American Dream Essay

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The American Dream, as defined by Dictionary.com is, "the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available for every American." Unlike any other literary period, the Contemporary Period has taken the American Dream and contorted it into something completely obscene compared to its original form. The Contemporary Period began in 1939 and is still evolving in today's society. The American Dream was previously a goal that every American could achieve with hard work, but during the Contemporary Period the American Dream seems to be impossible to achieve. The dramatic shift of technology during the American Contemporary Period transformed the American Dream by giving it a more egocentric connotation along with affecting the daily lives of citizens, therefore establishing the aspiration for self-achievement, which can be revealed through the literature of this time. Technology began skyrocketing, which lead to a drastic shift in citizen’s daily lives therefore causing a new American Dream to form. Before the Contemporary Period Americans did not have all the luxuries that are used today; such as Internet, cell phones, and televisions. With the use of this new form of communication news and ideas were spreading fast. Social norms and politics began to change dramatically. As shown on the technology timeline within the past fifty years America experienced a rapid growth of technology that has never been seen before, only 50 years ago on January 1, 1950 the first remote control was invented. This remote was not wireless, but as only 60 years had past Americans now have smart phones, smart TVs and wireless internet that is available almost anywhere (Science and Technology). Americans have had to adapt to th... ... middle of paper ... ...as been defined for many years that every American has equal opportunities to become successful, but this definition has proven to be almost the exact opposite during this Contemporary time period. The rapid growth of technology, distrust in government, selfish wants of Americans, and the wiliness to go to extreme lengths in order to obtain cheap, easy money has turned this American Dream into something of the past and is nearly nonexistent. Now, no matter what a person does to try and achieve the “American Dream”, this person will never feel satisfied because Americans will always want something more. The literature of this time era portrays the downfall of real, honest work behind the American Dream, as seen in the poem The Money Girls. Additionally, Ginsberg poems distinguish the distrust in the government to provide insight on the deteriorating American dream.

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