THE AMERICAN DREAM

The American Dream

When thinking of this idea of “The American Dream” a few words/phrases immediately come to mind:

• Goals
• Success
• Money
• Immigration
• New York
• Hard Work
• Sacrifice

...and of course there are many more but these are the immediate things I think about when I first encountered the prompt for this blog post.  

Specifically regarding The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is exemplified throughout the novel...or should I say The “Gatsby” Dream.  It seems that the wealth and material possessions that Gatsby has are merely objects and the way he has acquired his wealth is just that- a way of getting money.  All of these objects and monetary possessions dull in comparison to his idea of being to obtain the one thing that money cannot buy- Daisy Buchanan. So, in essence The Great Gatsby is about Gatsby’s dream of getting Daisy Buchanan to love him once again.  

When considering the idea of the American Dream it is essential to consider American culture.  This brings to mind a few immediate things; french fries (but how ironic because they’re not American fries...they’re FRENCH fries), burgers, hot dogs, baseball, football, and also (I will preface this with an apology because I cannot help what immediately comes to my mind) obesity.  As of 2016 approximately 39.6% of the total adult population in the United States is obese. There is no denying that the atmosphere of America has had a negative vibe lately, and it is often times easier to focus on the problems of the nation that we live in, rather than the plentiful good things that we are fortunate enough to have in this country.  So, when I think of the American culture it most definitely has a negative connotation in my mind and since I connect the idea of the American culture with the American dream, this idea also has a negative connotation. BUT (just for you Mrs. Genesky) I am going to try to be positive and uplifting of this idea of achieving goals and “wealth” in America.

SO, going a little bit backward before we can progress forward, I’m going to describe the American Dream from the perspective of my family history.  My distant relative named Sophie (whose last name is forgotten) came to America from Germany in the early 1800s. While I never personally knew her and very few documents regarding her life were preserved, it has been passed down through family stories that she wholeheartedly believed in the idea of being successful in America.  She came from a poor family in Germany and being able to afford to arrive in New York City was all that she needed to know that once in America she would work as hard as she could to better her life- for herself and her future family. This is when the family story starts to get a little fuzzy and no one really knows what job she had when in America.  But, we uphold the belief that she was successful and happy with her life that she made for herself in the United States.

Flash forward to the present day United States.  I honestly feel that I often overlook the privileges and how blessed I am to be in my position.  Therefore, I feel as though I take the American Dream for granted- I have a family, a home, and both of my parents have well-paying jobs, so it seems as though the dream has already become reality for me. But, I think that my American dream and furthermore responsibility is to now use that privilege in order to better my country, to make sure that the American dream becomes attainable for everyone- regardless of their background.  

My dad always says that money isn’t what makes you rich- and I believe in this too.  Material possessions are not what make up the “American Dream”. Instead, having a support system of family and friends assisting you on your way to reach your goals makes you rich.  Rich in love and support will help you make dreams reality and accomplish anything you desire.

So, regarding my view of the American Dream, I think a quote from former president John Quincy Adams encompasses what I believe.  He said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader"  My American Dream is to do what I can to help others. I am so lucky to be where I am today and it is unfair to waste my privilege by not helping others.  So, by using my actions in America I hope to inspire others into action and help them accomplish whatever they dream.