The American Dream

By: Michelle Graham, Dina Gonzalez, Jake, Irma Sanchez, and Oscar

10-11-12

The American Dream

The American Dream is a goal wanted by all yet only comes to fruition for some. America is generally seen as the land of opportunity for most human beings in the world. Ideas are somehow perpetuated that it is quite like an Omni powerful Utopia, opportunity for freedom, security, social, and financial advancement (King 572). Most individuals from foreign nations come to America with these expectations without the knowledge that it is an imperfect society, just like many other societies. One of the most famous quotes from the Declaration of Independence explicitly promises, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (TDOI). Having a government declare claims to give all people a fair shot makes the American dream seem even more reassuring. Yes, the American dream is possible but, however, one must acknowledge the flaws in the system. The declaration of independence is supposed to be the foundation of The United Sates of America, yet people are never informed that there are unspoken sociological clauses that include only a select amount of Americans. Being in a capitalistic society, it is easy for one to not be treated fairly or even attain reciprocity for their hard work, whether they are citizens or non-citizens. One must explore the pros and cons about any society to fully understand what he or she is committing to before bestowing perpetual loyalty for any country. We hope to find more answers basing our research on various articles that were first published in the New York Times, but were later on published in an Anthology in the book “They Say I Say”. We will critically examine the issues of equality, ability for advancement, how immigrants view American society before they come, and how immigrants view America after their societal immersion.    

 Works Cited

Jefferson, Thomas, Benjamin Franklin, and Et Al. "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America." The Declaration of Independence. Independence Hall Association, Thomas Kindig, 4 July 1995. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/>.

King, Brandon. "The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?" They Say I Say. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 572-73. Print.