Obtaining wealth was the large motivator in the American Dream for innumerable people. Money would allow for the poor to survive and escape their current life conditions; the middle class wanted to have a more secure life …show more content…
He wore a sharp suit as his uniform, and he acted as charming as the other boys who came from rich families. During the performance “all the people in his section thought him a charming boy, feeling that he remembered and admired them” (Cather 3). Often, it was only the rich who were invited to watch a performance at Carnegie Hall, so the recognition and acceptance of Paul meant a lot to him. Paul enjoyed his time at the theater because he could live out his American Dream of being upper class, even for a short amount of time. However, the American Dream of wealth was more than a status.
Material objects can be easily purchased with wealth because the large amount of money makes it affordable. People were greedy and wanted everything in the world, whether they truly needed it or not. From cars to houses, it was a competition of who could buy the biggest and most extravagant. Materialism was born as people sought out the most expensive way to flaunt their wealth. And, for the poor who had nothing, wealth would give the opportunity to get the wonderful things in