College English Grade 9th
Research Paper: The American Dream
Jon Black
Ms. Elder
The American Dream
The American Dream does not happen in one day. It is a progress that can take up to weeks, months, or even years. Basically its like a goal that everyone wants to achieve, but some people reach that goal quicker than others. Some, just give up because there might be a struggle within themselves or in society that makes their goal that much difficult to accomplish. Its the idea of successfulness in life and being wealthy. There are characters in the novel named, Of Mice and Men, who had a dream that follows what most people think the American Dream is. Also a literature named, A Raisin in the Sun which both novels have certain characters that express themselves on what they want to accomplish in life.
Beneatha, a character from the novel A Raisin in the Sun, wants to achieve a goal, but she faces many obstacles that prevents her from moving toward that goal. Beneatha wants to attend medical school, but her chances of attending is very slim because she comes from a family that is considered low class and does not have the money. Beneatha also has an older brother that has dreams of his own. Its hard for Beneatha to accomplish her dream which is to be a doctor when she does not have a job, or both parents receiving a paycheck regularly. Her father passed away and her mother is waiting to receive an enormous check. That money that Beneathas mom receives is not necessarily for anyone else in the family, and if Beneatha doesnt receive any amount of it, it is most likely that she will not attend medical school, and besides her older brother will want to invest in his dream as well so how will the check support what the mother wants, Beneatha, and her brother. Those are the obstacles that she has to face only within herself and family.
John Steinbeck the author of, Of Mice of Men expressed a characters role extremely well. George is a character that has his own destiny that he wants to pursue, but there is someone in his life preventing that from happening. George cares for a mentally challenged young man that he knew for quite sometime who is like his younger brother. Both George and his friend live on a Ranch, which George dislikes because he wants to achieve his own goal. He dreams of owning his own farm, having a lovely wife by his side, but basically to live a much better life than hes living now. Working at the Ranch, does not support George because he does not bring in enough income, and the modicum of money that he does make, he has to care for him and Lennie his mentally challenged friend. It is hard and frustrating supporting another man when you can barely manage on your own.
Everyone in the world hopes for the best, themselves or their family. There is a chance that people might not accomplish their goal for reason that they only know. The point is that the odds of someones dream occurring in one day is very slim. You cant wake up in the morning and expect to be wealthy and expect to live like the stars. When achieving their goal there will be lots of positive and negative things that people most likely have to face. Life is never straightforward, life is full of surprises, so its a progress. When youre a toddler, its not like one day you just began to walk. First they crawl, which is step number one. Then they will try and walk but after the first couple of steps , its going back down to the ground, which is the second step. Who knows when that toddler will be able to walk, some toddlers are able to learn how to walk faster than others. The gist is everything takes time, its not in a blink of an eye and your wealthy and living like the celebrities.
Both characters in the novels stated previously before had obstacles they both had to face in their life. Beneatha had other family members that her mother had to concern herself with them as well as Beneatha. George always had to revolve around Lennie. George could not do anything without Lennie being right there by his side. Lennie messed up many opportunities for George which George sometimes dislikes because he knows that hes better off on his own without having Lennies presence. Its the same with Beneatha, her older brother is the one always destroying her plans. If it wasnt for her older brother, she would money to attend medical school. Theres always a problem that people have to face either with themselves, family, or even society because sometimes in society people may judge you by your cover, meaning appearance so that makes it that much difficult to achieve what you want. You might have problems within your household and then you have to come out into your society and receive more disappointment. People sometimes come in contact with the wrong people, but you may have to respect them even when you may not want to because for personal reasons. Even at work, there might be bosses that you may dislike, but the job is wonderful, and you cant just quit because you do not like someone who works with you. Life may not always be fair, but you just have to live life for what it is and not focus on the negative things that is occurring in your life, focus on positive things.
Many people in the world have their own idea of the American Dream. The people with ideas, can range from poor to people like authors and artists. A famous songwriter and performer Madonna , wrote a song named, the American Life. That song features the line American life, I live the American dream. What does that line mean? How could she say that she lives the American dream, is it because she is wealthy and successful? A huge amount of people believe the definition of the American Dream is, the idea of hard work, determination and courage. There was also a famous writer and historian, who wrote a book called, The Epic of America. His book explained his theory of the American Dream. James Truslow Adams is the author of this book which he believed the American Dream is that 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 and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position. His theory of the American Dream, is not much different others, such as George from Of Mice of Men, and even Beneatha and Walter, from the novel, A Raisin in the Sun. Both men characters from the novels, George and Walter hope to live good with wealth, owning their own business with wives by themselves, which Walter already has.
Other novels that express the American Dream have relevant ideas. Such as All My Sons by Arthur Miller, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, and even the well known play, The American Dream by Edward Albee. Each of these books expressed the American Dream in many different ways. For an example, Arthur Millers story is about a father who sold faulty parts to the U.S. Military during World War II. Some of his family members know what he did, and some did not until after he was in prison. There was also someone else convicted for the same crime but did not really do it. The father stated that he did it for his family so his reason was to make a better way of life for his family. The other book and play expressed it in different ways that made it clear why it expressed the American Dream.
In conclusion, there might be a struggle with either yourselves or in society to make your dream come true. It will not happen in a blink of an eye, it might take time for it to come. The American Dream is a progress that takes time and may be frustrating, confusing, and difficult to happen. You might feel disappointed because maybe you feel that your taking too long for your goal to happen, and you see people that you know already successful does not mean that you wont be able to be successful in the future. There might be reasons preventing your goal that you want to accomplish when you want it to, but life can never be planned. Of course you can say what you want to do in the future but it is not guaranteed that what you say your going to do, will actually happen. Your experiences might not be what you expected but in life youre suppose to learn from your mistakes and know how to avoid it the next time. In life you cannot judge the person the wrong way, you have to allow them to achieve their goal no matter what ethnicity, religion, or what ever it is that makes you judge people the wrong way.
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