James Truslow Adams: The Definition Of The American Dream

The term, “American dream,” was first used by historian James Truslow Adams. James stated that the American dream was, “That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.” Although the quote states a perfect definition of the American dream, this term can be interpreted in several ways. The American dream is achieving a goal that before was seen as impossible or unlikely, making a decision that could improve the life of future descendants, and having goals that you want to accomplish.

One of the various definitions of the American dream is achieving a goal that before was seen as impossible or unlikely. People feel that some things are impossible

All the time people risk their lives and well being for the future of their family. Peoples ancestors have migrated from dangerous countries to a country they feel is safer in search of a better quality of life. They worked rough jobs just so that their grandchildren could have food to eat and an education. This still happens to this day. People from all over the world migrate to the USA and work laborious jobs so that their kids can get an education and have a better life than they did. For example, in Joseph Bruchac’s, “Ellis Island,” it says, “Beyond the red brick of Ellis Island, where the two Slovak children who became my grandparents waited the long days of quarantine... a Circle Line ship slips easily on its way to the island of the tall woman, green as dreams of forests and meadows waiting for those who’d worked a thousand years yet never owned their own. Like millions of others, I too come to this island, nine decades the answerer of dreams.” The story shows what the the quality of life of the grandparents was like before moving to the USA through ellis island. The author’s grandparents waited long amounts of time and were later released to the city of new york. The grandparents were poor and had strenuous jobs. Towards the end where it says, “the answerer of dreams,” the phrase means that the author achieved the dream the grandparents were working towards. The grandparents moved to the united states to improve the quality of life of their descendants and now the dream has come