American Nightmare Thesis
The American Nightmare For better or for worse, many people have desperately sought after the treasured American Dream. It is a dream like no other; it has no specific guidelines for one to know whether or not they have achieved the dream, yet for millions, it is their sole reason for working. Although this may seem ludicrous to someone hearing of the Dream for the first time, most would agree that it is perfectly normal to have a desire for such an abstract goal, after all, who would not want economic stability? Despite not having a clear description, the Dream usually means something along the lines of having a family, a house, a car, and a stable job that pays handsomely. Some may ask, “why is it called the American Dream?” While it is
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As previously mentioned, in order for the Dream to be realized by a person, he or she must truly believe that their success lies solely in their own accomplishments. If they ever came to the realization that their house was paid for through the bodies of blacks, then the dream is dead because it was not the Dreamer’s work that resulted in the Dreamer’s house. In an article regarding the obsession over the Dream, it is said that, “The myth of the American Dream is twofold… The material component suggests… a motive for immigration to America… The spiritual component, the metaphysics of the American Dream, is a blend of optimism and happiness... in which happiness is a thing to be pursued” (Sánchez 3). As the author suggests, a major portion of the Dream is happiness, a emotion that is meant to be sought after. Most people would be shocked if they discovered that they were thriving off of black bodies. Evidently, Ta-Nehisi agrees with this notion; he says, “This is the foundation of the Dream—its adherents must not just believe in it but believe that it is just, believe that their possession of the Dream is the natural result of grit, honor, and good works” (Coates 98). Dreamers can take pride in their possessions if they believe that they succeeded through their own efforts; unfortunately they must stay clueless to stay happy because they reaped more than what they sowed. In this case, Ignorance truly is
As previously mentioned, in order for the Dream to be realized by a person, he or she must truly believe that their success lies solely in their own accomplishments. If they ever came to the realization that their house was paid for through the bodies of blacks, then the dream is dead because it was not the Dreamer’s work that resulted in the Dreamer’s house. In an article regarding the obsession over the Dream, it is said that, “The myth of the American Dream is twofold… The material component suggests… a motive for immigration to America… The spiritual component, the metaphysics of the American Dream, is a blend of optimism and happiness... in which happiness is a thing to be pursued” (Sánchez 3). As the author suggests, a major portion of the Dream is happiness, a emotion that is meant to be sought after. Most people would be shocked if they discovered that they were thriving off of black bodies. Evidently, Ta-Nehisi agrees with this notion; he says, “This is the foundation of the Dream—its adherents must not just believe in it but believe that it is just, believe that their possession of the Dream is the natural result of grit, honor, and good works” (Coates 98). Dreamers can take pride in their possessions if they believe that they succeeded through their own efforts; unfortunately they must stay clueless to stay happy because they reaped more than what they sowed. In this case, Ignorance truly is