Final Paper Process
Research Paper Rough Draft:
Thomas Kellogg
Padgett
English 102
4/11/17
What is the American Dream and is it still Alive Today?
The concept of the American Dream was first introduced in 1931 by
James Trustlow Adams in his novel The Epic of America. In the novel Adams
states that 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 (Adams). Over the years Adams
definition of the Dream has taken on a different meaning to the American
people. Today, many consider the Dream to be somewhat of a wish list
containing material items and intangible assets that reflect financial success
and a happy lifestyle. Things such as a house in the suburbs, a well-paying
job, a happy family, the ability to retire at a reasonable age, and many more
have taken on the role of tangible evidence that one has achieved the
Dream. Although, what many Americans fail to understand is that the
American Dream is something that is not achieved through a collection of
material possessions that reflect happiness and financial success. Instead it
is an attitude that is deeply rooted in the foundations of our country. It is the
idea that anything can be achieved through hard work, regardless of your
current socio-economic status. Most importantly though, the Dream is
something that all Americans can relate to and is an ideology that keeps us
going and unites us when times get tough. The notion that anything can be
achieved through hard work regardless of your socio-economic status is one
that drives the American people and has pushed our country to new limits.
The Dream is something that has been and always will be alive as long as
the American people continue to strive for a better a way of life.
The life of the American Dream is something that has been questioned
ever since James Trustlow Adams coined the term in 1931. An article written
by Matt Thompson titled Why The American Dream Will Never Die talks
about this notion as well as the history of the Dream and how it continues to
ring true today despite people constantly claiming that it is dead. He spends
most the article listing specific examples of authors, politicians, and
historians speculating the death of the American Dream. At one point in the
article, he talks about the belief that the Dream slowly died throughout the
20th century as the American people became more and more materialistic.
He entertains this notion when he writes if the dream is diminished from an
aspiration as lofty as the possibility of self-fulfillment to one as small and
tangible as a white picket fence, then Americans arent really dreaming
anymore, theyve merely been lulled into a stupor (Thompson). He goes on
to list several more examples of politicians and historians declaring the
death of the Dream but realizes that the simple fact that people continue to
talk about it today is an indication that it is not dead. Despite this realization
the question of why? remains. Why is it that, ever since its existence, some
of our nations leaders and trusted historians continue to doubt the Dream.
The answer to that question is that those who claim that it is dead struggle
with its lack of tangible evidence. But the Dream is not something we can
see. It is an attitude that we naturally assume as Americans and one that
subconsciously sticks with us until we die. It is the idea that by nature, we
are ambitious people who are constantly in search of a better life. It is also
the hope that we live in a country that allows us to reach our full potential
regardless of our backgrounds. After all, the three unalienable rights given to
us in the Declaration of Independence are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. Although, somewhere along the way our intentions can be
skewed. We begin to deny specific groups of people some of our most basic
rights and it is at times like these when the Dream is tested to its core. But at
some point, that ambition and drive subconsciously laying to rest in the back
of everyones mind is awoken. That is what the American Dream means to
me. It is a mentality that rests subconsciously in the back of everyones
mind. It is the constant urge to pursue a better life.
Lawrence Samuel perfectly sums up the essence of the American Dream in his novel The
American Dream: A Cultural History. Samuel believes that the best way to fully understand the
American Dream is to explore the cultural history of America. He also spends a lot of time
searching for a definition of the Dream and what it meant to the American people. After asking
several people about what the Dream meant to them he wrote The problem, of course, is that it
does not exist. The American Dreams not being real, however, ultimately turns out to be the
most significant finding about it; the fact that many of us have assumed it to be entirely real
makes the story even more compelling. The American Dream tells this story, in the process
shedding light on virtually every major dimension of American culture (Samuel). He too
believes that the Dream is not something that can physically be presented to the American
people. He believes that it something that tells the story of our cultural history and pushes us to
new limits.
One of the main themes in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the American
Dream. This novel is one of the most famous pieces of American literature and offers a solid
perspective on the cultural issues we have dealt with for such a long time. A review written by
Sarah Chruchwell thoroughly explores the role that the theme the Dream plays in the novel. One
of the first thing she notices about this novel was that it was written in 1925 before the concept
of The American Dream was introduced. This is something that is interesting to consider and
attests to the notion that the Dream is something that has been around ever since our country was
founded. Although, later in the article she begins to doubt the Dream when she writes, The
phrase the American dream was first invented, in other words, to describe a failure, not a
promise: or rather, a broken promise, a dream that was continually faltering beneath the rampant
monopoly capitalism that set each struggling against all (Churchwell). She, along with many
others, believe that the Great Gatsby is a perfect example of the failure of the American Dream.
What her, and so many others who have analyzed the book, fail to do is realize the true meaning
of the Dream. There is no denying that the fatal flaw in many of the characters is their constant
desire for money and material pleasures. Although, for some reason, the Dream has been unfairly
tied into those desires. For years and years high school teachers have grabbed the concept of the
American Dream and attached it to materialism. From the beginning of our adolescent years we
are taught that the American Dream and the accumulation of wealth go hand and hand which
could not be further from the truth. This is also one of the major reasons why Americans struggle
with the definition of the Dream. Automatically, through the manipulation of our developing
adolescent minds, we believe that the Dream is about wealth and social status. The association
the Dream has with the novel is one of the biggest reasons why we have such a diluted definition
of it today.
Despite there being many trusted scholars who directly associate the American Dream
with wealth there are some who have a more sophisticated definition of the Dream and they
choose to question the universal belief of it. A perfect example of this is a peer review of Heather
Beth Johnsons book, The American Dream and the Power of Wealth, written by Aaron M. Pallas.
In her book, Johnson struggles with the idea that despite the fact most Americans recognize that
wealth matters when it comes to providing advantages for their loved ones, we still embrace the
notion that anyone can succeed no matter what their social background is. Pallas briefly sums up
her concept of the Dream when he writes, For Johnson, as I read it, the American Dream
requires both these parts hold: merit must matter and class must not (Pallas). He also
acknowledges that the undeniable truth that is, as long as we continue to stick by our capitalistic
economic style, there will always be a correlation between class and merit. He believes that,
similar to the way high school teachers attach the Dream to the Great Gatsby, Johnson was
imposing the definition a definition of the American Dream on her respondents, rather than
allowing them to give voice to what the term meant to them (Pallas). The points that he makes
in this review are valid points that disserve consideration. Each American, before they even
know it, is force fed their dreams and desires while scholars and politicians use the Dream as a
catalyst to trick them into these desires.
One of the most powerful abilities that the ideology of the American Dream has it to unite
the American people. The Dream is something that is instilled in us. It is the notion that as
Americans, we are constantly striving to pursue what makes us happy. This type of attitude is
what unites us when times are tough. A short article written by Gary Shapiro titled, What Unites
Us? Briefly touches on the sense of unity that the American Dream gives. He writes, What
unites Americans is our self-confidence; a desire to live life better. What unites us is the dream
of every American: give our children a better life than we had (Shapiro). What he is saying is
that Americans rally around the idea that we are all striving for a better life. Not only we striving
for better lives of ourselves but we are also trying to create a better life for our children. This
ambition and drive to create a better life for ourselves and our loved ones is something that we
all can relate to. In a country full of people with such a wide variety of backgrounds and
differentiating opinions, the American Dream is something we can all hang our hats on. It is also
what keeps us moving forward. The sacrifices made by those who have come before us are the
reason we live in such a great country today. The reason our country is where it is at today is
because the American Dream was the driving force behind every major accomplishment in our
nations history.
The American Dream is a concept that has been around and will always be around as long
as the American people continue to strive for a better way of life. Many consider the Dream to be
a collection of material possessions that reflect happiness and financial success. This could not
be further from the truth. The Dream is an attitude that is deeply rooted in the foundations of
country. It is a voice that is subconsciously waiting to be awoken from the back of our minds. It
is a voice that is unsatisfied and one that tells us that there is room for improvement. This voice
doesn't doesn't care about your financial status, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. All it
cares about is the pursuit of happiness. It is this pursuit that unites us and pushed us to higher
limits. It is something that, despite all our differences, something that we can hang our hats on. It
is also something that will never die because as Americans we are naturally ambitious and
constantly striving for a better way our life for ourselves and our loved ones. So despite
everything you've been taught by your teachers and trusted politicians, the American Dream is
here to stay.
Peer Comments:
Overall he needs to format the paper into mla format or the other format we are allowed
to use he could use some more quotes as well as a work cited page and add in the charts
we talked about in class. I think that he may need to add a stronger thesis to make his
stance a little clearer. The writer does offer other points of view and uses the sources to
express what he is trying to say about the American dream. Lastly the paper is well
written and expresses his points of view on the topic but could a clearer thesis.
Again, you know that you need to do a lot of the requirements, and make it MLA format.
I would love to see a more of a defined topic, pick exactly what you want to say. you do
good with points of view, you have a bunch of varying ones, but I would like you hear
what you have to say. I would say that first and foremost you have to finish, then Im
sure that where you are at now, you will have a working essay.
Brainstorming Notes:
The American Dream does not necessarily equate to financial success
The American Dream is not a wish list of material items
The American Dream is something that is not achieved through a collection of material
possessions that reflect happiness and financial success
It is an attitude that is subconsciously in the back of all our minds
Professor Padget Comments:
You have some really great ideas at work here. I like how you are taking these voices,
particularly the literary perspective of Gatsby, and bringing a sense of meaning to the
American Dream. I do think it is important to more clearly define for us what you mean
by The American Dream. Also, you talk a bit about how mistaken people are about
what the American dream is, and that is hard for me to jump on board with you (although
I want to) because Im not super sure what you are arguing for. It seems as though you
are defining it as a better way of life, but what does that really mean? What role does
opportunity have in the American Dream? What does opportunity mean? Maybe you
just mean freedom? The freedom to succeed and the freedom to fail? Getting ahead by
our merits alone? Im not sure. I do want some more concrete terms from you. Lots of
great potential here, but youre making a claim of definition, and I need a clearer
definition from you. Also, lots of proof reading errors. (PS: I did really enjoy reading this
one above most papers; I think a revision would do this some good.)
Research Paper Final Draft:
Thomas Kellogg
Padgett
English 102
4/11/17
What is the American Dream and is it still Alive Today?
The phrase of the American Dream was first introduced in 1931 by
James Trustlow Adams in his novel The Epic of America. In the novel Adams
states that 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 (Adams). Over the years Adams
definition of the Dream has taken on a different meaning to the American
people. Today, many consider the Dream to be somewhat of a wish list
containing material items and intangible assets that reflect financial success
and a happy lifestyle. Things such as a house in the suburbs, a well-paying
job, a happy family, the ability to retire at a reasonable age, and many more
have taken on the role of tangible evidence that one has achieved the
Dream. Although, what many Americans fail to understand is that the
American Dream is something that is not achieved through a collection of
material possessions that reflect happiness and financial success. Instead it
is an attitude that is deeply rooted in the foundations of our country. It is the
idea that anything can be achieved through hard work, regardless of your
current socio-economic status. Most importantly though, the Dream is
something that all Americans can relate to and is an ideology that keeps us
going and unites us when times get tough. The notion that anything can be
achieved through hard work regardless of your socio-economic status is one
that drives the American people and has pushed our country to new limits.
The Dream is something that has been and always will be alive as long as
the American people continue to strive for a better a way of life.
The life of the American Dream is something that has been questioned
ever since James Trustlow Adams coined the term in 1931. An article written
by Matt Thompson titled Why The American Dream Will Never Die talks
about this notion as well as the history of the Dream and how it continues to
ring true today despite people constantly claiming that it is dead. He spends
most the article listing specific examples of authors, politicians, and
historians speculating the death of the American Dream. At one point in the
article, he talks about the belief that the Dream slowly died throughout the
20th century as the American people became more and more materialistic.
He entertains this notion when he writes if the dream is diminished from an
aspiration as lofty as the possibility of self-fulfillment to one as small and
tangible as a white picket fence, then Americans arent really dreaming
anymore, theyve merely been lulled into a stupor (Thompson). He goes on
to list several more examples of politicians and historians declaring the
death of the Dream but realizes that the simple fact that people continue to
talk about it today is an indication that it is not dead. Despite this realization
the question of why? remains. Why is it that, ever since its existence, some
of our nations leaders and trusted historians continue to doubt the Dream.
The answer to that question is that those who claim that it is dead struggle
with its lack of tangible evidence. But the Dream is not something we can
see. It is an attitude that we instilled in us at a very young age and
subconsciously sticks with us until we die. It is the idea that by nature, we
are ambitious people who are constantly in search of a better life. It is also
the hope that we live in a country that allows us to reach our full potential
regardless of our backgrounds. After all, the three unalienable rights given to
us in the Declaration of Independence are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. Although, somewhere along the way our intentions can be
skewed. We begin to deny specific groups of people some of our most basic
rights and it is at times like these when the Dream is tested to its core. But at
some point, that ambition and drive subconsciously laying to rest in the back
of everyones mind is awoken. That is what the American Dream means to
me. It is a mentality that rests subconsciously in the back of everyones
mind. It is the constant urge to pursue a better life.
Lawrence Samuel perfectly sums up the essence of the American
Dream in his novel The American Dream: A Cultural History. Samuel believes
that the best way to fully understand the American Dream is to explore the
cultural history of America. He also spends a lot of time searching for a
definition of the Dream and what it meant to the American people. After
asking several people about what the Dream meant to them he wrote The
problem, of course, is that it does not exist. The American Dreams not being
real, however, ultimately turns out to be the most significant finding about it;
the fact that many of us have assumed it to be entirely real makes the story
even more compelling. The American Dream tells this story, in the process
shedding light on virtually every major dimension of American culture
(Samuel). He too believes that the Dream is not something that can
physically be presented to the American people. He believes that it is
something that tells the story of our cultural history and pushes us to new
limits.
Despite there being many trusted scholars who directly associate the
American Dream with wealth there are some who have a more sophisticated
definition of the Dream and they choose to question the universal belief of it.
A perfect example of this is a peer review of Heather Beth Johnsons book,
The American Dream and the Power of Wealth, written by Aaron M. Pallas. In
her book, Johnson struggles with the idea that despite the fact most
Americans recognize that wealth matters when it comes to providing
advantages for their loved ones, we still embrace the notion that anyone can
succeed no matter what their social background is. Pallas briefly sums up her
concept of the Dream when he writes, For Johnson, as I read it, the
American Dream requires both these parts hold: merit must matter and class
must not (Pallas). He also acknowledges that the undeniable truth that is, as
long as we continue to stick by our capitalistic economic style, there will
always be a correlation between class and merit. He believes that, similar to
the way high school teachers attach the Dream to the Great Gatsby, Johnson
was imposing a definition of the American Dream on her respondents,
rather than allowing them to give voice to what the term meant to them
(Pallas). The points that he makes in this review are valid points that
deserve consideration. Each American, before they even know it, is force fed
their dreams and desires while scholars and politicians use the Dream as a
catalyst to trick them into these desires.
One of the main themes in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the American
Dream. This novel is one of the most famous pieces of American literature and offers a solid
perspective on the cultural issues we have dealt with for such a long time. A review written by
Sarah Chruchwell thoroughly explores the role that the theme the Dream plays in the novel. One
of the first thing she notices about this novel was that it was written in 1925 before the concept
of The American Dream was introduced. This is something that is interesting to consider and
attests to the notion that the Dream is something that has been around ever since our country was
founded. Although, later in the article she begins to doubt the Dream when she writes, The
phrase the American dream was first invented, in other words, to describe a failure, not a
promise: or rather, a broken promise, a dream that was continually faltering beneath the rampant
monopoly capitalism that set each struggling against all (Churchwell). She, along with many
others, believe that the Great Gatsby is a perfect example of the failure of the American Dream.
What her, and so many others who have analyzed the book, fail to do is realize the true meaning
of the Dream. There is no denying that the fatal flaw in many of the characters is their constant
desire for money and material pleasures. Although, for some reason, the Dream has been unfairly
tied into those desires. For years and years high school teachers have grabbed the concept of the
American Dream and attached it to materialism. From the beginning of our adolescent years we
are taught that the American Dream and the accumulation of wealth go hand and hand which
could not be further from the truth. This is also one of the major reasons why Americans struggle
with the definition of the Dream. Automatically, through the manipulation of our developing
adolescent minds, we believe that the Dream is about wealth and social status. The association
the Dream has with the novel is one of the biggest reasons why we have such a diluted definition
of it today.
A study conducted by the Pew Research center asked citizens in the United States,
Britain, Spain, France, and Germany, if they felt that success in life is determined by forces
outside our control. The results showed that those living in the United States disagreed the most
with the idea that success in life is determined by forces outside our control. This shows, relative
to citizens in other countries, that Americans believe that we control our own destiny when it
comes to success. It is also an example of how Americans continue to believe that you can
succeed in our country regardless of your socio-economic status.
One of the most powerful abilities that the ideology of the American Dream has it to
unite the American people. The Dream is something that is instilled in us. It is the notion that as
Americans, we are constantly striving to pursue what makes us happy. This type of attitude is
what unites us when times are tough. A short article written by Gary Shapiro titled, What Unites
Us? Briefly touches on the sense of unity that the American Dream gives. He writes, What
unites Americans is our self-confidence; a desire to live life better. What unites us is the dream
of every American: give our children a better life than we had (Shapiro). What he is saying is
that Americans rally around the idea that we are all striving for a better life. Not only we striving
for better lives of ourselves but we are also trying to create a better life for our children. This
ambition and drive to create a better life for ourselves and our loved ones is something that we
all can relate to. In a country full of people with such a wide variety of backgrounds and
differentiating opinions, the American Dream is something we can all hang our hats on. It is also
what keeps us moving forward. The sacrifices made by those who have come before us are the
reason we live in such a great country today. The reason our country is where it is at today is
because the American Dream was the driving force behind every major accomplishment in our
nations history.
The American Dream is a concept that has been around and will always be around as long
as the American people continue to strive for a better way of life. Many consider the Dream to be
a collection of material possessions that reflect happiness and financial success. This could not
be further from the truth. The Dream is an attitude that is deeply rooted in the foundations of
country. It is a voice that is subconsciously waiting to be awoken from the back of our minds. It
is a voice that is unsatisfied and one that tells us that there is room for improvement. This voice
doesn't doesn't care about your financial status, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. All it
cares about is the pursuit of happiness. It is this pursuit that unites us and pushed us to higher
limits. It is something that, despite all our differences, something that we can hang our hats on. It
is also something that will never die because as Americans we are naturally ambitious and
constantly striving for a better way our life for ourselves and our loved ones. So despite
everything you've been taught by your teachers and trusted politicians, the American Dream is
here to stay.
Paper Reflection:
Prior to writing this paper I knew that I wanted to write about the American Dream
although I struggled to figure out specifically what aspect of the Dream I actually wanted
to write about. After writing the annotative bibliography and going through potential
sources for the subject, I found a common theme that I could potentially write about. I
realized that for years and years many people have considered the American Dream to be
a list of certain things that indicate the achievement of financial success. Although, what
people fail to realize is that the Dream isn't about tangible evidence that indicates success.
Instead it is the attitude that anything can be achieved in our country regardless of your
socio-economic status. As soon as I came to that conclusion I knew that it was something
that I would enjoy researching and something that I could write passionately about.
