The American Dream

What is the American Dream? 

A question which may be pondered upon by many people when asked about the American Dream, is what really is the American dream? What is its meaning? According to the interpretation of the American Dream by google, the American dream is “the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination and initiative.”Still, grievously the people of America have came to various conclusions on the issue of the American dream. A few suppose that the American dream was of the past and is no longer. Others believe that the American dream lives on. Another issue surfaces, surrounding the American dream concerning inequality. It is very certain that many a time, in past and present times, individuals have not been able to hold the amount of equal access to opportunities as adequately as some others. Be that as it may, in these circumstances when individuals are responsible for creating their American dream in the midst of injustice, how responsible are individuals for creating their dream? To what extent are individuals to be accounted for, in the achievement of their American dream?

A Raisin in the Sun

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun”
, the play shares a theme of a poor African American family, struggling to achieve their own American Dreams as individuals and as a family. There are four main characters: Walter (son), Ruth (Walter’s Wife), Benetha (Walter’s sister) and Mama (the mother of Walter and Benetha.)  A main occurrence of the play which drives it is that the family earns ten thousand dollars in insurance money, after the death of Mama’s husband. Walter is one of the characters trying to fulfill his American dream and at one point in the play, he speaks certain words. In Act 2 scene 1 page 94-96, Walter tells his mother “What you need me to say you done right for? You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. So what you need for me to say it was all right for? So you butchered up a dream of mine-you-who always talking ’bout your children’s dreams…” When I came upon these words which Walter said, in my eyes I believed that this statement was unfair and rather pitiful. Though I agree that Walter Lee is going through a rather difficult time in trying to fulfill his dream, his approach in trying to achieve it is a little lacking in effort and his own responsibility. You see, when you look at what Walter is saying to his mother- he is asking her for money which does not completely belong to him. The focus here isn’t the money, but the fact that Walter is blaming his mother and telling her that she has robbed his dreams. Though I strongly hold the belief that no one can rob you of your dreams because you are the holder of your them. You cannot depend on others to provide for you or to fight your fight. In Walter’s case, rather than having pity and blaming his mother, if he truly wants to achieve his dreams, he should go and make the money himself. No matter the cost, if it is of importance to him, he should go and capture his dreams. It is a matter of how much an individual yearns for their dream and the extent that they are willing to go to.

In another particular portion of the play, Benetha becomes immensely upset after her brother’s loss of her father’s insurance money. Part of the money was going to pay for her college fees which would make way for her to accomplish her American dream of becoming a doctor. In a conversation that Benetha has with her fried Asagi, he provides her with strong words and advice. The discussion comes about in Act 3 scene 1 pages 134-135.  Asagai:“Was it your money?” Benetha: “What?” Asagai: “Was it your money he gave away?” Benetha: “It belonged to all of us.” Asagai: “Then isn’t there something wrong in a house-in a world-where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?..” Much the same as her brother, Benetha’s dreams are driven and dependent on her father’s insurance money. Before her converse with Asagai, it never occurred to her the pity that she was having. It is Benetha who the dream of becoming a doctor belongs to. Benetha’s dream is her dream she is responsible for making it come true with her own efforts and perseverance. Letting other forces get in your way, leads to a dream deferred.

 

 “American Dream is not dead” and “The American Dream is Leaving America” 

The article,” American Dream is not dead” can be taken into context, to provide a view of what people in America feel is the way to reach the American Dream and who is responsible for making it a reality. “When it comes to getting ahead, more people than ever think it’s their own talents and hard work…There’s a belief that it’s on you as an individual to make it happen.” Yet, the article also goes onto say that “No doubt for those trying to get by, it’s been a rough ride.” Such situations of when individuals in America, may be going through a tough ride, is when for an instance, individuals are faced with inequalities. This is where the article “The American Dream is Leaving America,” comes into play. “…Americans consider the greatest threat to our country to be the growing gap between the rich and poor.” It also mentions “Too often, America’s education system amplifies not opportunity but inequality.” These are just the few areas where there are inequalities encountered by people. Just like this, in “A Raisin in the Sun”, Mama speaks of her husband, saying “I guess that’s how come that man finally worked himself to death like he done…Yes, a fine man-just couldn’t never catch up with his dreams, that’s all.”(pg 45-46) The Younger family, struggled with poverty-trying to accomplish their dreams. This inequality the family faced, was a disadvantage to them. Like this family, in reality people in America do face what it seems like impossibilities and calamities in an effort to accomplish their dreams. So, the question remains on what mercy and grace these people who work the hardest and never seem to advance, are responsible for their dream? This is a question that has been as a paradox to me. I cannot possibly answer this, yet I can come to the conclusion that individuals are greatly responsible for fulfilling their American dream,through hard work and persistence. They may at times encounter inequalities that hinder their efforts in reaching their American Dream and thereby never enabling them to reach it.

To what extent are individuals responsible for creating their American Dream?

To conclude, the American dream is not any different from an ordinary dream which a human being posses . Nonetheless, what makes an ordinary dream different from an American dream is the opportunity given in the country America. There is I believe, no other country in the world that gives such opportunities like America. I believe that other countries learned from America and changed their ways in order to be like America-because America was an example of success to these countries. People from all around the world think of America as the land of the free with great opportunities. To tell the truth, my family was one who came to America to gain from the opportunities that she gives, because where we were-in Sri Lanka, it was difficult. Further, we must not forget that it all began with the people who first built it and made it what it is. They did not do it for the sake of doing so, but they did so having a purpose and dream; to be free. They did not wait for others to help them or dwell in their sadness and dismay, instead they built a great country. I came upon this certain quote by Mark Zuckerberg which applies to hard work. “Some people dream of success…while others wake up and work hard at it.” In regards to to what extent individuals are responsible for creating their American dream, I believe that we are responsible when given the opportunities and we should take advantage of the given opportunities. We should take it as a gift, and pay back the country, the people who founded it, and ourselves by fixating our hard work on our dreams. Thus, my stance can be said in the words that in America, people who are given  the opportunities are fully responsible for creating their American dream. If people in our America convey their complaints that there is a lack of opportunities in America, then how much less opportunities are they lacking in less developed countries. I do believe that many people in America-of course, are faced with unfortunate circumstances. Yet they must put effort to fulfill their dreams. A genius himself by the name of  Albert Einstein said “Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work…” I can only say that the extent of responsibility is determined by the extent of hard work that people as individuals apply in order to accomplish their dreams. If we work hard, then we ourselves as individuals are aware, that we put our all in all into the dream we yearned for. So then, we completed our responsibility and what blame shall we deserve for not giving our greatest dedication. In simpler terms, what I am trying to convey is that the amount of hard work applied, equals how responsible people are in accomplishing their dreams. Lastly, I cannot speak for others, but I just know that I am so grateful for being in America where I am free and I am blessed. If I had to make the decision of choosing only one country I could live in,my country of origin Sri Lanka or America, I would with certainty choose America. I am a believer of the American Dream.