The American Dream: Opportunity, Environment, and Social Mobility
Overview
This essay examines the American Dream as a complex force that both strengthens and destroys lives, analyzing how access to opportunity and environmental factors determine success. The author uses examples from Richard Wright's migration, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and Alexandra Shevchenko's experiences to argue that the American Dream requires not only dedication but equal access to opportunities and environments conducive to achievement.
What this essay covers
- Definition and philosophical foundation of the American Dream rooted in the Declaration of Independence
- Case study of Richard Wright's relocation from the segregated South to Chicago as necessity for realizing ambitions
- Analysis of The Great Gatsby characters and the human condition through the lens of greed, class mobility, and moral compromise
- Discussion of how individual background and environment determine life outcomes and success
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The American Dream
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The American Dream
The American Dream is like a strong force that has destroyed lives, and strengthened others. Even though the declaration for independence suggests that all humans residing in the United States have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," enjoying these virtues requires much more. Achieving the American Dream requires dedication and equality, equal access to opportunities, and democracy. It involves the freedom interlinked with success, prosperity, and opportunity. Besides, it portrays a collective commitment to establishing a fuller, richer, and better life for every individual in society. The goal is ensuring that everyone lives a good life with minimal difficulties associated with a lack of essential commodities. For that reason, the American Dream cannot be said to be about happiness. It is the act of achieving more than just mere happiness. Therefore, it comprises working with dedication to create happiness and success for every individual. More specifically, it aims to make happiness sustainable by doing away with obstructions to happiness in the community.
Naturally, Richard Wright could not realize his dream and desire to become an esteemed intellectual and writer in a society characterized by segregated opportunities and extreme disparities. Therefore, if he wanted to change his fate, he needed to change the environment by leaving the South and heading to Chicago. The South was known for biased law and racial prejudice that favored the whites and neglected the African Americans.