The American Dream Research Paper

The American Dream [Name of the Writer]
[Name of the Institution]

The American Dream

Introduction The American dream can be defined as equality of opportunity and freedom that allows all U.S. residents reach their goals in life only with their effort and determination. Today, this idea first expressed in 1931 by James Truslow Adams, refers to that prosperity depends on your skills and your work, and not in a rigid social hierarchy, although the meaning of the phrase has changed throughout U.S. history. Components of the "American Dream" are also the ideal of equality before the law, regardless of ethnic origin and social status, as well as the general reverence for all Americans character models and heroes. The idea of The
American Dream by Richard Todd in 1997 focused on the what it takes to be rich, what brings you on top and what keeps the poor people at bottom. The American dream has been focusing more on getting richer rather than creating equality in the society with respect to living standard, education, job etc.

Discussion James Truslow Adams was born in 1878 and is counted as one of the greatest writers in the history of America. He was the writer of a lot of popular books such as the family in 1930. He was considered a s freelance writer who produced some excellent and scholarly work in writing regarding the history of America and idealism and beliefs of an American. New England is also one of the writings of the author (Nevins, A., 1968). The main idea of the American dream by the James is the dream of a place i.e.
America where life of every person is good, healthy, enjoyable and colorful. This land possess equal opportunities for every person regardless of sex, age, race etc. depending upon his or her abilities and skills truly. This idea favors the equality amongst every citizen of America and speaks against discrimination and inequality in the nation. This idea represents trueness and honesty in ones story of struggle and achievement for life and work. The author acknowledges this idea to be difficult to be achieved for the Europeans belonging to upper class as these group of pupil may find it hard to accept the hardships and sense of equality amongst rich and poor in terms of achievement and success. The author even determines the difficulty in acceptability of this idea amongst discriminating Americans idea. The American dream by James does not represent the idea of achieving money, incentives, wealthy riches, motor cars, or higher pay scale, instead the author focuses on the social aspect of humanity and society in which we live and practice on daily basis. It highlights the equality between males and females in attaining what they deserve and are capable of doing or achieving regardless of belonging to a richer family or born with a silver spoon in mouth. It should work equally for all social classes and genders in the America as mentioned by the author and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position. (Liberty of Congress, n.d.). The idea of The American dream by James in the Epic of America is basically portrays the picture of people immigrating to USA after world war two in the search of freedom, peace and happiness. It also represents the social inequality existing in the society and highlight hard work and struggle as the key to success all kind of achievements in the
world. On the other hand the idea of the American dream by the author Richard Todd concerned with the debate of richness and poorness in the society. The author believes that the main idea of the American dream has shifted from the equality to a race of winning a opportunity to make a materialistic position in the society. The author highlights that whoever is on the bottom would surely come on top one day by struggling and combating the desire to be rich or achiever. The author believes that the entrepreneurs and business man on top in the economy of America has been due to taking advantage of opportunities but what about those middle class people who have been still struggling with the making both end meets. Rich person is getting richer and poor population is getting poorer. However, the main idea is that this cycle gets over in certain time period and a poor would get certain opportunities to make their life better and achieve what richer class has achieved so far. The economy of the America provides same opportunities to everyone it is those who make the most of the given opportunity on the wall street The ordinary and common man is not given chance to grow or know about the reality of opportunistic world which causes him or her to stay in a constant frame of life without any improvements. This idea clearly violates the original American dream.

Conclusion The American Dream by both the authors are quite opposite to each other, James favor the equality in social class and social factors as the base of happiness, peace and prosperity of the American Nation. Where as, the idea by Richard Todd talks about being richer and make most of the given opportunity in the economy is the one who has all rights to lead a successful and materialistic life where common men are faced with resistances to grow and prosper in terms of wealth and monetary benefits a sit is considered as the American dream of today’s population.

References

Liberty of Congress, (n.d.).The American Dream, www.loc.gov, Data Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/american-dream/students/thedream.html on 15 February 2013.
Nevins, A., (1968), James Truslow Adams: historian of the American dream, Publisher: University of Illinois Press, Data Retrieved from http://books.google.ca/books?id=eEgBAAAAMAAJ&q=James+Truslow+Adams+venezuelan+grandmother&dq=James+Truslow+Adams+venezuelan+grandmother&hl=en&redir_esc=y on 15 February 2013.