American Dream In Thirteen Reasons Why

For many Americans, the American Dream is known as being a small business owner. However, due to Corporate America, the dream has decreased. Corporate America, or large business owners, are moving to take place of small business owners. They are buying out the small business owners and turning them into employees and not owners. In the book Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, this situation is mentioned. In teen literature, it is overlooked because it is so common in our world today. “It was the store that brought her to this town in the first place. After thirty years in business, the owner of the store was looking to sell and retire. And Hannah’s parents were looking to move” (Asher 72). This quote shows that the store was a true meaning for someone. Some may say that the American Dream for small business owners is easy to achieve. However, about 10% to 12% of small business owners close per year. It is also shown that a small business owner has a 50/50 chance of their business lasting for 5 years. Most believe that small business owners are also the job creators of

One of the biggest symbols of reaching the American Dream is homeownership. Half of the nations’ largest cities are controlled by renters, with only 57.4% of adults between the ages 30-34 owning their own homes. This study has decreased by 10.3% in the past decade. For an example, in the St. Louis area, home values have increased 6.2% in the past year. The average price for a home in this area is $164,000 with a mortgage price of $1500 to $1700 per month. While the average renting price in this area is about $823 per month. Some may claim that the American Dream is more than just homeownership; however, the price to own a home has increased while income has not and the price of renting is higher than it has been in decades. The Dream of homeownership isn’t attainable due to homeownership not being