Is the American Dream Dead?

Student’s Name Instructor Name Subject DD MM YYYY Is the American Dream Dead The goal of the American dream is to attempt to ensure that all persons are given equal protection and chance to reach their level of success and prosperity independent of their gender, social status, and race. This is to say that none is to be judged on the basis of their social or ethical status, and success should be based upon the individual capability and achievements of the person. The elements of this dream include democracy, equality, social rights, and opportunities. The main concept of the American dream was brought about by Truslow, which states that all men are created equal and there should not be any kind of discrimination when it comes to the provision of opportunities. Generally, it is a promise of mobility and prosperity for all. The discussion of whether the dream still exists is dependent upon one’s viewpoint. It can be argued that the dream is still alive but not in all parts of America since some countries still struggle with providing prosperity and chances of upward social progress to their citizens. Has the Meaning of the American Dream Changed? The original meaning of the American dream has gradually changed from what it was initially intended to be. Certain changes have been made in the concept with the introduction of new concepts and ideas as time passed. The origin of this dream was introduced in the year 1931 by James Truslow Adams who in his book “The Epic of America” discussed the new concept (Izaguirre 1). His discussion indicated towards the dream of a land where every man is provided with equal opportunities which allows them to live a life with equal opportunities and no discrimination (Pezzani 1). This dream was not only about getting higher wages or buying cars and so on. It pointed towards the issue of social order, which is given great significance in each and every element in life. According to Truslow, a person should be recognized on the basis of their capability and achievements rather than their social status and power (Putnam 2). The change in the American dream that has come since its introduction has overtime been based upon the aspirations of the generation and the issues endured during the time in question. The term the American dream started gaining popularity in the 1950s. During that time, the G.I. bill started providing education to millions of veterans and the concept of consumerism was now getting the promotions in a feedback loop. At that point, the move towards materialism was extremely strong. However, it was the late 70s and starting of 80s where advertisements started making use of the American dream concept as a selling point (Putnam 2). This trend that was started at that time is based on a materialistic approach which in the contemporary world has only increased. After world war II, the Senate of America stated the dream and signified the religious views on this regard and discussed that all men should be treated equally as this is what God has ordered (Izaguirre 7). There was an infamous “I have a dream” speech that was given by Dr. King in 1963. In the speech, he pointed out that the dream of equality is deeply rooted in the American dream (Myers 1). Today Forbes has presented American dream as something which is completely economic and the original notion that was presented back in the 1930s has no mention in it (EIG). At the start, the dream was only extended to white people. However, later it extended to other people as well including people from other ethnicities and races. The American Dream and Literature The concept of the American dream has been made use in literature time and again in the past, and is still used in the modern times. It was not until 1931 that Truslow came up with the term “American dream” since then; it has found use in different literature (Downs, and Beth Stetson 689). However, the notion and main concept of the American dream has been used several times way before it. The concept seems to have arose back in 1776 during the declaration of independence. It is widely mentioned from the autobiographies to the novels done by famous writers. Some of the famous novels in which the idea of the American dream has been mentioned include “The Great Gatsby (1925)”, “Song of Solomon (1977), and fight club (1996), etc (Izaguirre 6). It has also been used in different plays including a famous play “Death of a Salesman which was written by Arthur Miller. In this play, the main character was on a search for the American dream. There are several other plays as well which were performed that revolve around the American dream. Benjamin Franklin in his autobiography (1793) discussed the positive elements of the American dream (Izaguirre 7). However, some authors have also depicted the American dream as a negative concept like in the infamous novel “The Great Gatsby” (Izaguirre 6). This novel paints the American dream in a negative light by showing it as something which is destructive and not beneficial. During the economic despair of the great depression phase which is considered as one of the most distressing time in American history and significant time for its literature, the concept of the American dream was given huge attention (Izaguirre 2). It frequently appeared on advertisements for different articles, books, and plays to make the public aware of it. There is also literature in which people from certain races depicts the dark side of American history. For example, Hughes in “Let America Be America Again” discussed how he encountered acts of discrimination and discussed the fundamentals of the American dream (Illinois). The same author in his poem “Harlem” suggested that those groups who are in minority populations are denied their dreams and rights in the US. The lines from this poem had been used in a play called “A Raisin in the sun”. Before becoming the President in 2008, Barack Obama wrote a Book Titled “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream” (Jillson 16). The book tries to show how some of the politicians interpret the American dream concept. The American dream is a topic which has been used in literature several times over the years and is still used in the modern world (Jillson 16). Many professionals from novelists to politicians have used this term in their literature to demonstrate its real meaning and the significant elements that are connected to it. How the state of The American Dream is currently Through the elections that were conducted in 2016, deep economic, social, and geographic...