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Music Analysis The song is “Peace of Mind” by the band Boston, written by Tom Scholz and debuted on their first album in 1976. Since I was very young I’ve probably listened to this song several hundred times. Starting with my parent’s original vinyl copy, to the CD version, and now to the digital version I still have on my iPod. When I was younger and listened to the song I never really paid close attention to the lyrics or the seeming message is being presented. Now that I’ve matured and entered a stage of life where I am more reflective there are a few lyrics that stand out to me. The chorus of this song really resonates with me and it goes: I understand about indecision But I don't care if I get behind People livin' in competition All I want is to have my peace of mind. The style of the song comes across in a sort of blue collar manner. It sounds as if it’s coming from someone who is a little more down to earth and likes to remove themself from the cutthroat hustle and bustle of corporate America. It’s about how life doesn’t travel in a straight line, it take twists and turns along the way. It’s about how life has its ups and downs so you have to accept that you are going to get behind every once and awhile. So many people in this country become so obsessed with making it to the top of the ladder that they lose sight of what really matters in life. There’s no guarantee that you will live a happier longer life if you concentrate all your efforts on trying to become more “successful” financially, because in the end we’ll all be gone someday. It’s important to slow down sometimes and enjoy the little things in life that are more important, than constantly worrying about the future. If you “play your cards right” you will ... ... middle of paper ... ...t work hard during the course of your life. It’s saying more that you shouldn’t neglect or lose touch with the things in your life that mean the most to you. Most people will agree that making more money is a good thing; however it is not worth losing friends and family over. I’ve listened to people tell me that they gave up their dream careers because they found alternative paths that made more money. We only exist on this world for a diminutive amount of time. So maybe the “American way” isn’t just to ascend to the top in order to be more prosperous. Maybe it is the struggle to hold onto whatever is important to you no matter how great or trivial. The song “Peace of Mind” tells me that you will not achieve peace of mind if you have regrets about things that you never accomplished in life because you were too blinded by the relentless pressure to “be successful”.
One of the themes used in this play by Arthur Miller is the American Dream of success, fame, and wealth. Furthermore, traditionally, the American Dream should be achieved “through thrift and hard work (Warshauer).” However, due to industrialization during the nineteenth and twentieth century, the American Dream of success, fame, and wealth through hard work was replaced by easy or quick success. The people of America no longer cared ...
The history of America is filled with rapid change and remarkable energy. "America has progressed from a small collection of European rebels to the economically dominant nation that it is today" (Literature Classics). Entwined in the provocative reputation of America is the celebrated ideal of the American Dream, a fantasy of independence combined with the opportunity to attain wealth through hard work. At the heart of the American Dream lies the aspiration of eternal bliss, which is always 'just around the corner.' The American Dream does not allow complacency; the need for continual progress is always present, urging one to work a little harder.
Wealth, material possessions, and power are the core principles of The American Dream. Pursuit of a better life led countless numbers of foreign immigrants to America desiring their chance at the vast opportunity. Reaching the American Dream is not always reaching true happiness. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby achieves the American Dream, but his unrealistic faiths in money and life’s possibilities twist his dreams and life into useless life based on lies.
...at the American culture places economic success at the pinnacle of social desirability, without listing legitimate ways for attaining the desired goal (Merton 672-682). Today, the American Dream no longer reflects the dream Adams had, but instead, the idea that one can only call themselves truly successful if they have become rich, regardless of the way they got there. The American Dream does not guarantee happiness, but rather the pursuit of it, but with the media strongly persuading people that money guarantees happiness, people are encouraged to do whatever it takes, even it means disregarding their morals, so that they achieve ‘success.’ The inability to achieve this goal often leads people to destructive, and ultimately life-threatening criminal behavior as their feelings of anxiety and frustration over this vision of the “American Dream” get the best of them.
The American Dream is nothing new to world. In 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote “The Great Gatsby” which was about a man truly living the “American Dream”. Everything he did though was to achieve wealth. He had elaborate parties in his fabulous house, bought the best of everything, and did whatever he had to do become the best. He started out with nothing and worked his way up by creating a fake life, even the woman he loved most did not know of his past. The woman, Daisy, he loved most was not even in Gatsby’s life, but in the life of another man. Gatsby worked and strived to get everything he had for a married woman who did not even love him. Though Gatsby thought he loved Daisy he only loved the idea of her. Someone who he had a few wonderful moments with, someone who he could see his life spent with. What did he really get out of life though? Wasted years to impress someone who never really mattered when he could have been spending it with someone who could of loved him for who he really was. Who was Gatsby though, no one can e...
The song lyrics above are from the soundtrack of the film Menace II Society and correspond directly to the hardships that people are given when growing up in the ghetto and when surrounded by a life of violence. Because they know nothing other than this aggressive and brutal way of life, they continue this violent cycle and rarely break away to begin a new way of life.
To do what makes oneself happy. The American Dream is represented in many different ways and every person lives and chases a different version of the American Dream. Chris McCandless lived his American dream by walking alone into the wilderness of Alaska. The song written by Toby Keith, “American Soldier”, shows the price some pay for their dreams and ours to come true. Jay Gatsby died trying to acheive his dream and get the girl he loved, but died happy because he had pursued her until his death. The band All Time Low wrote a song called “The Reckless and The Brave” that brings a new light to how we go about achieving our dreams. So I believe that the American Dream is all about doing what will make you the happiest in the end.
The American life is a life of greed, it is a life where no amount of money is enough, where happiness can only be found by earning more and more money. This system is exemplified in America’s world of business. America’s
... the Americans today – work your way to the top, can-do all attitude – live The American Dream.
First, John Steinbeck shows how Americans are dissatisfied and angry with many things in their life. There is a paradox that states “We find our time searching for security, and hate it when we get it.” This shows that no matter what Americans want, once they get it they are always searching for more. When Americans achieve what they have been striving for, they always go above and beyond to be number one. Also, Steinbeck explains how Americans convince themselves that their country has the greatest government in the world, but we find every little problem with it and do nothing to change it. Americans say how much they love the government, but when people disagree with something, they complain, get frustrated, and become so opinionated that they do not even bother trying to understand other peoples’ views. The American dream is wanted by so many people. They want the perfect house, the perfect family, and the perfect neighborhood. We all want the American dream but most of us do not even stay in the same house for more than fiv...
The quote , “ The millions who have nothing for our pay except the dream that’s almost dead today.” (16-17) describe people who have lost hope in their country. The speaker is saying that for all the work they 've worked they have nothing to show for it , the only thing they have are lost dreams. Which encourages one to ask, was the “ American dream” for everyone? Perhaps this was the America “they” meant it to be. America is a country that has not been with all its promises lost in greed and sin.The last stanza encourages readers to take control, start anew and make America the place they once dreamed it to be.
The Casting Crowns’ song “American Dream” presents the idea of corruption within the American Dream of working to a fortune. The song tells the story of a father who is constantly working to give his family the finest things. Since the father is so busy with work and trying to catch up on sleep, he has no time to spend with his family. A stanza of the song brings up an instance where the father says “Not this time son I've no time to waste//Maybe tomorrow we'll have time to play//And then he slips into his new BMW//And drives farther… away” (Casting Crowns 1). This suggests the child’s feeling of neglect from his father who is trying to fill his absence by presenting his kids with expensive gifts. Casting Crowns really does an incredible job
This song is an excellent example of the empowerment women and men may need occasionally. When someone is faced with a painful situation, people basically show two kinds of reaction: giving up or struggling. Those who decide to give up will usually keep complaining and blaming others for the situation they face. In contrast, those who decide to struggle, even though initially show almost the same reactions as the first group of people, they will finally choose to look at the good side of the situation they face. The process of being down, looking for the positives, and avoiding negative thoughts or feelings may be difficult but could ultimately result in the greatest gift of all, happiness.
This poem relates to me in many ways because in my life, I was offered many options to choose from and many roads to take. Since it’s my life and my decisions to make, I never regretted a decision I made, I just look at it as, that’s the way it was meant to be. Sure, the decisions weren’t always easy to make, but when you put your mind to it, think, brainstorm, and analyze a little the correct path or road usually will light up and give you guidance. I’m not saying that all my decisions were correct, they where not at all. I’m just saying that when you tried your best it never hurts.
In today’s society the term “American Dream” is perceived as being successful and usually that’s associated with being rich or financially sound. People follow this idea their entire life and usually never stop to think if they are happy on this road to success. Most will live through thick and thin with this idealization of the “American Dream” usually leading to unhappiness, depression and even suicide. The individual is confused by society’s portrayal of the individuals who have supposedly reached the nirvana of the “American Dream”. In the play “Death of a Salesman” Willy thinks that if a person has the right personality and he is well liked it’s easy to achieve success rather than hard work and innovation. This is seen when Willy is only concerned how Biff’s class mates reacted to his joke of the teachers lisp. Willy’s dream of success for his son Biff who was very well liked in High School never actually became anything. Biff turned into a drifter and a ranch worker. In the play “Seize the Day” Tommy who is financially unstable also pursues the idea of getting to the “American Dream” and becoming wealthy. He foolishly invests his last seven hundred dollars and eventually loses it leaving him broke and out of work. In both plays following the American Dream is followed in different characters and in both the characters are far away from it leaving them broke and forgotten by almost everyone.