The+Dream+of+Americans,+Reflection

The American Dream After reading The Great Gatsby I found myself with a new sense of understanding of the importance of the dream that comes with being an American. This dream is unconsciously being given to us through the media and maybe through our own self determination. We are told that America is the land of the freedom and equality and that anything is possible. No matter the race, or privledge one is born with, through self determination, one can achieve the American Dream. Most people believe the hope that someday they will have the perfect job, family, friends and life. I believe that the media plays a major part in stimulating this dream. When I think of the perfect family, I think of all the childhood shows that my parents watched. Such as Ozzie and Harriet, The Brady Bunch, and Leave it to Beaver. All these shows take place with the beautiful wife who had dinner on the table at six, the husband with the good job, the two kids playing with the dog and cat, and of course the white house with the picket fence. I choose the picture with the man running the race because I think it symbolises the corporate race that people make on the road to success. Today I think that it is less about the journey and that now people only care about the destination. People want their American Dream to come true immediately. I know that there are many America Dreams, but to me this is the first that comes to mind. Another that comes to mind is when I learn in History about the past wars and the fact that people use to believe fighting for their country was their American duty. The American dream including men going off to fight in a war, bringing home victory and their patient sweet heart running to them as they disembark. I also think of the American Dream as it is seen through an immigrants eyes. My Grandma disusses how when her family came to America, they came through Ellis Island and for them, seeing the Statue of Liberty was not just a dream but a dream come true, for they finally arrived at the land of opportunity. The book The Bluest Eye touches on many hard issues that for me, makes it even difficult to read. What truly broke my heart was how in the opening it discusses the "perfect" American family with the daughter, son, dog, cat, mother, father and how each chapter would use one of the lines to introduce what the chapter was about in an ironic twisted way. The creepy twist of Pecola's invisible friend is foreshadowed by the title about Jane's new friend. This book showed me that not everyone can make the American Dream come true. My final thought that I believe necessary to add is that when thinking about the American Dream, I believe it is possible to try for the dream for the very reason that I am told in the Declaration of Independence, it is my obligation. I have the right to pursue my happiness. That is the note I want to end on.

page 2, the Dream of America