Since the first expedition in search of vast land across the ocean, the American Dream has always followed along with it. It has been the creed within the hearts of Americans that the land fulfills goals. The Dream gives people the opportunity to obtain bliss; from venturing ideas, to turning concepts into reality. In the past, there was a notion that every individual could create a happy, safe and prosperous life for themselves if they exerted enough effort. In Ragged Dick written by Horatio Alger Jr., Alger depicts a protagonist leading exemplary lives, struggling valiantly against poverty, working from rags to riches, Alger’s protagonist gaining wealth and honor, ultimately the American Dream. The moral of his story is that the dream is
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Some individual believes that America is the “land of opportunity” and that if you dream it, you can achieve it. Some Americans cite the various “rags to riches” stories that few can be heard from Alger’s story, Ragged Dick. In “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios, he argues that “people do not choose to be poor or working class; instead, they are limited and confined by the opportunities afforded or denied them by a social and economic system” (203). As we all know, it’s incredibly difficult to build wealth even if you save up a great sum of money. Thus, the wealthy remains affluent. Our economic system favors the wealthy rather than the poor simply because of price inflation. Over a specific period of time, the value of standardized goods/services increases in price. Because of this, the lower class suffers much worse as the upper class can take a hit. I have heard many stories of how families lose their business and money due to the stock market crashing. Even though the “poor or working class” save up, their saving will be eroded by price inflation. Because of this, the working populations are restricted to go places since they are bound by debt. No matter how hard they work, the working class aren’t given an equal opportunity because by default, they are lacking what their counterpart …show more content…
Everyone is bound to the unfair set of rules that society has arranged. As lower class have to submit to government’s rules, they are striped of equal opportunity leaving the lower class to struggles with the current economy. In the article “Crumbling American Dreams,” in a summary, the deepest problem we are facing is a sense of unity. Because of this, majority of Americans often take everything for themselves leaving behind nothing for others. In a way, the top class has first priority while the lower class has to make use of any leftover such as jobs and education. It’s simply not enough work as one continues to struggle in America, “the embodiment of the American dream, a place that offered decent opportunity for the children of bankers and factory workers alike… His dad, who had an eighth-grade education, worked two jobs to keep the family afloat — on the line at Port Clinton Manufacturing from 7 to 3, then at the canning factory from 3:30 to 11. Despite his 70-plus-hour workweek” (Putnam 1). If the goal of the American dream is to simply work hard enough to become wealthy, then it’s most likely chasing after an endless rainbow. Putnam note that, even with hard work, most Americans are currently suffering minimum wages. Also, many of the younger generation have to face that, after going through an expensive education system, there’s no work available to pay off the loans. A corporate promotion structure doesn’t simply revolve
Some individual believes that America is the “land of opportunity” and that if you dream it, you can achieve it. Some Americans cite the various “rags to riches” stories that few can be heard from Alger’s story, Ragged Dick. In “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios, he argues that “people do not choose to be poor or working class; instead, they are limited and confined by the opportunities afforded or denied them by a social and economic system” (203). As we all know, it’s incredibly difficult to build wealth even if you save up a great sum of money. Thus, the wealthy remains affluent. Our economic system favors the wealthy rather than the poor simply because of price inflation. Over a specific period of time, the value of standardized goods/services increases in price. Because of this, the lower class suffers much worse as the upper class can take a hit. I have heard many stories of how families lose their business and money due to the stock market crashing. Even though the “poor or working class” save up, their saving will be eroded by price inflation. Because of this, the working populations are restricted to go places since they are bound by debt. No matter how hard they work, the working class aren’t given an equal opportunity because by default, they are lacking what their counterpart …show more content…
Everyone is bound to the unfair set of rules that society has arranged. As lower class have to submit to government’s rules, they are striped of equal opportunity leaving the lower class to struggles with the current economy. In the article “Crumbling American Dreams,” in a summary, the deepest problem we are facing is a sense of unity. Because of this, majority of Americans often take everything for themselves leaving behind nothing for others. In a way, the top class has first priority while the lower class has to make use of any leftover such as jobs and education. It’s simply not enough work as one continues to struggle in America, “the embodiment of the American dream, a place that offered decent opportunity for the children of bankers and factory workers alike… His dad, who had an eighth-grade education, worked two jobs to keep the family afloat — on the line at Port Clinton Manufacturing from 7 to 3, then at the canning factory from 3:30 to 11. Despite his 70-plus-hour workweek” (Putnam 1). If the goal of the American dream is to simply work hard enough to become wealthy, then it’s most likely chasing after an endless rainbow. Putnam note that, even with hard work, most Americans are currently suffering minimum wages. Also, many of the younger generation have to face that, after going through an expensive education system, there’s no work available to pay off the loans. A corporate promotion structure doesn’t simply revolve