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I Am Not Proof Of The American Dream By Tara Westover

644 Words3 Pages

” I am not proof of the American Dream” by Tara Westover.
The American Dream has always been about the success, but many years ago, the phrase had a different meaning than it does today. The original American Dream was not a dream of individual wealth, but rather a dream of equality, justice, and democracy for the country. But today it is about individual success by working hard and Tara Westover discusses about the American dream and the educational system, which is based on her own experiences as a student. Tara Westover talks about her first semester's experience of poverty and hard work, as well as the effect these experiences had on her understanding of the American dream. She remembers waking up at 3:40am to work as a cleaner, she then …show more content…

She talks on how higher education costs have changed over the years and looks at the structural impediments that prevent some people from succeeding.
Westover illustrates the reality of her circumstances and the effect it had on her life by giving specifics of her daily routine, such as waking up at 3:40 a.m. to work a job before going to class, and the physical burden of working numerous jobs while attending school. Westover also discusses how receiving financial assistance significantly altered her reality:
Westover uses her personal experience to address issues of poverty and inequality by talking about how having a Pell Grant affected her capacity to excel as a student. This narrative demonstrates that she was unable to escape her dire circumstances on her own and required outside assistance. This reinforces Tara Westover’s claim that the American dream is a myth. She starts by telling how physically and mentally worn out she was during her first semester of college, mentioning how she had to get up at 3:40 in the morning, working two jobs and mostly night shifts. This helps people empathize with her hardship and the struggle of others who are going through similar things. She establishes an emotional connection with her audience. She understands the challenges of obtaining an education in the United States in a sympathetic and captivating way by drawing on her personal

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