Through many generations of American immigrants, there is a common theme of people seeking to achieve their American dreams. When this event occurs, one finds oneself wondering: what, in fact, is the American dream? At first glance you might think of a white suburban family that is content with mediocrity, but upon closer inspection, you will see that the American Dream is all about people from all walks of life just trying to be happy. Happiness is generally acquired through the people (or perhaps material goods) you choose to surround yourself with. People's expectations for quality of life have skyrocketed due to technology and the media portraying the American dream as a lavish Hollywood lifestyle. Some people would sacrifice anything for their dream, while others feel like they have already lived it. The American dream, while desired by many, is actually achieved by very few people due to the social and economic adversities that many Americans must overcome. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Jay Gatsby, a character from Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby, is a great example of someone who would sacrifice anything for his American dream. Gatsby sacrificed his old life and created a completely new person for himself with the sole purpose of being with a girl: "He had come a long way to get to this blue meadow, and his dream must have seemed so near that he would hardly have couldn't help but grab it." it.”(Fitzgerald, 180). Although Gatsby overcame poverty and became the wealthy socialite that many people consider the pinnacle of success, however, he failed to fully realize his dream. Gatsby perfectly fits the profile of an American whose standards are so astronomically high that achieving his dreams would be nothing short of a miracle. Another character from The Great Gatsby is Daisy Buchanan. Daisy, unlike Gatsby, values money more than happiness. Since Daisy is both rich and materialistic, she very easily realizes her "dream": she will sacrifice anything, including love, for money that can be seen when she doesn't even come to Gatsby's funeral, "Both she and Tom leave they had gone in the early afternoon and brought their luggage with them (Fitzgerald, 164). People like Daisy raise the question: if you start with wealth, where do you go from there? “every person's vision is different... The American dream is to own a home.” (Bean, written in the 1920s, showed how difficult it was for people to rise above the class they were in). born; even Gatsby, who rose from poverty, was unable to overcome adversity, and furthermore, the gap between social classes prevented him from realizing his American dream. Freedom and prosperity are the main reasons why people seek the American dream. Hopefully, by simply coming to America, you will get everything you have ever hoped for: “Like millions of others / I too come to this island / Nine decades the answer / Of dreams” (Bruchac, 9). Many people believe that when they come to America, they will somehow be blessed with unlimited wealth, but in reality many find that money may not be the key to their American dream. American immigrants come from many countries where they have nothing and often hope that if they have material possessions, they will find happiness. “Those who are of the opinion that money will do everything could be suspected of doing anything for money.” (Franklin, 23 years old).,.
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