How Does Harlon L. Dalton Challenge The American Dream

It has been portrayed throughout many years in movies and television shows, a poor boy overcomes the social and economic class that he was born into to become a wealthy and successful person. Our nation loves to see a “rags to riches” story, which is why so many of them exist. For that most part it is just a story which can be labeled as the “American dream”, but really it’s just a myth. Both “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios and “Horatio Alger” by Harlon L. Dalton challenge the American myths of success by providing information and reason that shows how the “American dream” can only be achieved by a few people and is a rare occurrence. Both writers are focused on the reality of life in America and how hard it is to move past your economic status you’re born into
and make a move to a higher one. Mantsios and Dalton are both trying to prove that life in America is more difficult than what the movies and various media make it out to be.
Both of the readings provide the same message, that it is extremely difficult and nearly impossible to improve you’re economic status. Even though both stories give the same message they go about it in different ways. “Horatio Alger” by Harlon L. Dalton is mostly disproving the story “Ragged Dick” by Horatio Alger. “Ragged Dick” is a story that provides the false message that it does not matter where you start from as long as you are a good person with the right morals you will eventually become successful, because of this Dalton provides examples that diminish the meaning of the story. He uses examples like being “the best black student” or being “surprised that a white man can play basketball above the rim” (Dalton 262) to convey that although they can have the right merit, they are already being judged on their race rather than their true ability. Why can’t they just be the best student or second or third, why do they have to be labeled as the best black? This shows that no matter what, there are still other qualities being judged than just their merit or morals. In “Class in America”, Mantsios main
focus is on social classes. Mantsios uses different examples of people from various class backgrounds to show that whatever class that you are born into is more than likely to be the one you live in for the rest of your life. He says that “the lower one’s class standing, the more difficult it is to secure appropriate housing, the more time spent on the routine tasks of everyday life, the greater is the percentage of income that goes to pay for food and other basic necessities, and the greater is the likelihood of crime victimization.” (Mantsios 293) He also goes on to say that “Class can accurately predict both survival and success.” (Mantsios 293) Although they go about disproving the myth of success in different ways they both make the same point, that not everyone has an equal chance to succeed. They both agree that a man who is born into a wealthy family has a much higher chance of success than a man who is born into a poor, lower class family. “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios is a more insightful piece due to the way that it was written and presented. The use of multiple charts and scenarios was a good way to engage the reader and convey the information in a more interesting manner. The way that he created fictional people and gave them different backgrounds to show exactly how the class you’re born in can affect the rest of your life. Both readings provide the reader with the true message that the “American dream” isn’t as easy as it seems, and that it is difficult to improve your life standing once you are born into a specific class. They also tell you that you will not be able to succeed strictly based on your merit, but it is going to take a lot of work and dedication to burst through the glass ceiling that has been set for your social class. The life of the American people is a lot different than what is portrayed on television or in the movies. Life is hard, and it is going to be a challenge to succeed. It is up to you to how you want to live, are you going to just stay in your class or are you going to burst through and do everything it takes to improve your life standing. Your social class defines your chances for success and survival, so why not improve those chances.