The American Dream For The Balance

1008 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Steinbecks view of the american dream

Rafael Camacho Ms.Proctor English IV 20th Apirl 2017 The American Dream "The American Dream is 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." According to Kimberly Amadeo as she wrote the article on the American Dream for The Balance. Though there are many sacrifices that one person has to do just to reach their own dream and continue to uphold to it. Everyone carries their own version of the American Dream, in hopes that they will one day be able to look back and be proud of what they have accomplished by living their dream life in America. The author Steinbeck wrote about the American Dream through his novels, Of Mice and Men and The Grapes …show more content…

George and Lennie are willing to sacrifice anything to have a chance of accomplishing their dream and getting to the point where their dream is very reachable. On Page 15 of the novel it states “We’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs-- An live off the fat of the land” George and Lennie want to own their own farm and be on their own territory but most importantly they want to be independent and not struggling. Like Lennie states “Live off the fat of the land” They want to be self sufficient and live their dream of owning their own farm. Lennie isn’t the smartest character in the book but, he does have the biggest dream being that Lennie wants to be in a place where he can be fed by his own works and not have to go to the store or depend on anybody else, just him and his land. George envisions “Have a little house and a couple of acres an’ cow and some pigs” George’s dream mainly focuses on his wanting to have his own roof over his head and a home to call his. Financially, George wants to be able to sell produce of plants and animals for money to be able to buy the things he has always wanted to not be in anymore poverty and enjoy the fruit of his labor after all the hard work they have to go through to get to their dream together. Though the two main characters …show more content…

Though, they usually consist of a certain set of ideology about what the American Dream should consist of. An online Article by Michael Lind states “ The second formulation of the American Dream is based on opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” One's innate capability is what makes them accomplish their American Dream. You can’t have what you don’t deserve so it is evident that the American Dream consist of ones 4ability to perform and accomplish the goals you set before yourself to make it to

Show More
Related

  • Similarities Between The Great Gatsby Paradox And Dream

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    When reading “Paradox and Dream” by John Steinbeck, it is clear that Steinbeck does not believe there is one clear definition of the American Dream. He explains that we, as Americans, cannot describe the American Dream because it is always changing. Whenever we reach a goal we set for ourselves, we

    Read More

  • The Deceitful George In Of Mice And Men Essay

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    George and Lennie's ultimate goal is to "get the jack together," buy a few acres of land they can call their own, "an' live off the fatta the lan' (pg. 14)."  George talks in great depth about how their dream house is going to have individual rooms, a kitchen with a fat iron stove, and an orchard.  But, George only recites this yarn when he wants to get Lennie calmed down.  Lennie has the mentality of an 8 year old, the memory of a senile 80 year old, and only desires to tend rabbits.  George fully understands that Lennie can easily be manipulated. Even though the dream to have a piece of land is shared, George knows that by himself he cannot amass a large enough "stake," to buy it himself (pg. 33)."  Just as the boss thought, George was "takin' his pay away from him (pg. 22)."

    Read More

  • Handicaps, Hardships, and Friendships in Of Mice and Men

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream is a dream that everyone imagines to be picture perfect. The American Dream means having freedom, equality and opportunity’s to achieve the dream that you conceptualize to be right by you. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck did not want to just illustrate the American dream as being easy, but he wanted to point out the American Dream as being difficult too. Steinbeck made a work of art by composing a great novel to make the reader understand that life can be difficult and at times dreams are hard to achieve. Of Mice and Men was written and based on the settings of the Great Depression (Anderson). The Great Depression was a very dire time that left multiple of people despondent and the unavailing to move on with their lives. The Great Depression created a world where everyone had to seek and survive for themselves. In the novel Steinbeck wanted to explore and point out how powerless people where during the time of the Great Depression. Steinbeck purposely incorporated his characters to depict the life struggle of what people go through during grim times. In the novel, Steinbeck illustrated a great set of characters Lennie, George, Candy and Crooks. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck discusses handicaps, hardships, and friendships of the characters.

    Read More

  • Essay On The American Dream In Of Mice And Men

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream is a thought that everyone has at some point. Some are bigger than others and some are harder than others, but everyone hopes to accomplish their American Dream. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows that the American Dream is a myth, not a reality. John Steinbeck shows the American Dream being a myth through a few of the characters in Of Mice and Men. For example, Lennie, Curley’s Wife, and Candy all have American Dreams, but they also have some obstacles that stop them from completing their American Dream.

    Read More

  • Hope in Of Mice And Men

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    George and Lennie depended on their dream as motivation to live on and work. They've been working all their life to accomplish their dream. While taking a break by a pond on the way to another ranch, Lennie asked George to tell him why they are working and saving money. "Guys like us got nothing; they work up a stack and blow it in the town. But we're different, we got a future………" (14). Most workers back then just live on day by day, without a goal. But George and Lennie are different, they got a dream to work and live for. Lennie kept on wanting to be told about their dream a few times in the story, indicating that it's really important to them. George depends on the dream to save up money and take care of Lennie instead of using all the money like all the other workers. While staying in the cabin, Lennie asked George about their dream. "George, how long's it gonna be till we get that little place an' live on the fatta the land and rabbits" (56). George and Lennie's dream has been repeated several times in the story. Each time they describe it, it gives them more will to work and try to accomplish the dream. The dream keeps George and Lennie together so they can work toward their dream. Without the dream, George and Lennie would be different from what they are now. George would be like the other workers, spending all the money right after getting them. And Lennie might be in jail for accused of rape or get bullied by other workers.

    Read More

  • American Dream Essay: The Root Of The American Dream

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every American has a different definition of the American Dream, and what has been at the root of the American Dream differs between each individual. A popular myth about the American Dream is that every citizen has an equal chance to achieve success and wealth with ease. An immigrant may have a different idea of what the American Dream means to them, whereas an American that was born in the states may not entirely see it in the same light. The same goes for Americans who had to claim refugee status to enter the country and for those who became Americans through forced migration. Some Americans may not believe the American Dream is tangible, while others may think the American Dream is denied to them and actively

    Read More

  • The American Dream in John Steinbeck's Essay, America and Americans

    357 Words  | 1 Pages

    John Steinbeck, in his essay America and Americans, uses many contradictions to explain his views on the American Dream. I have witnessed and experienced many of these contradictions in my life. Through my experiences, I have learned to believe that the American dream is no more than just a dream.

    Read More

  • Themes Of The American Dream In A Raisin In The Sun

    1631 Words  | 4 Pages

    The concept of the American Dream has always been that everyone wants something in life, no matter if it is wealth, education, financial stability, safety, or a decent standard of living. In addition, everyone will try to strive to get what they want. The American Dream, is said to be that everyone should try and get what they hope they can get in life. In the play A Raisin in the Sun the author Hansberry tells us about a family where each has an American Dream, and Hughes in the poem “ Let America be America Again “is telling us to let America be the America that was free for us to obtain The American Dream. Hansberry and Langston see America like as a place to find the dream desired, although they also see limitation to obtain the American Dream, such as poverty, freedom, inequality, racism and discrimination.

    Read More

  • The American Dream

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream was derived from the United States Declaration of Independence which states that, “All mean are created equal” and that they are “endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (US 1776). This means that every person has equal opportunity

    Read More

  • Character of Significant Growth in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    George started this novel with a dream of living an ideal life with Lennie. “We’re gonna live off the fatta the land,” he’d say. He wanted to go somewhere off the grid with Lennie so that they’d both be safe and not have to worry about other people or Lennie getting in trouble. He wants to escape the harshness of the world that the two live in so that they can both be safe and happy. “I’d be bringin’ in my own crops ‘stead of doing all the work and not getting what comes outta the ground,” he hopes to leave the life of the migrant worker and own his own ranch and be his own boss. As the novel goes on he realises that any of this is probably not possible. No matter how much he saves up he will never be able to get enough money to buy and sustain his dream farm and Lennie is going to keep getting in trouble.

    Read More

  • The American Dream is Built on Family Bonds

    1300 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream is a concept that is essentially older than the United States, dating back to the seventeenth century. It was then when people began to come up with hopes and aspirations for the newly discovered, unexplored continent. The “American Dream” is in essence the idea in that puts forward the notion that all people can succeed through hard work, that all people have the right to the pursuit of happiness, and be successful. The definition of the American Dream has been expanded upon and redefined over time. The concept of the American Dream has always been debated and put under criticism. There are many that believe the structure of American Society belies the idealistic goal of the American Dream. It points out examples of deeply rooted inequality based on class, race, and ethnic origin. This idea is the base that puts in question the attainability of the American Dream for everyone. Generation after generation, people have strongly had a belief that with the right mix of grit, guts, and character, one could achieve new levels of success for themselves and their families. Implied in this amalgamation are the concepts of hard work, and a determination to overcome adversity. That, in my belief, is the definition of the American Dream; with enough toil and a strong backbone, one can take advantage of whatever natural strengths one has and manipulate them to earn success. As Americans we have always believed there was someplace to move, something to overcome, in order to improve our lot in life and raise ourselves up.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On The Great Gatsby

    1163 Words  | 3 Pages

    Up until now, the term American Dream is still a popular concept on how Americans or people who come to America should live their lives and in a way it becomes a kind of life goal. However, the definitions of the term itself is somehow absurd and everyone has their own definition of it. The historian James Tuslow defines American Dream as written in his book titled “The Epic of America” in 1931 as “...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.” The root of the term American Dream is actually can be traced from the Declaration of Independence in 1776 which stated “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that

    Read More

  • The Inevitability Of The American Dream In The United States

    254 Words  | 1 Pages

    The American dream is the very foundation this country was built on. The belief that an individual can take their dreams and make them into reality . By actually taking the cards you've been dealt and changing your life with enough perseverance, self sacrifice and dedication and not relying on luck or chance. Initially, the dream is based on the concept of being able to achieve upward mobility in society regardless of your race, gender, economical and social background. It relies solely on the belief that everyone is considered equal. Unfortunately, it was an extremely long time before this country was able to succeed in providing those rights to all individuals. "Inequality, then, is less an inevitability than a choice… we can alter the course of inequality" (Leonhardt 543). What makes one person achieve and obtain the American dream over someone else or is it just one huge hoax?

    Read More

  • The American Dream

    673 Words  | 2 Pages

    "The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.

    Read More

  • The American Dream Today

    1960 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about The American Dream For The Balance

Open Document