The American Dream
Becca Leach
WSC 001
Dr. Pasupathi
12/19/12
The American Dream
My grandfather came to America from Italy with nothing but the clothes on his back. He did not speak a word of English and left his family back in Naples. Three years later, my grandfather had a stable enough job to send for his wife and son to join him in America. He truly lived the American dream. An immigrant hoping for a new life was able to become successful and raise a family. This “Cinderella Story”, however, did not come without obstacles. As an Italian during the times right after World War Two, he faced adversity and endless prejudice. Now, about 70 years later, that prejudice and inequality in achieving the “American Dream” still exists. People of different class distinctions have been forced to form different American Dreams that have to mold to compensate their social status. Although it has been 70 years since my grandfather came to America, the unjust adversity he faced still exists with not only immigrants, but native-born Americans as well. Thus, I argue that the American Dream is still alive today, but people of lower income status have to work harder for an honest, secure way of life than people of higher social status. James Truslow Adams was the man who stated the original definition of the American Dream during the time of the Great Depression. Adams wrote 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 and achievement, regardless of social class or circumstances of birth” (King, 572). This would be a wonderful definition if it were true. However, social class and circumstance of birth have a great deal to do with whether a person can be successful in life and fulfill their dreams. The cliché dream of having a happy family living in a beautiful house with a white picket fence is realistically a lot easier for people who were born into money to
WSC 001
Dr. Pasupathi
12/19/12
The American Dream
My grandfather came to America from Italy with nothing but the clothes on his back. He did not speak a word of English and left his family back in Naples. Three years later, my grandfather had a stable enough job to send for his wife and son to join him in America. He truly lived the American dream. An immigrant hoping for a new life was able to become successful and raise a family. This “Cinderella Story”, however, did not come without obstacles. As an Italian during the times right after World War Two, he faced adversity and endless prejudice. Now, about 70 years later, that prejudice and inequality in achieving the “American Dream” still exists. People of different class distinctions have been forced to form different American Dreams that have to mold to compensate their social status. Although it has been 70 years since my grandfather came to America, the unjust adversity he faced still exists with not only immigrants, but native-born Americans as well. Thus, I argue that the American Dream is still alive today, but people of lower income status have to work harder for an honest, secure way of life than people of higher social status. James Truslow Adams was the man who stated the original definition of the American Dream during the time of the Great Depression. Adams wrote 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 and achievement, regardless of social class or circumstances of birth” (King, 572). This would be a wonderful definition if it were true. However, social class and circumstance of birth have a great deal to do with whether a person can be successful in life and fulfill their dreams. The cliché dream of having a happy family living in a beautiful house with a white picket fence is realistically a lot easier for people who were born into money to
Cited: Graff, Gerald , Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. Krugman. "Confronting Inequality." They Say/I Say 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 586-603. Print.