of the promised land of opportunities denotes the possibility and opportunity for social mobility.

Economic prosperity is considered to result in upward mobility, with inceasing income leading to a better position in society. Social and economic mobility are mutually related, and both are closely related to income. The American dream is mainly based on the promise of mobility in the economic ladder. According to Browne (p.1), “the ability of American families to move up or down the income ladder within a lifetime or from one generation to the next, is a unifying and core tenet of the American dream”.

Since opportunity is a core element in social mobility and financial success, education is a determining factor for getting opportunities. “Education is often considered to be at the heart of the social class equation” (Steinberg 269). In a society that values and rewards knowledge and associates it with power, education plays a crucial role in achieving social and economic success. Individualism as the Basis of the American Dream The American dream is founded on an emphasis on the individual and on individualism.

Significantly, individualism as the basis of the American dream is deeply rooted in the “religious, political, economic, and cultural experience of America as a nation of immigrants” (McNamee & Miller 4). Toqueville defines individualism as “a mature and calm feeling which disposes each member of the community to sever himself from the mass of his fellow creatures” (p.118). He particularly distinguished individualism from egotism; and linked individualism to equality and the absence of aristocracy.

Thus, in America people were free to achieve, not through hereditary title, but on their own merit. Therefore the emerging concept of the American dream included both political freedom from tyranny, and also economic freedom to achieve success through one’s own merits (McNamee & Miller 7). The Myth of the American Dream During the European colonization of America, the indigenous people of America were eliminated, displaced or assimilated, while the imported immigrants who formed other minority groups were exploited for their labor to “develop the vast resources of America, generate incredible wealth, build its infrastructure and establish cities, towns and industries that would be administered by the

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“The myth of American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
The myth of American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1426033-the-myth-of-american-dream
(The Myth of American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
The Myth of American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words. https://studentshare.org/english/1426033-the-myth-of-american-dream.
“The Myth of American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1426033-the-myth-of-american-dream.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The myth of American Dream

Historical Societal Myths: The Land of Equal Opportunity

The purpose of this paper is to explore the myth of american equal opportunities by examining the evolution of this myth through time, discussing the use and purpose of cultural iconography and artefacts in perpetuating the myth, and how stereotypes have arisen from the myth itself.... By doing this, it will become clear how the representation of America as a land of equal opportunity and socioeconomic equality can be classified as a myth and how modern influences on the myth are furthering the evolution of the myth....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

The Model Minority Myth and the American Dream

Name Institution Course Instructor Date The model minority myth and the american dream America has become vulnerable and its citizens are losing hope in its quest for a better tomorrow due to political ambitions that afflicts the country's ability to execute its development goals.... Relating these challenges to the american dream it is true to say that Americans will never realize their dream.... According to the american dream, life is richer, fuller, and better for all people....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe

The myth of American Dream appeared and many people from different countries in the world left their motherland to come to the United States seeking for better life.... Instead of american dream they faced terrible racial intolerance.... The main purpose of the Damon Chance is to create a real “american” movie, which would reflect namely american spirit.... He respects real american nation and is sorry that it does not have its own art....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Myth of Americanism

Americans believe in individuality, self-sufficiency (the idea of "rags to riches" or being a "self-made man") and the inherently optimistic (and perhaps unrealistic) "american dream".... These three ideas, individuality, self-sufficiency, and the "american dream" or "Land of Opportunity" where anything is possible are closely linked, and stem from beliefs about the creation of America itself that directly mirror other creation stories from around the world....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Barack Obama: Background and Views on Racism

Obama's election would imply that for the first time a black american would lead policy in the US after more than 200 years of national sovereignty.... This essay “Obama and Racism” attempts to expose Obama's view on racism.... Racism is still a hot topic in the USA.... But for Obama the issue is clear....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Deconstructing the myth of the American Dream

The much talked about american dream has been a powerful and impressionable myth in American culture and one cannot quite grasp the ethos of American culture without coming to terms with it.... Despite the pervading appeal and the glory of the american dream, one is led to believe that it is only a Utopian enterprise.... He believes in the american dream "in the green light, the orgiastic future.... The Great Gatsby: The american dream....
7 Pages (1750 words) Book Report/Review

Features of Myths of Origin

For instance, the myth of the American dream is apparently visible in myriad spheres of the American lifestyle.... he myth of 'American dream':the myth of the American dream dominates most of the American panorama right from its literature, plays, television shows, to music, games, novels, and most specifically, movies.... The main components of the myth of the American dream are dishonesty, superficiality, and deceit.... imilar components of the myth of the American dream are also evident in The Cosby Show, a popular American television sitcom aired in the 80s and 90s....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Martin Dressler: A Tale of American Dreamer by Steven Millhauser

The author's great appreciation of the myth of the American Dream is brought here.... The author of the paper examines the life and works ofSteven Millhouser, one of the most excellent American novelists and short story writer of the time, and critically analyzes Martin Dressler from "The Tale of an american dream" novel written by Millhouser… This thrilling novel brings us face to face with the darker aspects of the american dream and it shows the very fact that the stake of American culture is the dream....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us