The American Dream By James Truslow Adams - 1243 Words

Following the end of the Great War, America became a inward, highly materialistic society, focused on improving itself and remaining distant from foreign issues. In doing this, corruption and illegal practices became commonplace as men and women tried to make a name for themselves in this highly aristocratic America. This spike in questionable practices further withheld the American Dream from those wishing to achieve it the way it was intended, through hard work and perseverance. In 1931, James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream, â€Å"life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, regardless of one s class or circumstances of birth. More and more people were being denied the American Dream every, yet they still strived to make something of themselves and succeed in a world where everything was working against them. Fitzgerald s stance on the American Dream is that even though it has been killed by corruption, it still has strong control over people s wills. Fitzgerald supports his stance that the American Dream has been killed by corruption through Nick’s experience in the city. Even though Nick is moving to a city where the American Dream has been rendered unattainable due to rampant corruption, his actions are still strongly influenced by its idea. Moving into a small cottage in West Egg, new money surrounds him, and Nick soon plans to make some for himself, â€Å"I bought a dozen volumes onShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1130 Words   |  5 Pagesof the American Dream. The American Dream has changed dramatically over the few centuries. During the Founding Fathers’ time, many believed the American Dream meant freedom, equality, and mutual respect. Time has changed this ideology of the American Dream, which is now seen as owning a million dollar mansion with multiple luxury cars. This isn’t the case for many immigrants who c ome to the Americas to have a better life for themselves and their family. To many of them, the American Dream is as simpleRead MoreJames Truslow Adams : The American Dream1800 Words   |  8 PagesThe American Dream The American Dream was something everyone wanted to achieve in the 1930’s; however, many people did not get there because they either gave up, or did not find what they were looking for. Many people were just looking to get away and find their own happiness so they made their own American Dream. As historian James Adams said ... a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest statureRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams Essay1886 Words   |  8 PagesJames Truslow Adams in 1931 coined the term â€Å"The American Dream† in his book The Epic of America (Michels, n.d., para. 1). He wrote of an America that offered freedom of religion, and speech, as well as political and social opportunities that few other countries offered. However, according to Eva Michels, â€Å"The American Dream† means something different for each individual, it refers to the way of li fe that Americans strive for and have equal rights to achieve regardless of social class or nationalityRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream, coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, had been a popular term that had; given motivation to the dissatisfied, reduced the influence of race and one’s social position on achieving their goals, advertised America as a land that offered an abundant amount of possibilities that no other country could match, and unified the country under the same desire of wealth and prosperity, even in times of great despair. Adams had constructed the idea, â€Å"...that American dream of a better, richerRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams803 Words   |  4 PagesThe term â€Å" The American Dream† can be coined to historian James Truslow Adams in the early 1930’s. Adams believed that the true commitment for the American society was based of material success that was o btained by individual competition of the citizens. Furthermore, stating that the American citizens had been conditioned to desire success, with an honest belief that it was possible for one to achieve it. This was possible because the very principles that American society represented, helped eachRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream is the sole reason that millions of people decided to come to this country, whether it be generations ago, or last week. But even so, this shared dream faces problems. To solve the problem, the American Dream has to be defined. James Truslow Adams, author of the 1931 book The Epic of America, was the first person to mention and therefore define the American Dream. He established it as: â€Å"[T]hat dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, withRead MoreJames Truslow Adams And The American Dream1392 Words   |  6 Pages While the idea of the American Dream became more popular during the 17th to 20th centuries, the achievability remained elusive due to a static and hierarchical social order that prevailed throughout this time. Thus, the tireless claims of the New Left for a reformed society are supported by the unchanging accessibility of the American Dream. In his book The Epic of America (1931), James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream as â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer andRead MoreJames Truslow Adams And The American Dream1371 Words   |  6 Pagesand dreams. Although this is a simple concept, how one must work to achieve these goals is much more complicated. Everyone is born into a different situation and the opportunities they are exposed to differ depending on the person. The original idea of the â€Å"American Dream† supported the idea that all American citizens are able to obtain a better life than they are currently living; however, that idea is continuously changing and many interpret their own dream in different ways. James Truslow AdamsRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1406 Words   |  6 PagesThis so called, â€Å"American dream.† Is it still around, waiting to be achieved by those who work hard enough? Is it effectively dead, killed off by the Great Recession and the economic struggling that many Americans have come to face in this day and age? There are alarming instances and facts, including trillions of dollars lost in the stock market (Paradise, 2009). These losses combined with the unquestionably high unemployment in the past few years, have contributed to seemingly dismal prospectsRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream Lives On Since 1776, the â€Å"American Dream† has continued to evolve. Originally, our forefathers intended the American Dream to be a country where individuals were free from the tyranny of royalty and nobility, working as a part of a whole, making everyone comfortable and happy - all men created equal with equal opportunity. Over the years, this original intent has continued to change. In 1931, James Truslow Adams stated that the American Dream means that, â€Å"life should be better