What is the American Dream?

The American dream is the idea (often associated with the Protestant

work ethic) held by many in the United States of America that through

hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity. These

were values held by many early European settlers, and have been passed

on to subsequent generations. What the American dream has become is a

question under constant discussion.

THE AMERICAN DREAM TODAY

In the 20th century, the American dream had its challenges. The

Depression caused widespread hardship during the Twenties and

Thirties, and was almost a reverse of the dream for those directly

affected. Racial instability did not disappear, and in some parts of

the country racial violence was almost commonplace. There was concern

about the undemocratic campaign known as McCarthyism carried on

against suspected Communists.

Since the end of World War II, young American families have sought to

live in relative bourgeois comfort in the suburbs that they built up.

This was aided as a vision by the apparent winning of the Cold War.

The American Dream appears to have enduring appeal to many in other

countries. The United States remains a magnet for immigrants today,

receiving 1 million legal entrants annually--the highest such rate in

the world. Whereas past generations of immigrants tended to come from

Europe, a majority of contemporary immigrants hail from Latin America

and Asia. Unknown numbers of illegal immigrants also enter the country

annually, chiefly from across the southern border with Mexico.

CRITICISM OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

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The concept of the American dream has been the subject of much

criticism. The main criticism is that the American dream is

misleading. These critics say that, for various reasons, it simply is

not possible for everyone to become prosperous through determination

and hard work. The consequences of this belief can include the poor

feeling that it is their fault that they are not successful. It can

also result in less effort towards helping the poor since their

poverty is "proof" of their laziness. The concept of the American

dream also ignores other factors of success such as the family and

wealth one is born into and inheritable traits such as intelligence.

In particular, in the US it is difficult for children of poor families

to afford college; not attending college sets upper limits on their

career success, and it is essentially impossible to earn a bachelors'

degree — necessary for many fields — in one's free time once one

begins working full-time.

A critical comparison of the American dream and the experience of

Italian-Americans is one of the themes in The Godfather film trilogy

A View from the Bridge

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A View from the Bridge is a play by Arthur Miller originally produced