In James Truslow Adam’s book, The Epic Of America, he first defines, “The American Dream is that of a dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement”. Immigrants come to America looking for an opportunity to better their life and their family. In the novel, Zeitoun, the American Dream for immigrants specifically the protagonist Zeitoun, a Middle Eastern man from Syria, finds the American Dream very different than the average American man. For immigrants, many face stereotypes and categorization based on their race, ethnicity, sex, or religion. Before Hurricane Katrina, Zeituon’s notion of the American Dream was his successful business
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“Zeitoun, though, was too much like his father: first a sailor, then, to provide for a family and to ensure that he lived to watch them grow up, a builder” (25). In “What is the American Dream”, an online article by the Distraction Magazine, the author discusses the reason immigrants come to the U.S is for the opportunity to succeed, whether that be wealth or the chance to better their families. Although in another article by the Collegiate Time, the author discusses the harsh realities of immigrants facing prejudice, stereotypes, and possible police brutality. Zeitoun and Kathy had gotten lucky with avoiding any real trouble with authorities due to their ethnicity, while on the other hand… “So many of their Muslim friends had been interviewed, forced to send in documents and hire lawyers. But until now Zeituon had been fortunate. He had no experience with profiling, hadn’t been suspected of anything by anyone with real authority” (213). So despite minor prejudice after 9/11, his family and friends know Zeitoun as a hard working honest man. Zeitoun knew harassment towards immigrants was real; he never had to face anything so horrible before hurricane
“Zeitoun, though, was too much like his father: first a sailor, then, to provide for a family and to ensure that he lived to watch them grow up, a builder” (25). In “What is the American Dream”, an online article by the Distraction Magazine, the author discusses the reason immigrants come to the U.S is for the opportunity to succeed, whether that be wealth or the chance to better their families. Although in another article by the Collegiate Time, the author discusses the harsh realities of immigrants facing prejudice, stereotypes, and possible police brutality. Zeitoun and Kathy had gotten lucky with avoiding any real trouble with authorities due to their ethnicity, while on the other hand… “So many of their Muslim friends had been interviewed, forced to send in documents and hire lawyers. But until now Zeituon had been fortunate. He had no experience with profiling, hadn’t been suspected of anything by anyone with real authority” (213). So despite minor prejudice after 9/11, his family and friends know Zeitoun as a hard working honest man. Zeitoun knew harassment towards immigrants was real; he never had to face anything so horrible before hurricane