King first explores the idea of “an honest way of life” as his new definition of the American Dream. After reviewing the original definition of the American Dream in 1931, King decided that an updated, …show more content…
“The Great Recession didn’t kill the American Dream. But the promise of a good life in exchange for hard, honest work has been bruised and frayed for millions of middle class Americans” (King 615). The Great Recession, a key moment in the momentary collapse of the American dream, was a cause for incredible financial struggle for individuals, couples, families and anyone in all walks of life. Although it was a tough period of time in the late 2000s, King said in one of his closing paragraphs, “Even since the height of the Great Recession, however, we have adapted the values contained within the American Dream to meet new challenges”