American Dream
What is the true definition of the American Dream? Is it the simple idea of having a white picket fence in a quaint neighborhood and a family of four? Is it the promise of equality and freedom in the eyes of the law? Or maybe it’s the lie that everyone can succeed if they are dedicated and persevere when all the odds are against them? The American Dream is a fantasy, something that was told to immigrants as a reassurance that leaving behind everything they'd ever known was the right choice. To ensure that they'd never look back and always hold out hope for the better when things got tough in their new home. It was created by factory owners who needed cheap labor and could easily take advantage of the newcomers by subjecting …show more content…
From the moment they stepped onto American soil, the Lukoszaite family was cluelessly lured into scam after devious scam. For instance, the family is delighted when they find a sign advertising new single family homes for sale that only cost $12 a month with a $300 down payment. Little did the family know that due to interest, the family actually has to come up with $19 every month. Even worse, the deed states that the family aren't even the owners of the home, but rather they are renters until they can fully pay off the house, which will take over eight years to accomplish. This situation makes it that much easier for the family to be evicted when they inevitably miss one of their many monthly payments. Upton Sinclair stated in chapter five, “...Nobody rose in Packingtown by doing good work. You could lay that down for a rule—if you met a man who was rising in Packingtown, you met a knave.” The author is trying to express that their are few to none when it comes to honest men in America, because honesty is often rejected than rewarded. Even Jurgis, the truthful, good-willed man of the family turned to fraud and scheming when he was sick of starving. He worked as a middle man for politicians trying to buy votes, and mugged innocent
What is the true definition of the American Dream? Is it the simple idea of having a white picket fence in a quaint neighborhood and a family of four? Is it the promise of equality and freedom in the eyes of the law? Or maybe it’s the lie that everyone can succeed if they are dedicated and persevere when all the odds are against them? The American Dream is a fantasy, something that was told to immigrants as a reassurance that leaving behind everything they'd ever known was the right choice. To ensure that they'd never look back and always hold out hope for the better when things got tough in their new home. It was created by factory owners who needed cheap labor and could easily take advantage of the newcomers by subjecting …show more content…
From the moment they stepped onto American soil, the Lukoszaite family was cluelessly lured into scam after devious scam. For instance, the family is delighted when they find a sign advertising new single family homes for sale that only cost $12 a month with a $300 down payment. Little did the family know that due to interest, the family actually has to come up with $19 every month. Even worse, the deed states that the family aren't even the owners of the home, but rather they are renters until they can fully pay off the house, which will take over eight years to accomplish. This situation makes it that much easier for the family to be evicted when they inevitably miss one of their many monthly payments. Upton Sinclair stated in chapter five, “...Nobody rose in Packingtown by doing good work. You could lay that down for a rule—if you met a man who was rising in Packingtown, you met a knave.” The author is trying to express that their are few to none when it comes to honest men in America, because honesty is often rejected than rewarded. Even Jurgis, the truthful, good-willed man of the family turned to fraud and scheming when he was sick of starving. He worked as a middle man for politicians trying to buy votes, and mugged innocent