The American Dream Lives On By Yashmina Shaush

Maggie Millenkamp

Mrs. Smith

Advanced English 3

12 January 2023

America’s Dream The American Dream claims to be “the belief that America offers the opportunity to everyone of a good and successful life achieved through hard work” (The American Dream). America’s whole identity is comprised of freedom, liberty, and equal opportunities for all of its citizens. However, the wealth gap that continues to increase in America is opposing this utopian identity. It is impossible for the average American to achieve the American Dream if they are not high status and swimming in pools of diamonds. The American Dream still exists, but it’s not equally accessible to all Americans.

The American Dream is the ideology that has shaped the United States into

Many people argue that the American Dream died long ago as the USA industrialized; however, this has been proven to be untrue many times. This is especially discussed in Yashmina Shaush’s essay, The American Dream Lives On. She writes, “Countless people travel across oceans, jump across fences, and float in small boats to seek amnesty in America’s gilded doors. Just as millions of people sought refuge in the U.S. during the great migrations of the late 19th century, today that zeal to live in America still exists.” Shaush brings up the troubles that immigrants went through to migrate to America hundreds of years ago and then reminds readers that this is still occurring. Many immigrants still view The United States as the golden land that can help them achieve their dreams. In the article Small Business: Why The American Dream Is Still Alive, written by Gemma O’Kane, she explains “Small businesses have been referred to as the backbone of the American economy, and prove that the American dream is still alive.” Small businesses are a prime example of how the American Dream still lives on to this day. Without them, the economy in America would not be nearly as stable as it is today. O’Kane dives deeper into this idea, stating “Small businesses are essential to the U.S. economy and keep the ‘American dream’ alive, as they provide jobs for veterans, women, and other minorities, and they also put money back into their

While the idea of the American Dream is still definitely present in America, it is not as easy for some to reach it as it is for others. This is brought up in the article How the American Dream Has Changed Over Time. The article says “Many people speculate that the American Dream has become something few can attain. Owning land is no longer the dream. Owning a home is no longer the dream. Even having a good life is no longer the dream. Instead, many people strive to own the most expensive vehicles, the largest homes, the most stylish clothes, and so on. Under this definition, the American Dream can be possessed by only a few citizens.” This dream has been modified over time from striving to achieve the basic necessities and happiness to striving to have the nicest, most expensive material items. This makes the American Dream impossible to achieve for Americans who are not wealthy. A literary example from The Great Gatsby is mentioned with Tom and Daisy. Nick describes, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (Fitzgerald 179). This shows the sad reality that wealthy people in America are much more likely to get away with whatever they want while poor people are left to deal with the repercussions. There is