The American Dream Through Literature - 1496 Words

Despite it not having a name until 1931, since the birth of our nation, there has been a concept of the American Dream. That is, that any person regardless of circumstances of birth can become successful through hard work and persistence, regardless of where they came from. Despite many arguments on whether that’s achievable or not, it continues to be a persistent topic in American culture. As such, the American Dream can be seen though literature, which often is a lens into life during the time of its writing. It would make sense, then, to chronicle the appearance of the American Dream through literature, making a timeline of changes in the definition and opinion of the American Dream and gaining insight into how it should be approached today. Even before the Revolutionary War, Americans saw themselves as idealists and creators of an evolving, fair society. After the start of the Revolutionary war, much more thought was given to what makes America unique, and what it means to be American. Most of the writing in this era was political, but there was a good amount of literature about discovery of the self, of a new country, and of a new culture being created. One signature piece of literature from the Revolutionary Period that set in stone the ideals of America and continues to be relevant is Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography. Written in four parts over his later life, Franklin’s original intention was to tell his son William about his rise from poverty to affluence. AfterShow MoreRelatedEssay on Modernism at Its Finest in Literature756 Words   |  4 Pagesthe twentieth century, literature changed and focused on breaking away from the typical and predicate patterns of normal literature. Poets at this time to ok full advantage and stretched the idea of the mind’s conscience on how the world, mind, and language interact and contradict. Many authors, such as Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Twain, used the pain and anguish in first hand experiences to create and depict a new type of literature, modernism. In this time era, literature and art became a largerRead MoreAmerican Dream Essay1560 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the â€Å"American dream†? The answer varies from person to person, and no one has the exact same thoughts on it. One may feel that it is the ability to become rich and famous one day, another may hold it as a dream to live in a free country, while someone else may think of it as the doorway to happiness for anyone that will chase it. Just as the answers vary, the reasons behind each person’s opinion varies. Perhaps the person grew up in a war-torn country and escaped to America, or maybe theyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1395 Words   |  6 Pages Romanticism and modernism are two philosophical thoughts so unlike each other, modernism embracing the cold truth of reality in the industrialized world of 1920s America, romanticism this same world through rose filtered lenses, summed up in the words of Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald, â€Å"we are all just humans†¦ drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our broken bones.† Fitzgerald was a romantic living in the modernist 1920s, and his classic work The Great Gatsby was certainly a romantic bookRead More The American Dream in Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, Two Kinds, and Sophistication1537 Words   |  7 Pages The American Dream in Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Two Kinds writer by Amy Tan, and in â€Å"Sophistication† by Sherwood Anderson. Working hard is the key to success. This struggle for success is most commonly called the â€Å"American Dream.† The aspect of the American Dream has been around forever and is often the underlying theme in many pieces of American literature. The theme of the American is especially presented in Of Mice and Men written byRead MoreAmerican Dream in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott, Fitzgerald1386 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream is what pushes the characters in The Great Gatsby. It is the idea or belief that everybody has the opportunity to accomplish their goals and become wealthy and prosperous if they only work hard enough. There is or are some things about the American Dream that never seem to meet the expectations and needs of society. The characters in The Great Gatsby cannot grasp the concept that The American Dream is somewhat an illusion because not everybody can obtain what they would like ifRead MoreHow Does Literature Shape American Culture?968 Words   |  4 P agesAmerican Literature: Literary or Geometry? How does American literature shape American culture? America, a baby nation compared to many other countries, has shaped itself into one of the most politically and technically advanced places in the world. The definition of American Literature is any literary work written in, or about The United States. The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, The Narrative of the Life of Fredric Douglass and various other works of literature are all pieces of American literatureRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men 1687 Words   |  7 PagesWalt Disney once said that â€Å"all of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.† The concept of dreams and aspirations are what connects the two seemingly different Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun. Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, portrays a story of two poor farm hands living in California, one of which is handicap. This pair, despite all efforts, fail to accomplish this dream, showing a very anti-american dream aspect of this novel. On the other hand, A RaisinRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Luck Of Roaring Camp 1423 Words   |  6 Pagesfreedom to do what they wanted. This is where the â€Å"American Dream† arose from. According to Dictionary.com, the American Dream is defined as â€Å"The ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.† While this definition may be true, I believe that there is much more to it. I believe that the American dream is different for each and every person. Literature is a great medium to see this idea in. The LuckRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1411 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Follow your dreams. I am not saying it’s going to be easy, but I am saying it’s going to be worth it.† His message, â€Å"follow your dreams,† describes a common theme found in the American society. Countless movies and books ent ertain the possibilities presented by striving for one’s aspirations and display the rewards granted through the achievement of it. Most of these tales portray dreams as glorious, which they definitely can be, but few stories wrestle with the unpleasant reality that dreams may misleadRead More A Comparison of the Dream in Death of a Salesman, Ellis Island, and America and I1328 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dream in Death of a Salesman, Ellis Island, and America and I   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The American dream is as varied as the people who populate America. The play The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the poem Ellis Island by Joseph Bruchac, and the poem America and I by Anzia Yezierska illustrate different perspectives of the American dream. All three authors show some lines of thought on what the freedom inherent in the American dream means. The authors clarify distinct ideas on the means