American Dream Essay, Research Paper

Everyday students work vigorously to secure academic success. They frequently set goals

for themselves and strive to reach them. The American dream is like a grade which a

student works hard to receive. It is a goal that one sets for himself. The dream, just like

the grade, may not always be easy to achieve, but through hard work and determination

anyone can live out their dreams. As people travel across the Atlantic from Europe, they

look out and see the Statue of Liberty holding her radiating torch of freedom. The new

immigrants are about to step foot in America, home of the free and land of opportunity.

Many people who come to America, or who are born Americans, have a dream of what

life will be like in this wonderful country. Envisioning that dream is like painting a

beautiful picture – freedom, prosperity and success all contribute to people?s vision of

being a happy American. By viewing the American dream, of St. Jean De Crevecoeur,

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Iola Leroy, and the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

and Resolutions one is able to see how different each one of us is, and how many dreams

are really out there. St. Jean De Crevecoeur wrote about the American dream as a

positive experience. De Crevecoeur came to America from Europe around 1754.

America to him was a fresh sheet of paper on which one could start a new painting of

?the good life.? In America, one has rights. Americans can originate from anywhere and

still be called an American. De Crevecoeur holds this fact to be of the utmost

importance. Not only are Europeans, for example allowed to come to America, but they

are also welcomed with open arms. They can live a life here that they only dreamed of

before. They are now free to follow their own self-interest, and work for themselves.

People traveled to America to find riches and success, and De Crevecoeur believed that

self-interest was the key in reaching this dream. De Crevecoeur emphasizes that people

who travel to America were looking for the land of opportunity; and, if you wanted it,

you could find it. He also believed that as an American he could be free to work for

himself, as could anyone. In addition he felt that being able to work towards his own

self-interest made him more of a man. Through self-interest, people in De Crevecoeur?s

eyes sought after the American dream. And, they found what they were looking for, if not

more. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of great power. Although he was a black man he

was a man of whom the world listened to. King had a dream. Although his dream was

one of many, he took a stand to try and free America from injustice. Like what he wrote

in his I have a dream speech, ?..I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the

American dream?I have a dream? that all men are created equal.? King?s dream is one

that is already written in the Constitution of the United States. It clearly states, in our

constitution that we all have equal rights, in everything that we do. However,

unfortunately no one paid attention to our Constitution. King?s dream was to awaken the

world to that. It?s sad that the black people of our society back then were so looked down

upon. King fought for the freedom that his race deserved for so long. He showed the

world that skin color is a minor detail that just makes each one of us different and

unique. His dream was to unite everyone together, and give black people the

opportunities that all the white people had. He tried to teach the world that we are all

equal and deserving of the same rights. King?s dream was not one that was easily

attainable, however, he worked hard and made the world hear him. Iola Leroy is another

individual who sought out her American dream. She longed for success in her battle

against slavery, and she fought for her freedom and ability to make a difference. In her

eyes, her American dream was always in site, there were just mountains and bridges to be

climbed. She fought first for her freedom. Iola was a slave as a child who was separated

from her family, and before she was able to attain her American dream she believed that

she needed to be reunited with them first. However, freedom was not the only challenge

that Iola tried to gain, it was her self-worth that she yearned for. She wanted to make a

difference in the way that black people were looked at. She wanted to teach communities

how to migrate together. Her success was in making a difference in the world as she saw

it. Her freedom came from surviving the world that she was in. Therefore, making her

self-worth an incredibly wealthy human being. The Seneca Falls Declaration of

Sentiments and Resolutions was written in 1848 by a group of 200 individuals both men

and women. This document, although just a piece of paper, is in it?s self, an American

dream. It is a dream for women to be equal to men. Women have struggled for decades to

be allowed the chance to be amongst our nations elite. America is a free country with no

boundaries. Just because they are women, should not undermine their ability to be the

leaders of the United States. The Seneca Falls Declaration was written to allow women

the freedom to experience their American dream and succeed. Once given this

opportunity women have risen to their highest potential. There are now females running

huge corporations all over this world. In addition to this, women are allowed to vote, and

have a say in the decisions made in our country, for our country and by our country.

Women are now allowed to have dreams here. They are now allowed to be able to give

back to America all it has given to them. The females of this world are now looked at as

a male?s equal, not their hostage. Whether it is achievement, love, freedom, or

self-reliance, it can still be a dream that numerous Americans have. ?? all of these

people worked for what they wanted to attain. Everyone has a dream that they wish

would come true. Sometimes you have to step away from your mental picture that

encompasses too large a dream and focus on the major goal at hand. All of these people

envisioned their dreams, and just like a grade, through perseverance and hard work they

can become reality. Where better to accomplish such dreams then here in America, the

land of opportunity.