The American Dream

This week, we talked about how The Great Gatsby resembles "the American Dream" in the way that Gatsby was able to ascend to the upper class from a poor background. Many reference sources describe the "American Dream" as "a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. One question that would surface about this belief is whether someone born into a great amount of wealth could still achieve the "American Dream".

Personally, I believe that anyone can achieve this "American Dream", with variations of success. I think that when the American Dream was conceptualized, it was intended for poor immigrants who would come to the United States in search of a prosperous life. It's this rags-to-riches myth that has surrounded the American Dream for decades. However, in the technical definition, this dream is simply the hope of improving the life you currently have. With any degree of wealth, whether great or small, the American Dream still rings true.