The American Dream In The Epic Of America

America has been considered the land of opportunity. It 's a nation where dreams come true and success awaits for the hard working, the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream became a universal ideal in the mid 1900’s. The American Dream was first coined in James Truslow Adams’s The Epic of America, and was defined as “That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.” (HauHart, 66). The American Dream has different perceptions for different people. Some think of it as being prosperous and able to afford many or all of your desires. Others think of it as being able to live comfortably in your own home, have a fine career, and

Attending college is seen as the gateway to leading a prosperous and stable life and the most important step to getting a well-paying job. According to Joseph Stiglitz, “Those at the top have the connections and social capital to get those opportunities. Those in the middle and bottom don’t.” People of high class are able to afford . Tuition for top tier colleges and the student debt is higher than ever and keeps increasing. The total student debt currently resides at $1.4 trillion, with the average amount borrowed by an individual hovering around $35,000. “Student debt obligations can be a major obstacle to gaining financial independence, creating wealth, and reaching lifetime goals and dreams.” (Rose, 79). Students of middle and lower class are mostly the ones receiving student loans. These loans have the potential to severely cripple their finances in the future and hold them back from increasing their economic standing. Rich families are able to pay their child’s college fees without loans, giving them a head start on financial growth when they graduate. The accessibility and quality of an individual’s education are determined by their

In “Learning in the Shadow of Race and Class,” Hooks describes her life as a lower class black woman in a predominately white women’s college. Her parents taught her that having desires beyond her economic reach was inconsiderate. She was surrounded by privileged girls who were ignorant of the hardships of the poor and was further closed off because of her race. She felt shame and contempt, inhibiting her ability to function as a student. She experienced the same discrimination when she transferred to Stanford University, even though to a slightly lesser extent (287-294). Hooks argues that poor students that attend college will receive proper education only when they assimilate and embrace the privileged community. They must follow the norms and social scripts that are encouraged. Those that don’t are unable to proceed further in their education and usually end up dropping out, leaving them incapable to reach economic