The American Dream

The definition of “making it” in society is different to everyone, but one common aspect of “making it” is the accomplishment of goals, usually known as “The American Dream.” The birth and idea of this “Dream,” “was one of the most important American values, and belief in its veracity played some role in encouraging millions of immigrants to come to the United States” (Journal of Social History, 1980). According to James Truslow Adams, author of The Epic of America, “It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position (The Epic of America, 1931). As previously mentioned today’s

As the Sociology of Education states, “The popularity of sports among high school students is not debated and is demonstrative of the fundamental role that sports participation plays as a vehicle to achieve success,” but many of them do not move on to the next level (Sociology of Education, 2002). To succeed in sports, Oher would need both skill and determination to be a great football player, and for Oher to succeed he would have to look at his adoptive family, for Oher is not the only athlete of the Tuohys to play high school and college athletics. The audience learns Leigh Anne Tuohy was a cheerleader in high school and college, and her husband Sean played college and professional basketball. Oher, and Mr. and Mrs. Tuohy attended and participated in athletics at the University of Mississippi (Chasing the Frog.com). But the approximate percentages of the probability high school athletes will compete in college athletics and later professional athletics are low, especially in football. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) estimates 306,221 seniors play football in a year out of a total 1,071,775 students. Approximately only 5.8 percent of those seniors get the opportunity to play college ball, while the NFL drafts about 1.8 percent of all college football

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Dalton, Harlon L. "Horatio Alger." Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. 282. Print.
Kendall, Diana. "Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption." Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. 337-338.