The Reality of the American Dream
America has been viewed as the “promise land” and the “land of opportunity” for many generations. America has built itself on the concept of opportunity, individualism, and self-reliance which are the factors that assembled the “American dream.” The American dream has fueled the aspirations of many. Many believed that through hard work and dedication, prosperity and success is achievable. Success varies from individual to individual depending on one’s own personal desires. One American’s dream could be obtaining numerous, expensive possessions while another’s could be to go from poor to wealthy. Either way, it is a well-known concept that one’s life can be better, richer, and fuller regardless of social class …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald is an American author who wrote The Great Gatsby. The concept of the American dream is displayed vividly throughout the novel. Although the American dream is presumed to be about independence, opportunity, and making something of one’s self, it ends up being more about riches, materialism, and pleasure. The story is centered around Jay Gatsby, a man who is very wealthy and has many material things, but has not achieved his dream. His dream is incomplete because he is not with Daisy Buchanon, his first love. Gatsby grew up poor and made his way to riches through illegal activities. He knew Daisy as a young man, but separated from her for years as he went to the military and then to Oxford. Although Gatsby has always wanted to move up in the social classes, his main inspiration in his quest to riches is Daisy. Gatsby tries everything to get Daisy’s attention including climbing in social status and gaining a fortune. He has a beautiful, fast car and buys a massive, expensive house that is located across from hers. He even throws many extravagant parties, hoping that she will hear about them and attend. To attain Daisy would complete Gatsby’s dream, but he never achieves his dream. He gets so hung up in it that he never lives his life to the fullest. Although Gatbsy is a prime example, Fitzgerald shows that the American dream is unattainable through many characters. Tom Buchanon, Daisy’s husband, is unhappy as well. He is also wealthy with many possessions …show more content…
The story is centered around Abner Snopes. Through this characters, Faulkner reveals the corruption and unfairness of the American dream. Abner Snopes is a white man who supports his family through sharecropping. Not only is it a general fact that sharecroppers do not get much income, but it is also made apparent that the Snopes family is poor from the description of their “broken” and “battered” personal items. It is clear that this family is not living the American dream. In the story, Abner and his family travel to the De Spain household where they are met with a grand mansion. The sight of the mansion seems to disturb Abner because he has the mindset that he should be doing better than currently is. Furthermore, Abner resents everyone with money and is jealous of anyone that is doing better than him. When Abner goes to work for the De Spain household, he is troubled by the sight of a nicely dressed, black servant in the household. While a black man is dressed in fine linen, he is dressed in shabby clothes. He degrades the black man to feel superior and purposefully tracks horse manure in the household, ignoring the servant’s objections. Not only does Abner dirty up the rug in the household, but he has to pay the De Spain back for the permanent damage. It is then that readers get a glimpse of the real inequality
America has been viewed as the “promise land” and the “land of opportunity” for many generations. America has built itself on the concept of opportunity, individualism, and self-reliance which are the factors that assembled the “American dream.” The American dream has fueled the aspirations of many. Many believed that through hard work and dedication, prosperity and success is achievable. Success varies from individual to individual depending on one’s own personal desires. One American’s dream could be obtaining numerous, expensive possessions while another’s could be to go from poor to wealthy. Either way, it is a well-known concept that one’s life can be better, richer, and fuller regardless of social class …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald is an American author who wrote The Great Gatsby. The concept of the American dream is displayed vividly throughout the novel. Although the American dream is presumed to be about independence, opportunity, and making something of one’s self, it ends up being more about riches, materialism, and pleasure. The story is centered around Jay Gatsby, a man who is very wealthy and has many material things, but has not achieved his dream. His dream is incomplete because he is not with Daisy Buchanon, his first love. Gatsby grew up poor and made his way to riches through illegal activities. He knew Daisy as a young man, but separated from her for years as he went to the military and then to Oxford. Although Gatsby has always wanted to move up in the social classes, his main inspiration in his quest to riches is Daisy. Gatsby tries everything to get Daisy’s attention including climbing in social status and gaining a fortune. He has a beautiful, fast car and buys a massive, expensive house that is located across from hers. He even throws many extravagant parties, hoping that she will hear about them and attend. To attain Daisy would complete Gatsby’s dream, but he never achieves his dream. He gets so hung up in it that he never lives his life to the fullest. Although Gatbsy is a prime example, Fitzgerald shows that the American dream is unattainable through many characters. Tom Buchanon, Daisy’s husband, is unhappy as well. He is also wealthy with many possessions …show more content…
The story is centered around Abner Snopes. Through this characters, Faulkner reveals the corruption and unfairness of the American dream. Abner Snopes is a white man who supports his family through sharecropping. Not only is it a general fact that sharecroppers do not get much income, but it is also made apparent that the Snopes family is poor from the description of their “broken” and “battered” personal items. It is clear that this family is not living the American dream. In the story, Abner and his family travel to the De Spain household where they are met with a grand mansion. The sight of the mansion seems to disturb Abner because he has the mindset that he should be doing better than currently is. Furthermore, Abner resents everyone with money and is jealous of anyone that is doing better than him. When Abner goes to work for the De Spain household, he is troubled by the sight of a nicely dressed, black servant in the household. While a black man is dressed in fine linen, he is dressed in shabby clothes. He degrades the black man to feel superior and purposefully tracks horse manure in the household, ignoring the servant’s objections. Not only does Abner dirty up the rug in the household, but he has to pay the De Spain back for the permanent damage. It is then that readers get a glimpse of the real inequality