The term “The American Dream” has a few interpretations, but one of the most popular is “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” which is the dream that most Americans strive for. Along with this, “The American Dream” gives the idea that anyone, no matter the race, gender, or ethnicity, is able to achieve success through hard work and dedication. Christopher Paul Gardner exemplifies the dream by embodying a true “rags to riches” story. Born on February 9, 1954, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin he has achieved “The American Dream” by overcoming various challenges throughout his life, leading him to success in the future. Gardner, now successfully residing in Chicago and New York, has faced obstacles regarding family and financial support, ultimately, …show more content…
prevailing over these struggles and achieving “The American Dream” (“Gardner, Christopher Paul” 1).
Growing up in a broken family, Gardner never knew his father and was living in the foster care system from a young age, moving from house to house, periodically living with his beloved mother, Bettye Jean Triplett. Although his childhood was scarred by poverty and family illiteracy, Gardner learned important lessons that have helped him become the man he is today. When living with his mother, she taught him lessons of persevering and being able to accomplish any goal he sets for himself. Despite the abuse his stepfather had given him, Gardner is eternally grateful to his mother for the lessons she taught him. From a young age her words influenced him greatly, realizing that if he wanted something, he would have to earn it. Without these lessons, Gardner would have never been able to overcome the obstacles that he would face in the future, which allowed him to accomplish “The American Dream” (“Gardner, Christopher Paul” 1). Once out of …show more content…
high-school, Gardner joined the Navy, moving to San Francisco, California after he was discharged and eventually found work as a medical research assistant for a scientific medical supply distributor. In time, Gardner and Jackie Medina, a former girlfriend, became new parents to son Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner. After nineteen months, Jackie had left Gardner, leaving him alone to care for their son. Although having no education beyond a high-school degree, Gardner set a career goal in the world of finance, in hopes to provide a greater income for him and his son ("Winners Never Quit, Christopher Gardner” 1). With no connections, he began to apply for training programs at brokerages. Eventually, Gardner was welcomed into the program, leaving his old profession behind. Just when things were looking up for Gardner his plans failed when the man who had secured him a spot in the training program had gotten fired. Having no financial support, bills that needed to be paid, and a young son to care for alone, Gardner found himself at a low point (“Gardner, Christopher Paul” 1). However, Gardner wanted to be there for his son, allowing him to strive harder, work intelligently, and utilize his time wisely. Christopher Gardner Media quoted Gardner in their article Biography, “I made up my mind as a young kid that when I had children, my children were going to know who their father was.” The lack of a father figure allowed Gardner to realize the importance of his son, resulting in him wanting a better life for both of them. By the year 1982, Gardner was accepted as a trainee in Dean Witter Reynolds training program for future stockbrokers. With his goal in mind, Gardner rose to success on the verge of achieving “The American Dream” by working diligently in order to become prosperous. After having accepted the position in Dean Witter Reynolds training program, he had soon perceived that the job was not enough to provide from him and his son, forcing them to move out of their home.
Gardner spent mornings tracking down a suitable day care for Chris, then at night he would have to find food and a secure place for both of them to sleep. Gardner and his son had spent countless nights locked in a bathroom at the Subway, until he finally secured a room at the homeless shelter ("Winners Never Quit, Christopher Gardner” 1). After completing his trainee, Gardner was given the opportunity to work under Gary Shemano, who was offering him a job at Bear Stearns & Co. He worked at the company for five years, now having a proper living space for him and his son. After leaving the Bear Stearns & Co., he began his own brokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Company, Inc. Now, a self-made multi-millionaire, Gardner gives back to the communities, and shares his story in hopes to inspire people. Shown through his passion and perseverance through difficult times, Gardner has become one of the most influential people in the world (“Gardner, Christopher Paul”
1).
A little girl dreams of a white wedding with white doves flying over the ceremony and the fairy-tale honeymoon. Only then to come home to the yellow house in the country, with the white picket fence included. Everyone has daydreamed about their future and having the “perfect” house, with the “perfect” car and the “perfect” marriage- everyone wants to live the “American Dream”. There are many people that believe that the “American Dream” is a concept that they are entitled to and expected to live. Then, there are those who believe that you should use the opportunities that America offers as a stepping stone to earn and create your own “American dream”. However, as time goes on the mainstream idea of “living the American Dream” has changed. This change is mostly due to the ever-changing economy, professions, and expectations of the American people. Throughout the book Working, by Studs Terkel, we meet many diverse groups of people to discover the people behind the jobs that allows American society to operate and how their choice of a career path has changed their lives.
The “American Dream” becomes an “American Nightmare for the boy telling the story and his community because things didn’t go for them as they expect they would. One of the stories, “It’s That It Hurts”, discusses how a young boy who is scared of attending school because of how he is treated differently by the children and adults, gets kicked out of school for fighting and they have no compassion for getting rid of him. The boy is frightened of what he will tell his parents, especially his father, it reads, “What hurt me the most is that now I won’t be able to be a telephone operator like Dad wants me to. You need to finish school for that” (95). When the young boy is kicked out, all he can think of is how his father had high expectations, hopes and dreams for him, so that he wouldn't have to be a field worker. Another story that highlights how the “American Dream” is destroyed for the people of the community is, “…And
Wright had a large family that all lived close to one another in Jackson, Mississippi, but Wright felt isolated from them because he didn’t have complete faith in the beliefs and values his relatives had. At a young age, Wright’s father left his family, leaving his own family to support themselves with little money. Wright constantly blamed his father for his constant hunger, and “whenever I felt hunger I thought of him with a deep biological bitterness.” (Wright 16). Living on practically nothing, Wright’s mom, Ella began to push her son into becoming the man of the household. Despite Wright’s constant fear of getting hurt, he slowly started to develop bravery. Without being brave, Wright would have never found the courage to write about his own life. The only source of support his family received was from his maternal grandmother, who ...
The American dream can be defined as the promise of living in America with opportunities for all, regardless of social class, and according to their ability and effort (Schnell, 2010). Proponents of the American dream believe that there is equal opportunity for all in the American society to achieve success. Success is not pegged on social status, race, or creed, but rather on an individual’s own efforts. The definition of the American dream has unique interpretations to different people. The most common meaning is that of a life of abundance and prosperity, characterized by economic rewards that enable one to live a middle class life of comfort. Here, success is measured by material possessions such as beautiful homes, cars, a high income, and the ability to spend on luxury items. America is considered a land of plenty, and as such, many who come to the United States in search of the American dream have this form of success in mind.
What’s the American dream to you? In the early 1930’s, the “American Dream” was believed to be achieved by a man who owned a white, two story home with a white picket fence, he had two or three children, his wife was a stay at home mom who cleaned the house and had supper ready when he got home, he owned at least one automobile, and he had money. In other words, it’s a man who’s got it all together. Recently the “American Dream” has added happiness to all of the 1930’s expectations. This paper is going to tell you about three stories; Edwin Arlington Robinson’s “Richard Cory”, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, and Michael Cleary’s “Burning Dreams on the Sun”, and how they relate to the American dream.
The American dream can be many things, it just solely depends on the person interpreting that fantasy. This dream can be just having a regular family, a wife/husband and a couple of kids, or it can be obtaining a level of wealth that you never imagined having. In the novel, Goodbye, Columbus the main character, Neil Klugman, is a twenty three year old guy with a philosophy degree and works at the library. As the story progresses, Neil seems to have an internal conflict about what he’s planning on doing for the rest of his life and trying to find out what is his ideal American dream. While he’s dating his wealthy and beautiful girlfriend, Brenda Patimkin, Neil has to decide is the American dream just about having all these expensive material.
To do what makes oneself happy. The American Dream is represented in many different ways and every person lives and chases a different version of the American Dream. Chris McCandless lived his American dream by walking alone into the wilderness of Alaska. The song written by Toby Keith, “American Soldier”, shows the price some pay for their dreams and ours to come true. Jay Gatsby died trying to acheive his dream and get the girl he loved, but died happy because he had pursued her until his death. The band All Time Low wrote a song called “The Reckless and The Brave” that brings a new light to how we go about achieving our dreams. So I believe that the American Dream is all about doing what will make you the happiest in the end.
In the United States there is an idea many pursue called the American dream, which differs from person to person. The American dream according to americanradioworks.publicradio.org is “a revolutionary notion: each person has the right to pursue happiness, and the freedom to strive for a better life through hard work and fair ambition”. Yet it has been said there is no real definition of American dream, instead it merely proves that it has an unconscious influence in American mentality (Ştiuliuc 1). The American dream is different for each person because everyone yearns for things that will they hope will in return make them happy. Whatever that may be, each person goes through different struggles to obtain what they want. According to Frederic Carpenter, the American dream “has never been defined exactly, and probably never can be. It is both too various and too vague” (3). The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse depicts the different interpretations on what the American dream actually is through the opinions and actions of Hector Esperanza, Efren Mendoza and Mrs. Calhoun.
In 1931 when the American Dream arose, Americans believed that the harder one worked, the more one would prosper (Meacham, 2012). In other words, they strongly believed that the American Dream was gaining a better, richer, happier life. Today, the American Dream is still hoping to earn a college degree, get a good job, buy a house, and start a family, but according to MetLife’s fifth annual survey, 41% of the respondents said it was about personal fulfillment, while most American’s say it is out of reach for many (White, ...
The American Dream is the idea that everyone is able to prosper and achieve success through a system of equality and hard work. The American Dream is very attainable; at least that is what America would like the general public to believe. America has built this image of a promise land filled with unlimited resources and endless opportunities, which portrays an equal society where almost everyone is guaranteed to succeed. In reality this American Dream promoted by America is a lie for many Americans. For average Americans it is possible to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps”, work hard, and achieve the American Dream but only to a small extent because of the inequality in America which is attributed to America’s systems of socioeconomic
From families looking to flee harsh living conditions in their native country to American citizens wishing to escape impoverished conditions through hard work and determination, the “American Dream” is a concept that people throughout the world have aspired to achieve for hundreds of years. Regardless of birthplace or socioeconomic status, the “American Dream” promises success, prosperity and upward mobility to any citizen with ambition and work ethic. Hundreds of millions of American citizens as well as immigrants have flourished in the United States throughout the course of history in a society with a thriving middle-class. However, in recent years, this dream has become increasingly difficult to achieve for those who are not already wealthy.
The idea of The American Dream, according to James Truslaw Adams’s, is that people should strive for a richer and a successful lifestyle, according to their ability and achievement, meaning that anybody can become successful, if the effort or talent is present. (Reference) Albee and Miller have both produced plays which interrogate the idea of ‘The American Dream’.
With America actually being seen as the land of assurance, the American dream is usually associated with the freedom and opportunity of gaining prosperity, recognition, power, triumph, and contentment. On the surface, this dream appears virtually delighted, offering individuals the exceptional hope of accomplishing success despite of one’s race, religion, or family history. The American Dream is accurately what it seems to be the chance of perfect lying nearby the corner. However, the actual nature of this dream prohibit the pleasure of the victory one has earned, as the desire is always demanding one to work a slight harder and gain a slightly more.
Evensvold, Marty D. "The American Dream: Stories from the Heart of Our Nation." Library Journal Dec. 2001: 200. General OneFile. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…” are the famous words every American hears throughout their lifetime. These words are part of America’s history through the Declaration of Independence, America is the only country where the “pursuit of happiness” is actually guaranteed in writing. What exactly are the “pursuit of happiness,” and the “American Dream?” As defined by most writers, such as Hemmingway, it’s becoming rich young and having the opportunity and will to do what you please with your wealth. To many foreigners, such as my father, the “American Dream” is just to escape poverty and retain a better life. Maybe, the “American Way” is philanthropy, making billions of dollars and giving some of it back to those who really need it. The “American Dream” is different to all people but always involves one common factor, the almighty “buck.” Current times call for new techniques in gaining the “American Dream.” The possibilities are endless through the World Wide Web, and the booming economy make it possible for anyone to make a good living.