Can one`s American Dream have a lasting impact on society? For many, observing one achieve greatness can become the inspiration for their ambitions and provide hope. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the American Dream can be defined as “an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity; also: the prosperity or life that is the realization of this ideal” (Merriam-Webster). Since the early 15th century when Christopher Columbus sailed from England to America in simple hopes to discover a new world with endless possibilities, the American Dream has significantly evolved by developing into a desire for indulgences and a beloved lifestyle. Throughout history, many acclaimed idols, as well as traditional …show more content…
members of society, have obtained this objective of having their ideal style of living by accomplishing improbable tasks and not conforming to society's standards. Unlike anyone else during her time period, Marilyn Monroe in a relatively short period of time created extensive significance on society simply by working towards and achieving her aspirations in the public eye. Monroe captivated her audiences by showing her inspirational “Cinderella Story” and ultimately becoming a successful star in Hollywood. Constantly traveling from foster home to foster home, Monroe, whom was originally named Norma Jean by her mother, was forced at a very young age to grow up quickly and learn valuable life lessons that would benefit herself in the future. The struggles that Marilyn faced as a child set her up for additional problems as she got older but also molded her into a bright young woman with an American Dream. Above all, Marilyn desired to be a big name in Hollywood and to be craved by the publicity, society, and men. Monroe faced a great deal of problems that stemmed from her childhood such as abandonment from both her parents, anxiety from constantly switching foster homes, and substance abuse from the ongoing stress in her life. She used her hope for her American Dream to cope with her stress which motivated her to work harder. Marilyn Monroe achieved the American Dream of becoming an actress and a star in Hollywood by overcoming immense struggles. She likewise never abandoned her aspiration despite the challenges she faced such as mental illness, abandonment, and abuse. One's childhood can have a direct impact on what the rest of their future can seem to be. As a consequence of not having a great childhood and having lacked love and attention from the people that she grew up with, Monroe later in life dressed to gain the requested attention she believed she never obtained. Traditionally, women did not wear revealing, skin-tight clothing out in the public but Marilyn Monroe did not conform. Instead, she deliberately did not accommodate in hopes to gain the attention of movie producers, film stars, photographers, and many other important titles in Hollywood that could provide her with her “big break”. She acquired her first entrance into Hollywood when a photographer took her picture at her job and the picture taken instantly became well known for her unique look and style: “Public response to Monroe's appearance and to a promotional tour for Love Happy was quick and positive, but, as Monroe realized, she appealed to a poor and working-class audience. With her sexy walk and overly tight clothes, she was joining the pre- 1934 censorship tradition of seductive and sexy blondes such as Mae West and Jean Harlow”(Richardson 7). Monroe wanted to lose her previous identity as an attempt to forget her painful past and recreate herself as her vision in her American Dream. As a result, she made extreme life changes such as changing her name from Norma Jean to Marilyn Monroe because it sounded more like a movie star's name, her hair color from brown to blonde, wearing more revealing clothes, and appearing to have lavish lifestyle simply by the way she walked. Her past, in the eyes of Marilyn, created a wall that would deny her from achieving her ultimate life. Movie stars such as Mae West and Jean Harlow were big inspirations for what she wanted to accomplish in her life. Both were successful stars in Hollywood that captivated the attention of the publicity by their outrageous appearance. Further, both West and Harlow had short blonde hair and always wore revealing clothing much like how Marilyn Monroe dressed. West and Harlow were additionally prominent symbols of powerful women that influenced the appearance and actions of Marilyn Monroe. After her career evoked, she needed to continue to make a statement to the public so that she was not forgotten about. In many cases, she posed nude for photographers which provided her with the attention. Her painful past of being lacked loved continued to haunt her; however, she used being nude to manage the memories: “Dreaming of people looking at me made me feel less lonely. I think I want to down to see me naked because I was ashamed of the clothes I wore - the never changing faded blue dress of poverty. Naked, I was like the other girls and not someone in an orphans uniform”(Monroe 16). Her American Dream of attaining the love from the public and becoming a star in Hollywood was greatly impacted by the way she displayed herself to society. When she was bare-skinned she no longer wore her past and she felt normal. Taking off her “blue dress of poverty” symbolizes her new beginnings and aspiring hope of her American Dream. Without her powerful and strong appearance, she doubtlessly would not have achieved her ambition as easily. Marilyn Monroe demonstrated the American Dream by being a strong independent woman and by not being influenced by the social standards of women during the 20th century causing her to be recognized by producers and also by overcoming the struggles of her childhood. Despite Marilyn`s immense suffering and struggle of feeling unlovable, one of her ultimate goals was to be married to one man and to be loved by him. Her father, Martin Mortensen, never provided Marilyn with the love of a father since he was unknown to be the father as Marilyn grew up and was only found out after her death. The lack of love from males created an emptiness inside herself that would only be filled by a man`s love. At the young age of 16, Marilyn married her first husband, Jim Dougherty to escape the foster child system and to be on her own. She admittedly confessed to not loving Dougherty and only marrying him to start the life she wanted to live. Four years later, Dougherty and her got divorced and once again she was on her own. After her divorce with her first husband, Marilyn later married again in hopes to find love and also to gain publicity. Later, she met and married Joe Dimaggio: “With her combined sexiness and childlike vulnerability, she had come to embody the Cinderella myth for millions of American, especially when she began to be seen with baseball great Joe DiMaggio, whom she married in 1954” (Richardson 9). Her marriages not only gained her success in Hollywood but awarded Marilyn with temporary happiness that she desperately wanted. Since DiMaggio was such a successful baseball star, Monroe expanded her audience by also being well known in the sports community as well. On the other hand, due to her extremely feminine and sexy roles in movies, she gained unwanted sexual attention from producers. Some producers would make sexual advancements towards Marilyn and only provide her with a role if she agreed to be with them. News about these scandals did often make headlines which promoted Marilyn`s name even more. Despite Marilyn`s strong desire for being a big name in Hollywood, she often declined these requests until she met a man who actually cared about her: “She kept trying Hold on for dear life with the man the man who had his feet feeling planted in achievement. Instead, they had their feet solidly planted on her neck or other exposed flesh”(Monroe 7). Monroe, however, appreciated the attention and publicity that was given to her by producers but the scandals provided her with a feeling of unprofessionalism and dissatisfaction. She continued to search for the man that would make her forget about her terrible past and previous relationships. Her short marriage to Joe DiMaggio did not last because of differences amongst their lifestyles. Marilyn wanted an extravagant life while DiMaggio wanted a simple life. Monroe battled with herself because she never had the security of loving one person at a time since the beginning of her childhood and she also never truly understood the meaning of love. As a result, she acquired boredom with all the males she was with. Eventually, she separated from DiMaggio and married Arthur Miller, an important playwright. Considering her bad past, Monroe did not want to settle to be happy. She longed for the opportunity to be truly happy and content with her life. She struggled with love her entire life, always searched for that spark that was always talked about in the Hollywood movie. Overall, Monroe's childhood impacted her American Dream by wanting to obtain the love of one man since she lacked the affection for most of her life. When doing the unimaginable the public can become one`s biggest fan but also their harshest critics. Monroe`s judgment was only motivation for her to move forward and achieve her American Dream even more. Her constant judgment for her appearances and the films she performed in affected her off the screen. Often, she was criticized for having traditional women roles of being “dumb and worthless”. Her most common role was sexy secretaries that catered the needs of men. She put in an innumerable amount of time to perfect her acting in hopes that she would become better admired and to expand her character's role. One of Monroe's longing goals was to put an end to the judgment and to be a successful, well liked actress. Eventually, she overcame the stereotypes of women and was able to demonstrate her true talent: “Her follow-up film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), teamed her with another busty movie star, Jane Russell, and the hit musical proved that Marilyn could do more than look beautiful. She could sing in her own inimitable breathy, sexy style, and she could dance with provocative bravado. But the real surprise was that she was a surprisingly adept comedienne”( Sigel 10). By overcoming the established character of women, the accomplishment allowed her to complete her American Dream of being a successful actress and star in Hollywood. This triumph was also a great successful for female aspiring actresses as well because Monroe demonstrated that one can challenge the traditional character. She became the embodiment of hope for people of all different situations. However, as a result of the constant analysis, she developed serious mental illness later in her career. Much like her mother, she began to have symptoms of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. “I`m searching for a way to play this part I am depressed with my whole life since I first remember-How can such a gay young hopeful girl be this way?”(Monroe 151). Monroe probed her thoughts to find the origin to the pain. She did not want to get her illness to interfere with the success of her promising career. Regardless of her suffering, she continued to work extremely hard to become more popular and appear more frequently in movies. She was not going to permit her illness from getting in the way of her everlasting dream. Above all, by overcoming extreme obstacles in her life such as overcoming stereotypes and mental illness, Marilyn Monroe is a symbol of the American Dream and hope for generations to come. Today, Marilyn Monroe is still known for her impact on society by achieving her American Dream despite the constant struggles she faced such as mental illness, abandonment, and abuse.
Monroe undoubtedly had an extraordinary and unique appearance for women during her time period. Without her extravagant look and her untraditional lifestyle, she would not be able to fascinate the public and obtain her vision of being a dominant member of Hollywood. Marilyn also used her tragic past not as an obstacle, but as motivation to make the changes she dreamt of. Her sex symbol image gave Monroe the attention that she always wanted from males. Moreover, her popularity gave her the opportunity to meet exclusive people such as DiMaggio and Miller whom she had romantic relationships with. Additionally, Monroe allowed the judgment of society to motivate her dream even more. She was tired of being told that she could not achieve her American Dream because she was different from everyone else. Even though the judgment caused serious illness, she continuously battled through the pain to make her mark on American films, music, and pop culture. In her whole life, Marilyn Monroe was an advocate for women and for Americans with a dream. Since her impact, Monroe has inspired countless celebrities such as Madonna, Paris Hilton, Kate Upton, and many more to live their best self regardless of what the public thinks and their unforgiving past. Due to her defying the traditional roles of women, female film stars have movie roles such as executives in business, managers, and other powerful roles. Today, she still inspires all different social classes` fashion choices as well as to never give up on their
dreams.
The America Dream is defined in general as a dream of a land that is better richer for everyone based on accomplishment and opportunity. This dream is usually sought after by people who have been deprived of their social and human values. People who have not been able to achieve this dream based on restrictions of their situations that plague their lives. These situations can be different for everyone, race, sex, handicap, etc. My question is this goal obtainable? To me there is one thing that powers this dream a desire to be of higher class, socially and financially. The one thing that drives this monster concept of the American dream has always been around since the beginning of time. In “The Lost Beautifulness” by Anzia Yezierska and “The Gilded Six-Bits” by Zora Neale Hurston this power is the source of main conflict in these stories. Money it all comes down to money, no matter what you think the American dream is the true definition is money. Money plays the biggest role in society no matter where you are, you either have it or you don’t. People come to America because it is the richest country in the world. In my comparison of these stories you will see what money does to cause conflict with Hanneh Hayyeh and Joe. The American dream can be categorized into many definitions, but behind them all one thing stands MONEY.
Achieving the American Dream has been the ideal for people living in the United States for decades. People believed that the way to get there was through hard work, also known as the “Protestant work ethic”. The American Dream can vary depending on the person. Some people think that owning a house with a white picket-fence is the American Dream while others think that it is becoming a celebrity with a lot of money.
...e in his success, believing that they might be able to change their lives too. The “American Dream” continues to influence people today. The “American Dream” states that people can change their social/economic status and achieve happiness. This ideal of social mobility continues to inspire many working class families in our nation. On a worldwide scale, the lure of any dream can give people hope in dark situations.
The American dream is something very tricky, but when you become truly happy, that is when you know you have achieved your American Dream. All of these examples listed above provide a reason to believe that the American Dream is still going strong today. Every person has a dream or goal they want to achieve and I believe that is what keeps America strong and going. The dreamers keep us alive because they keep new ideas and concepts flowing throughout the country. The dreamers spark new dreams and it is never ending, which keeps the American Dream and the concept of having a dream or end goal alive. “Dreams don’t always have to exist while the sun is down and your eyes are shut” (Alex Gaskarth).
The American dream is a slowly fading dream that seems to be escaping all the lower classes of American society. The American dream still exists if we examine correctly. The dilemma with American dream is that it has become so much harder to fulfill. Social inequality along with a lack of social mobility have negated the ability to accomplish this. As time has passed, the gap between the rich and poor has become larger and larger. Hence social equality has grown overtime. This would not be as consequential of a problem for the American dream if social mobility had stayed the same. Social mobility has decreased with time as well. Social mobility is the ability to move from one social class to another. Sociologically speaking, the American Dream
I see American Dream in this era as a product of cultural environment which has a concept of glamorous and luxurious living that brainwashed the society. The goal of the American Dream here is to live life to the fullest by partying and climbing up the social
The American Dream, recognized as being the earning of a college degree, the owning of one 's own home, taking vacations and experiencing upward social mobility, is a very important belief that helped create the success that America is today. Many people believe that anyone who works hard and has determination can achieve this American Dream. In this day and age, experiencing the American Dream is believed to no longer be as available to Americans as it once was. The economy and corporate America have had a strong impact on the availability to reach this state of success. Everyone wants to live the American Dream, whether they know it or not. I have never met a person who did not want to become successful. Even I had a strong belief that the
Marilyn Monroe once said, “Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world.” Marilyn Monroe was just a normal girl who did not have it easy growing up. She did not have a mother figure in her life, and she longed to be loved. She was beautiful, but she wanted to be known for much more than her looks. Her fame came unexpectedly, but it came with consequences. It transformed her into someone she did not want to be. She spent most of her career struggling to find herself, but her public image had taken over who she was. There are two sides to every story, and in this case there are two sides to Marilyn Monroe. Her story is full of heartache, but it is one that teaches a lesson. Marilyn Monroe was more than just a popular movie star; she was a public icon who was frequently misunderstood.
"I think the American Dream says that anything can happen if you work hard enough at it and are persistent, and have some ability. The sky is the limit to what you can build, and what can happen to you and your family" expressed Sanford I. Weill. The American Dream is still alive and obtainable. Many people have a definition of what the American Dream that is obtainable in their minds. People all have unique individual lives.
In the early 1900’s women were not prominent members of society. A woman's role in society would most likely be one of a wife or a mom. The ones who were accomplishing more things were jobs of nurses or teachers. Women didn't have such an impacting role in society and they were always expected to be poised and reserved. Since she died in 1962, Marilyn Monroe has managed to keep her fame as a, a sex symbol, an icon of her era, a money-maker and one of the most recognizable faces in the world. This was all due to the fact that she died at her peak she died at age 36 when her fame was at an all-time high, so she never faded out and never aged. Today she would be 90 years old. But remains forever a young Woman who impacted to much change on our world. Monroe’s efforts affected women and society in a socially, economically, and politically manner.
This brings up an excellent question: What was or what is “The American Dream”? The American Dream is to achieve - To achieve greatness, higher social ranking, wealth, a family, happiness in first class. The idea of it is supposed to be that when you work hard, your hard work will then pay off in the end. But more importantly, The American dream is a personal feeling. It is when you feel like you’re at the point of success. Do you have to have wealth and a high social ranking to have achieved the American Dream? No, not necessarily. It’s a dream, it is what you have dreamt and dream to have one day. Everyone has a different perspective when it comes to “The American Dream”. For example, a professional athlete such as a baseball player would dream of playing in the world series or his favorite baseball team or both who knows it’s up to them, an actor would want to win a Grammy and star in the movie of their dreams, a singer would want that big recording contract and become the number one singer of their time who knows. Whether or not someone can make that dream come true or...
Platinum blonde curls, perfectly applied makeup, and an outfit that consists of a single bed sheet. Her name can still be heard ringing through the air nearly half a century after her death. This inaugural playboy paved the way for herself through controversial photographs and risqué poses throughout various forms of media. All aspects of the picture above suggest everything from inviting to sensual, with her body sultrily strewn across the bed- her point is made crystal clear. Marilyn Monroe is the epitome of sexy; however, when taking a closer look at the gray-scaled image something catches the audience's eye. The tray of food carefully placed alongside her scarcely covered body, hints at another side to Marilyn Monroe's come-hither facade. In today's society, a woman of Miss Monroe's mature stature would not be caught dead next to a serving dish filled to the brim, this suggests a first question: when did the definition of "sexy" shift from a healthy weight, to that of a size negative two? Also one might wonder; how is it that one of America's most memorable icons can be considered "timelessly sexy" with a body shape that sends an entirely different message?
The American Dream was and always will be something that makes America great. It allows those with aspirations to make them come true. In America alone needs is a dream and the motivation to carry out that dream. Ambition is the driving force behind the American Dream. It allows any one that has an aspiration, a desire, a yearning, to carry out the individual dream. It knows no bounds of race, creed, gender or religion. It stands for something great, something that every one can strive towards. A dream can be a desire for something great. In America, the American Dream allows dreams to become realities. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as "An American social ideal that' stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity". To live this dream is to succeed. It allows anyone, rich or poor to have the opportunity to succeed. It is the ability to come from nothing and become so me thing. To succeed at any thing you do, you must have patience and persistence. It requires hard work, persistence and a desire for something better. To have these qualities and the desire and ambition to carry the moutis part of the American Dream.
When the term ‘American Dream’ was first mentioned in 1931 by James Truslow Adams, he described it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” (Clark). When Adams mentioned the term, it had much more of an idealistic meaning, rather than the materialistic meaning it has in modern society. At the time of it’s mention, the dream meant that prosperity was available to everyone. In the beginning, the American Dream simply promised a country in which people had the chance to work their way up through their own labor and hard work (Kiger). Throughout history, the basis of the dream has always been the same for each individual person. It
Although, (subordinating) there were other iconic people during the Twentieth century Marilyn Monroe is arguably one of the most famous women of that time because she changed many people’s lives. While doing some research on (subordinating) her I’ve come to realize that she did change many people’s lives. Marilyn wasn’t afraid to be herself and (coordinating) be who she really was. She showed women that they didn’t have to be afraid to be who they were and taught them that they were beautiful no matter what. In this paper, I will explain how (subordinating) Marilyn Monroe changed people’s lives and became one of the most recognized faces in the world.