American Dream Reading Response

The American Dream doesn’t have an actual definition but everyone seems to know what it takes to obtain this so called American Dream. The American Dream has been relevant for decades and still lives on because America is believed to be the land of opportunity; with America being a democratic nation and the idea of everyone is created equal which lends to equal opportunity and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. All of the readings focus on how to obtain the American Dream or how they were living the so called American Dream. My goal for this reading response is to prove that everyone can’t have the American Dream.

In the book “The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea That Shaped a Nation” by Jim Cullen explains multiple versions

of the American Dream. Cullen mentioned Andrew Jackson was “Born poor in a near wilderness, he had forged success largely on his own, by his strength, his iron will, his exertions and convictions” (Cullen 69). This quote points out how Jackson obtained his success through strength and “his iron will” (Cullen 69) despite coming for a harsh beginnings.
In the book “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair it describes a young man and women by the name of Jurgis and Ona, in which they immigrated to Chicago from Lithuania, to work a harsh and dangerous meatpacking industry. In the readings it was explained the Jurgis came to in hope that the money he had earned in Lithuania would have a higher value in America. Working was an huge accomplishment to Jurgis “take a thing like this as he found it, and do as he was told; to

Be given a place in it and a share in its wonderful activities was a blessing to be grateful for, as one was grateful for the sunshine and the rain. Jurgis was even glad that he had not seen the place before meeting with his triumph, for he felt that the size of it would have overwhelmed him. But now he had been admitted—he was a part of it all! He had the feeling that this whole huge establishment had taken him under its protection, and had become responsible for his welfare.” This quote describes how Jurgis was being grateful to even work in America and no matter what he was willing to do it.
In chapter twelve of the book Jurgis had gotten inquired which put him out of work for some time. “Every now and then the pain would force Jurgis to stop work, but he stuck it out till nearly an hour before closing. Then he was forced to acknowledge that he could not go on without fainting; it almost broke his heart to do it, and he stood leaning against a pillar and weeping like a child. Two of the men had to help him to the car, and when he got out he had to sit down and wait in the snow till someone came along.”(Sinclair 70). With Jurgis not being able to work, that might less money. This proves that even with the hard work and determination the