“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I 've been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven 't had the advantages that you 've had’” (Fitzgerald 1). The American dream is different for everyone. The general consensus stating that it consists of obtaining a college degree, getting married, having two children, and living happily large house. The ideal success story is more ideal for some than others. Social status and greed can determine the likelihood of living the American dream. The American dream is still alive for a select group of Americans, but it is unfair to say that everyone can achieve the
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The insatiable desire for more is the main obstacle in true happiness. People often get so caught up in their desires that they forget what they truly wanted from the beginning. The American dream is essentially about having a stable and somewhat mundane life. Happiness cannot be obtained when people are never satisfied. In Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby devotes five years of his life to winning back his former lover, Daisy. Once Gatsby regains Daisy’s interest, he finds himself expecting more and more from her. This is first seen when Daisy goes over to Gatsby’s house after brunch at Nick’s house. Nick notes Gatsby’s subtle expression of dissatisfaction, “I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby 's face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness. Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams – not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (Fitzgerald 95). Gatsby realizes that just spending time with Daisy is not enough. He will never be satisfied in spite of the attention he gets a from Daisy. This is paralleled in people’s perception of their own success in terms of the American dream. The point is not that once someone is wealthy, he should stop trying in life, it …show more content…
These people argue that it is simply a matter of how hard someone is willing to work for success. This argument claims that Americans have become too dependent on welfare and that people cannot succeed in America if they rely on financial assistance from the government. A column Cal Thomas wrote called, “Is the American Dream Over,” depicts the opposite opinion of Bob Herbert’s “Hiding from Reality”. Thomas counters, “This has produced a country of government addicts with an entitlement mentality. These twin maladies have eroded self-reliance,individual initiative, and personal accountability” (Thomas). Thomas’ statement portrays those who are not financially stable in America to lack initiative and personal accountability. The notion that needing financial assistance equates to laziness or addicted to entitlement is insensitive. It cannot be denied that government assistance is sometimes abused, but it is outrageous to claim that no one deserves it. Cal Thomas fails to acknowledge the privilege paired with inherited wealth. He never mentions the fact that people are inherently predispositioned for success in America. Thomas also incorrectly assumes that everyone who collects government entitlement is able-bodied and mentally capable of participating in the workforce. Thomas fails to recognize a group of people who have the same right to the American dream. While, some people who claim everyone can live
The insatiable desire for more is the main obstacle in true happiness. People often get so caught up in their desires that they forget what they truly wanted from the beginning. The American dream is essentially about having a stable and somewhat mundane life. Happiness cannot be obtained when people are never satisfied. In Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby devotes five years of his life to winning back his former lover, Daisy. Once Gatsby regains Daisy’s interest, he finds himself expecting more and more from her. This is first seen when Daisy goes over to Gatsby’s house after brunch at Nick’s house. Nick notes Gatsby’s subtle expression of dissatisfaction, “I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby 's face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness. Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams – not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (Fitzgerald 95). Gatsby realizes that just spending time with Daisy is not enough. He will never be satisfied in spite of the attention he gets a from Daisy. This is paralleled in people’s perception of their own success in terms of the American dream. The point is not that once someone is wealthy, he should stop trying in life, it …show more content…
These people argue that it is simply a matter of how hard someone is willing to work for success. This argument claims that Americans have become too dependent on welfare and that people cannot succeed in America if they rely on financial assistance from the government. A column Cal Thomas wrote called, “Is the American Dream Over,” depicts the opposite opinion of Bob Herbert’s “Hiding from Reality”. Thomas counters, “This has produced a country of government addicts with an entitlement mentality. These twin maladies have eroded self-reliance,individual initiative, and personal accountability” (Thomas). Thomas’ statement portrays those who are not financially stable in America to lack initiative and personal accountability. The notion that needing financial assistance equates to laziness or addicted to entitlement is insensitive. It cannot be denied that government assistance is sometimes abused, but it is outrageous to claim that no one deserves it. Cal Thomas fails to acknowledge the privilege paired with inherited wealth. He never mentions the fact that people are inherently predispositioned for success in America. Thomas also incorrectly assumes that everyone who collects government entitlement is able-bodied and mentally capable of participating in the workforce. Thomas fails to recognize a group of people who have the same right to the American dream. While, some people who claim everyone can live