Is The American Dream Real Essay

765 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: American dream

The American Dream is the idea that every American can achieve success if they work hard. Therefore, this means every American has the ability to achieve their American Dream but not everyone will. So does this mean that the American Dream isn’t real? Yes and no, the American Dream is just an idea and like any idea people will agree and disagree with it. While some people will achieve their dream a lot of people won’t be able to accomplish their American dream all by themselves. George Carlin once said “That’s why they call it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.” The American dream doesn’t come true because of money, as of January 01, 2017 minimum wage in Connecticut is 10.10 per hour. Another reason is because …show more content…

Now, if the very same person who was working at a minimum wage were to go to this college and they were paying for the apartment, food and college the total cost of everything would be over 30,000. Therefore, the person would be spending all of their money without any left to spend on fun things like drinks out with friends or going to the movies with a significant other. Now, if the person were going to a culinary school, for example the Johnson and Wales university in Rhode Island, costs over 29,000 dollars without any financial help. If you were to work at the minimum wage job and also want to go to this culinary school they wouldn’t have any money left over at the end of the year for things like food and utilities. Basically this means that it would be really hard to go to college without a well paying job beforehand. Now say a person was able to complete college and get a job that paid more than minimum wage you still need a house to live in. You technically could live in an apartment for the rest of your life but say you find a significant other, get married have a kid. You probably would want a bigger house, the average cost of a home in connecticut is about 170,000 dollars. You could probably be able to pay for this if you had completed culinary school and actually got the job that paid over 62,000 dollars a

Show More
Related

  • Is The American Dream Still Possible Summary

    663 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Michelle earned six small scholarships, two of which are renewable for next year, and took out a federal loan. She also works 16 hours a week in the financial – aid office at the university.” (61). With Wallechinsky providing Michelle and her mother’s story it helps many relate or agree of the high payment for our education. Immigrants come to the U.S hoping for an education and opportunities. To have opportunities, for example jobs, a family, and social mobility an education is needed. Our education is the key to many of our dreams but on the other hand it’s one of the main things holding many back. That doesn’t mean that all people have given up for example Wallechinsky states, “Middle class respondents surveyed say they take responsibility for their own financial destiny and believe that they will succeed or fail based on their own efforts. Still, many are downsizing their dreams” (61). This states that many have positive mindsets that believe that the effort and determination to work is the reason for their financial status. But by them downgrading their dreams it shows how our effort and hard work isn’t going to make wages get higher. However, David Wallechinsky has a point to question the existent of the American Dream as many blame

    Read More

  • Summary Of Two Year Are Better Than Four By Liz Addison

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    people agree with the state that Liz borrows from Thomas Jefferson, "Everybody should have an education proportional to their life,"(Addison 256). Unfortunately, the average income between rich and poor in America is not accurate, everyone supposed to become somebody in life; college gives opportunity to everyone who wants to do so, to become whatever they want, and at any age with a low cost. as much as the income level between rich and poor in America stays unbalanced; college will always be there to gives opportunity to people who want to learn, but cannot afford to attend university. Liz Addison points out an example in the article.

    Read More

  • Essay On The American Dream In The 1990's

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because the concept of the American Dream has been around for many years, it is something that is familiar to everyone. It can be agreed that people all have their own opinions and views about it; even decades have their own version of the American Dream. But what about for the 1990’s? What was the American Dream during that era? The American Dream in the 90’s was greatly influenced by three things: the expansion in technology, the thriving economy, and various, pivotal political events; based on those three components, the American Dream can be defined as individual success, such as money, power, fame, and development.

    Read More

  • Causes Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

    1728 Words  | 4 Pages

    Truth Behind the American Dream: Is the American Dream only a dream or can it ever be achieved? In the United States, the basic motto is to attend the American Dream. It is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. It does not matter if a person was born into a poor family; he or she has equal opportunities to attain the American Dream. The American Dream basically means success in life with a nice house, a job, knowledge and especially the pursuit of happiness.

    Read More

  • The Negative Essay: The American Dream

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some say the American dream is completely dead in today’s society. No. The American dream is alive and well for those who will go the extra mile for it. People may believe it is dead due to factors that may “hinder” a person from achieving it. These factors include, but are not limited to, discrimination, lack of job opportunities, debt, natural disasters, etc. These theories may be proven wrong in most cases, with the exception of some. The American dream is the idea that anyone, no matter the situation they are currently in, can eventually live a happy and stable life in America. The dream is attainable for a willing individual, who will work hard for what they want. This does not mean it will be easy, nor does it mean

    Read More

  • The American Dream: It's Not All About Money

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    As individuals, we have our own ideas of what the American Dream consists of. To some it may be the realm of possibilities, while to others it may be fame and fortune. America is the only country in which the idea of a national dream has been continually upheld, and we have been a model for other nations to follow. Foreigners have come here to live the dream, and all the while Americans are still struggling to find it. As we continue to search high and low for how to find or how we can buy the dream and make it a reality, Americans have promiscuously thrown their money around in hopes of obtaining the dream and consequently are broke and more miserable than ever. Does the American Dream actually exist, and if so, is there really a way to achieve or acquire it after all these years of unrelenting pursuit?

    Read More

  • American Dream Essay

    1461 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows American dream as an unreachable goal for the characters. Of Mice and Men is a novel based on two childhood friends, Lennie and George, who travel together in search of work. Lennie, the gentle giant, has a mental disability and an obsession of petting soft objects. One day, while stroking a girl’s hair, Lennie accidently kills her. And eventually by the end of the novel, George is forced to shoot Lennie. Steinbeck shows American Dream as an unreachable goal because of a character’s standing in the society, their dreams to be unreal and their dependency on other characters.

    Read More

  • American Dream Sacrifice

    1802 Words  | 4 Pages

    The American Dream is a dream that no matter what race you or what social class you are born in you are still able to achieve it no matter what. Many believe that the American Dream doesn't exist and that you cannot achieve the American Dream, however they are wrong. America provides access to the American Dream because people who make sacrifices are able to become successful, people are able to become closer to God, and people are able to get a better education.

    Read More

  • American Dream Essay

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone grows up with the thought of an American dream in mind . Unfortunately that American dream is only limited to the people who are not of color. Sadly the people of color and the american dream don 't match up to well. I feel that this is because it can’t be easily obtained due to improper education and never being given the opportunity to show what they’re made of. Maybe if we weren 't categorized by our living arrangements, or the amount of our wealth, or better yet being presumed as these incompetent animals who aren’t good for nothing. Then we too would be able to achieve our own american dreams ,but as people of color the chances of that are not likely living in a world that feeds us with this improper mindset.

    Read More

  • The Reality Of The American Dream

    1827 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mostly anything you want to achieve requires time and perseverance it doesn 't just come to you easily. In America we all have dreams we want to achieve, a set of goals for the future. The American dream is in your perception, what you want it to mean for you. It’s what you want to consummate in America where you can 't anywhere else. How you can succeed in life enough to survive and be happy. The reality of the American dream is the essence of any person living in America, immigrant or not. Trying to achieve in life more than their parents did and to be successful with a prosperous life, but many people believe it can’t be achieved, but with assiduous work and determination you can make your

    Read More

  • Social Inequality In The American Dream

    1416 Words  | 3 Pages

    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 it correctly. The dilemma with the 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.

    Read More

  • Is The American Dream Still Alive?

    521 Words  | 2 Pages

    "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.

    Read More

  • The American Dream Is Still Alive Essay

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everything changed in August 1963. America was mesmerized with the famous speech “I Have a Dream” delivered by Martin Luther King. People from all over the nation gathered for one single motive, social justice, and with that citizens of the United States yearned hope for a better tomorrow; a tomorrow in which they could see a breaking dawn to a day full up roaring opportunities for everyone disregarding their ethnic background, gender, sexual preference, or economic standing. This soon led to what is now known as “The American Dream.” America’s reputation for being the land of endless possibilities has captured both foreign attention as well as native patriotism. Success here in America is defined as having a good social position and a plethora of

    Read More

  • Personal Essay: The American Dream

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream is exactly what it seems to be: the chance for people to have hope of achieving something great. However, it demands pleasure of every victory one has earned, and the desire is always demanding one to work slightly harder and gain slightly more than someone else. Some may say The American Dream is no longer attainable because in many ways it is getting harder to find good paying jobs and harder to get noticed for skills one possesses. But to the majority of people, the American Dream is still attainable, it just isn’t the American dream one is taught to pursue at an early age.

    Read More

  • Poverty In College Essay

    1196 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hence, if earning a degree is the most important thing in a college student dreams, how could one possibly afford a four year college/university. There has been a comparison of rich or poor college students. Most likely the rich has firsthand of surviving a four year college but, the poor isn’t. At least 41% of

    Read More

More about Is The American Dream Real Essay

Open Document