During the 1630s, Puritans were unhappy with the Church of England's religious rituals and organizations and sailed to America to be able to follow their own religious practices. It was then that John Winthrop, who would later become the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, gave his speech “City Upon a Hill’ to inspire the Puritans to work hard and exemplify American Exceptionalism. Almost two centuries later, inspired by the Transcendentalist movement, Henry David Thoreau conducted and experiment Woods where he wrote his book Walden that introduces his principles of individualism. Despite the depiction of the American dream providing freedom and liberty, Sojourner Truth reprimands the inequality African American women face in her speech, Ain’t I a Woman, at the Women's Convention in 1851. During the 1600s to the 1800s, values of the American Dream …show more content…
shift from unity to individualism and then later acknowledge the inequality of natural rights as expressed by figures like John Winthrop, Henry David Thoreau and Sojourner Truth. Ideals in John Winthrop’s speech, A Model of Christian Charity, contributed to American Identity by expressing his values on selflessness and hard work. In order to succeed as a community, Winthrop voices the importance of “[abridging themselves] of superfluities [to] supply others necessities.” (1) Arriving in the ‘New World’, Winthrop demonstrates his belief that all people should have more concern towards the good of the community than of themselves, in order for them to thrive as a colony. All people had important traits that would benefit the colony; therefore they must be willing to work together. Furthermore, to inspire the Puritans to work hard Winthrop describes their colony as a “city upon a hill. The eyes of all people…upon [them].” (Winthrop 2) The Puritans believed God had sent them there and it was their duty to work for him, so they had to dedicate their lives to serve Him. Believing they were superior to all people, Winthrop deemed it their job to be an example for all people, an ideal exemplifying American Exceptionalism. Although it initially conformed to Winthrop’s values of unity, the American Dream later shifts to follow Thoreau’s beliefs of individualism. Thoreau’s values, expressed in his book Walden, on success and individualism, contributed to the American Identity.
During his experiment in the woods, Thoreau discovers that to become successful, “one [must advance] confidently in the direction of his dreams.” (Thoreau 3) During this time, America was seen as the ‘land of opportunity’ and Thoreau’s ideals conform to the belief everyone has a chance to succeed and live the life they wish to choose. All people had the chance to aspire for bigger and greater things and living in America would give them the opportunity to prosper. Furthermore, believing in individualism, Thoreau deemed it acceptable “if a man [did] not keep in pace with his companions, perhaps it [was] because he [heard] a different drummer.” (3) America gave people the freedom to follow the economic, religious and political ways of life they wished to follow. People finally had control of their life and did not have to conform to the practices they had to follow in their homeland. Although the American dream gave people the chance to succeed, in reality this was not the case for
minorities. In Sojourner Truth’s speech, Ain’t I a Woman, she uses tone and repetition to debunk beliefs of racism and sexism. Truth shares her hardships when she said, “I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?” (2). Truth uses emotion to convey to the audience the trauma she has suffered through because of inequality. The repetition of the phrase “ain’t I a woman” is used to set a provoking tone expressing the build up of rage Truth feels, as a result of sexism and racism. Moreover, Truth exhibits the power women have, because “if the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!” (Truth 2) Truth engages with members of the crowd, specifically African American women who can empathize with her suffering, to inspire them work together to fight against the inequality they face. Despite the illusion of the American Dream giving people the opportunity to freedom and equality, the reality was African American women, and other minorities, were not given the luxury to reside with the life they wished to live. American ideals at the time still needed to progress for before American Dream gave the same opportunities to all people, regardless of race or gender. Throughout America’s history, many iconic figures have shaped the values of the American Dream from integrity to self- reliance and later addresses the discrimination minorities have to face. Towards the beginning of the manifestation of the American Dream John Winthrop introduced his values of unity and hard work. Almost two centuries later it is evident ideals of the American Dream shift with the transcendentalist movement. This is shown through Henry Thoreau’s work about his belief in individualism. Despite the ideals of freedom and equality, race and gender held many restrictions on the opportunities people has as expressed by abolitionist and feminist Sojourner Truth.
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American philosopher, author, poet, abolitionist, and naturalist. He was famous for his essay, “Civil Disobedience”, and his book, Walden. He believed in individual conscience and nonviolent acts of political resistance to protest unfair laws. Moreover, he valued the importance of observing nature, being individual, and living in a simple life by his own values. His writings later influenced the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. In “Civil Disobedience” and Walden, he advocated individual nonviolent resistance to the unjust state and reflected his simple living in the nature.
According to Ty Kiisel, writer for Forbes magazine, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” (Kiisel). In the book Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, Alger portrays a young New York boot black in the 1860s. Dick rises to become the embodiment of the American Dream through, as Kiisel notes, who he knows. Ragged Dick builds many relationships with upper-class men, fellow boot blacks, and even builds connections within himself, all while keeping his morality in check. The relationships that Ragged Dick forms are what make him achieve the American Dream.
The philosophy of the American Dream has been with Americans for centurie; James Truslow Adams says that, regardless of social class, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (Adams). Although this vision has never fully encompassed the entirety of America, it has been generally a positive ambition that all Americans should look past their circumstances and rely on only themselves to succeed at life. However, American capitalism and Marxist ideas have contradicted the traditional dream. Materialism is a simple concept, but its definition has been skewed over time. At ...
Thomas Hobbes in his Leviathan states that, "in the state of nature mans life is nasty, brutish and short". In depression era America, no greater truth could be said. There were millions unemployed, largely unskilled and living on the margins of society. The lowest of the low were the migrant labourers travelling from place to place trying to scratch a living. They often had to travel illegally by freight car with all its consequent dangers. Their life expectancy was low, crime was rampant and despair was a fellow traveller. This is the setting of John Steinbeck's, 'Of Mice and Men'.
He didn 't believe that the world should stop work and live off the land, on the contrary, he believed, “The human dignity, wild life force and freedom were preserved within such a working process. Thoreau believed that labor was not only the activity that could bring material profits, but also a play which make man complete and developed simultaneously” (Ma 384). Thoreau 's work was experiencing nature and living transcendentally in order to share the quality of life that nature provides. We see Thoreau in many aspects of today 's society whether it 's Lisa from The Simpsons, a means of transportation, or political protests, they all follow a Thoreauvian idea of looking at the bigger picture and seeing what really matters. This way of thinking was created because one man decided that society was too mainstream and he moved off to the edge of town and reflected; people these days that do that are referred to as “hipsters” but the influence had to come from somewhere, and that was Henry David Thoreau. A closer reading of Thoreau 's works can put a new perspective on a common thing and provide a new outlook on life. Thoreau was not one to preach rather do something about it, not for the money or the fame but because of his “love of life— reverence for all the life in the
During the course of America's lifetime, million upon millions of people left their homes and families in other countries and traveled to America in the hope of securing a better life -- the American Dream. What they often found was an unwillingness on the part of those already established in America to share society's benefits with them. For many segments of our American society, people substituted a reliance on family, or friends, or even faith alone, to secure these benefits for themselves and their children that was denied them by those possessing economic and political power.
For many around the world, the United States have become known as the country of opportunity and success. Consequently, many believe in the idea of the American dream, a life abundant with opportunities and with success coming from hard work. The Declaration of Independence further confirms this idea, stating that, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”(Declaration of Independence)
Have you ever woke up in the morning and asked yourself, “Why am I living this life?” Throughout the book of Walden, Henry David Thoreau questions the lifestyles that people choose; he makes his readers wonder if they have chosen the kind of lifestyle that give them the greatest amount of happiness. Thoreau stated, “Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them().” This quote is important because most of society these days are so caught up in work and trying to make ends meet that they lose the values in life. Thoreau was forced to change his life when he found himself unhappy after a purchase for a farm fell through. On Thoreau’s journey he moves to Walden and builds a house and life from nothing but hard work, symbolizes many different objects.
Firstly, the American Dream was a vision that varied for everyone, for some it might been having a house in the country, enjoying the fresh air and organic products. On the other hand there was always someone who wanted to live in the middle of the city, and enjoyed it's liveliness. Yet, even though they had different points of view both type of people knew the hardships that they had to face. They knew all too well that they had to be dedicated and they had to put in all of their time. They had nothing to
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.
First, John Steinbeck shows how Americans are dissatisfied and angry with many things in their life. There is a paradox that states “We find our time searching for security, and hate it when we get it.” This shows that no matter what Americans want, once they get it they are always searching for more. When Americans achieve what they have been striving for, they always go above and beyond to be number one. Also, Steinbeck explains how Americans convince themselves that their country has the greatest government in the world, but we find every little problem with it and do nothing to change it. Americans say how much they love the government, but when people disagree with something, they complain, get frustrated, and become so opinionated that they do not even bother trying to understand other peoples’ views. The American dream is wanted by so many people. They want the perfect house, the perfect family, and the perfect neighborhood. We all want the American dream but most of us do not even stay in the same house for more than fiv...
The American dream is an illusion of any person aspiring to be a part of a nation that calls itself “the home of the free”. Often imagery of America communicates ideas of freedom, equality, and success in life, from these we associate the American Dream. Immigrants are trying to escape from other nations where there are people dying in the streets and families that cannot make enough money to put food on the table. These people see America as the land of prosperity and opportunity; many come to this country for refuge. This view is shared throughout American history, when the Native Americans first arrived, to the settlers forming their colonies, to the Industrial Revolution, to the gold rush, and to this very day. Many people die to reach this land full of promise for a better life. However, the land of opportunity is not open for anyone, which is contradictory due to the nature of freedom and history of immigration in the United States of America.
Millions of immigrant moved to America in search of freedom, equality, and success. This is known as the “American Dream”. A famous author names James Truslow Adams stated, “Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (The Epic of America p.214-15). In other words, he believes that the American dream gives everyone the opportunity to reach an ideal place where you can be happy and successful; you can get there from your ability and achievement as stated above. The American dream made immigrants believe that they have a chance of receive equal opportunity, but when they got here they realize that it was a myth. Whiling living in American they realize that they were limited on education, voting rights, and jobs opportunity.
It is an undisputable fact that the contribution of such prominent philosophers, writers, political and social activists as Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau in developing American statehood is tremendous. The literary works of both men can serve as a manifesto of national and personal liberation, a call for building a better society, where each citizen can live and work freely. Indeed, both Henry Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin emphasize the independence and freedom of an individual, but they do so in significantly different ways. These differences can be linked to their different worldview, life positions, philosophies, or interests. Nevertheless, this fact cannot detract from the obvious uniqueness and importance of Thoreau’s and Franklin’s literary heritage.
Henry David Thoreau was a renowned American essayist, poet, and philosopher. He was a simple man who built his life around basic truths (Manzari 1). Ralph Waldo Emerson deeply impacted Thoreau’s viewpoints and philosophies, specifically by introducing him to the Transcendentalists movement. There seems to be no single ideology or set of ideas that entirely characterized Thoreau’s thoughts, but principles encompassing Transcendentalism come closest (Harding and Meyer 122). Spending time in nature and in solitude gave Thoreau an entirely new perspective on life. In fact, his doctrines regarding nature and the impact of the individual on society have transformed realms of political, social and literary history. Politically and socially, Thoreau’s