...The first significant quotation to me is, when the man is studying the country to the south. He walks out onto the road and wonders how long it would take to get somewhere warm before it was too late, even though he has no clue what time of the year it is. “He thought it was October but he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t kept a calendar for years”(4). I feel like this is a good quotes to be in the novel because it shows loss of time. To them, time doesn't really matter anymore because of how many years have passed and the fact that they don’t know when or if this will ever end. This I feel can relate to me when i’ve been counting down something for so long it just doesn’t seem to matter any more and slips my mind because I feel like it will never come. “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him”(3). This is a major example of how the man cares for the boy. Every second he can, he...
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...with individual dreams. The Younger’s each had their own ways of trying to achieve their goals and reach their dreams. Yet one stood out among the rest, Walter Lee Younger, he had very strong ideas on ways to make the family better. In this journey, we see Walter was misguided, disconnected, and eventually hitting bottom. Walter Lee Younger, a 35-year-old man, fairly lean and quite nervous. Just by the tone in his voice you knew whether or not he approved of you. Living with his family in a run down apartment, he dreamed of being able to give to his family the same luxuries and necessities as a white man. Walter was a man with misguided dreams. When you hear Walter talking about himself, you hear a man trying to convince himself that he can rise above the hardships of this world. His idea of being the man his family needs is by providing, not only for necessities, but luxury items for his wife, Ruth. Yet an inward turmoil goes on, as he describes himself as a volcano, internalizing his regrets and pipe dreams. He’s so obsessed with getting material possessions for Ruth, that he doesn’t realize how he actually treats...
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...In The Great Gatsby we see a story of misunderstood love and dreams. The American Dream in the 1920’s was different than it is now. In our time our Country’s Dream is a set of ideals based off of general rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality for all people— in the novel we see a different story. We find the American Dream in the 20’s is full of glam, money, lust, men and women. When people become spoiled it’s often because a society is misled by money and greed and with that you get entitled and horrid men and women. Looking at the characters in the movie I’m not impressed with that generation, the man and women are liars and cheaters. For example Tom, he is an arrogant hypocritical man who is sexist, racist, and treats everybody like...
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...The American Dream “the widespread belief that, by hard work and individual enterprise, even the most poor and lowly Americans can achieve economic success, a better way of life and enhanced social status in a land of immense opportunity (Watts).” Ragged Dick is really about rising from rags to respectable not rags to riches. I view that Dick is an exceptional character showing that true grit to get what he wants even if its almost out of reach, which shows “The American dream” is something you have to work for. Dick has all the qualities of someone who could achieve his goals with hard work. Dick is a young man who has lived on his own for years, meeting Mr. Whitney changed how Dick viewed people and life. How could a man Dick did not even know have faith in him to appreciate a new suit and not ask for anything in return? But when thinking how “The American Dream” is viewed in Dick’s eyes he sees it as having respect from all and when he is in a suit he receives the respect from his elders. Throughout the book you hear Dick use words such as “bully” when describing something that is very good. In the time that Dick and Mr. Whitney are together you find that Dick starts to show his real thoughts on what he wants to do in the future, which shows that Dick does have a “dream” in a way. When Dick meets Mr. Whitney’s nephew Frank they bond while Dick shows him around New York. During this time Dick discovers that being a boot black is not something he has to do for the rest of...
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...The American Dream: A Reflection of “A Raisin in the Sun” The play “A Raisin in the Sun” was written by an American playwright and writer Lorraine Hansberry. The play reflects the story of Lorraine Hansberry's life. She grew up African American in a dominant white society experiencing racism and struggling to reach her dreams. The central conflict of the play “A Raisin in the Sun” lies in Walter's notion of this American dream. So what is the American dream? For some it is the dream of equality and freedom and for others it is the dream of a happy life or even the dream of fame and wealth. The American dream differs for each member of the Younger family. “The concept of “the American Dream” has lured tens of millions of immigrants from all...
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...Lindsay Roach Response Journals 9.3 Semester 2 Journal 1 Walter Lee Walter Lee is a dynamic character who changes several times throughout this story. At the beginning of the play, Walter is very ambitious and wants more out of his life. He says, “I got me a dream” (pg 33). He is motivated own the liquor store and to succeed. His first change in character happens when Mama refuses to help pay for the liquor store and his wife has another bun in the oven. His priorities shifted and he became depressed, going out, getting drunk, and missing work. His outlook on life changed again when Mama gave him some money from the check and told him, “I’m telling you to be the head of this family from now on like you supposed to be” (pg 107). From that...
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...The American Dream will never truly have a solid definition; it is ever evolving, molding into a new meaning as society develops and changes. It is like a fire; ever turning in one way or another; impossible to grasp, but yet never changing its basic identity. Throughout its history, the United States has endured many trials and obstacles. These trials have changed the way American citizens view the Dream’s preliminary ideals. Regardless of its history and the people involved in its development, America’s dream will always be—at the very least— loosely based on the principles upon which it was founded—those of life, liberty, and the endless pursuit of happiness. When the United States was initially founded in the late 1700’s, it was viewed as a pioneering wilderness; an escape where a person was free to believe what he or she wanted without opposition. Indeed, a home where people could start a new life, free from the pressures of religion and the government they bore in the lands they came from. Over time, others began to hear of this great new land and they too sought after this dream of freedom. These people saw America as a beacon which gave them hope of a new life. The interpretation of the American Dream has evolved over time. Conflicts have arisen, injustice has spread, and many have been martyrs as a result of the Dream that they believed in. For instance, in the 1800s, it was the white Southern man’s Dream to own slaves and property. The black man, however, had a very...
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...stand in the way of that ambition, reveal the nature of dreams, dignity, loneliness, and sacrifice. Ultimately, Lennie, the mentally handicapped giant who makes George's dream of owning his own ranch worthwhile, ironically becomes the greatest obstacle to achieving...
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...The American Dream' is based on the 'Declaration of Independence': 'We believe that all men are born with these inalienable rights - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' (Thomas Jefferson, 1776). This 'dream' consists of a genuine and determined belief that in America, all things are possible to all men, regardless of birth or wealth; if you work hard enough you will achieve anything. However, Miller believes that people have been 'ultimately misguided' and Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. The origins of the American Dream seem to have been rooted in the pioneering mentality of the 18th and 19th century immigrants, most of whom came to America because of a promise of a new and better life. In particular, the opportunity to own one's land. But land 'ran out' and so cities developed and massive variations arose in wealth, which meant that this 'American Dream' changed from being a potential reality, into being a dream, like the name implies. Most of Miller's plays are directly or indirectly about the American Dream, because ultimately this dream wasn't going to succeed as lots of people wished. Death of a Salesman written in 1949, is a moving destruction of the whole myth. To be hard working, honest and have ambition were the ways of the American Dream. This lead to success, wealth and in due time - power. But this dream for everyone developed, and encouraged greed, selfish behavior, pride and rivalry between one another...
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...hopes and dreams? Both F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ and Arthur Miller’s ‘A Death of a Salesman’ focus their main ideas on the importance of hopes and dreams. Death of a Salesman, produced in 1949, has become a classic of modern American theatre. It is a story of an average salesman with a dream of being rich and well-liked. Willy believes whole heartedly in what he considers the promise of the American Dream. In the 1940’s The American Dream was as simple as it gets, to have a perfect, successful life with a common nuclear family, a house in the suburbs, a nice car and a life without conflict or family strife. ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a highly symbolic reflection on 1920’s America as a whole, in particular the disappearance of the American Dream in an era of material excess. On the surface, ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a story of the eternal love between a man and a woman. However, in reality the main theme of the novel involves a much larger, less romantic outlook. The 1920’s was an era of decayed social and moral values, which means that the idea of The American Dream was different to what it is now. When World War 1 ended in 1918, the generation of young Americans who fought the war became intensely disillusioned. The rise of the stock market in the aftermath of the war led to a sudden increase in the national wealth and a new found materialism, leading the younger generation to pursue a life of extravagance. The pursuit of the two illustrations of The American Dream, not only...
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...The American dream has stood to be each person’s idea of success. The American dream is usually associated with 1940’s America depiction of the ideal family, as can be depicted from television shows such as Leave it to Beaver. However, this is one aspect and shallow analysis of the American dream that is not appropriate for all reaching to achieve their American dream. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Miller succeeds in portraying this through the characters Willy and Biff. Their conflict represents two varying perspectives of the American dream, and this very struggle leads to the conclusion that the American dream is rooted in the pursuit of a better life. Throughout Death of a Salesman, Miller portrays two ideas of the American dreams and it is definite that they are “American dreams” as they both deal with success and that character’s idea of success. Though, this is where characters’ views differ and conflict with one another. Willy’s American dream is to have his children succeed and to leave his imprint on the society which he was unable to succeed in doing so in a life long career as a salesman. Furthermore, Willy lived in the ideology that being “well liked” was far more important and and necessary than being a Bernard type of person and make a living based on his studies. Willy’s belief and encouragement of this ideology upon his sons influenced Biff immensely. As a result, Biff did not put the effort into his studies that would have enabled him to pass...
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...American Dream, and who are the people most likely to pursue its often elusive fulfillment? Indeed, the American Dream has come to represent the attainment of a combination of goals that are specific to each individual. While one person might consider a purchased home with a white picket fence his or her version of the American Dream, another might regard it as the financial ability to start and operate his own business. Clearly, there is no cut and dried definition of the American Dream because it is different for every person. What it does universally represent, however, it is the opportunity for people to seek out their individual and collective desires and go out and achieve them. The American Dream was and always will be something that makes America great. It allows those with aspirations to make them come true. In America all you need is a dream and the motivation to carry out that dream. Ambition is the driving force behind the American Dream. It allows any one that has an aspiration, a desire, a yearning, to carry out the individual dream. It knows no bounds of race, creed, gender or religion. It stands for something great, something that everyone can strive towards. A dream can be a desire for something great. In America, the American Dream allows dreams to become realities. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as "An American social ideal that' stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity". To live this dream is to...
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...“American Dream” . Critics describe Death of a Salesman as the first great American tragedy and gave Miller credit for being the first in understanding the deep fundamentals that make up the United States. The play by Arthur Miller is based on the difficulty of achieving economic and individual success in a World War II society. In the play Miller presents differences between successful visions of the "American Dream" and "unsuccessful" ones. As the play goes on it continues to describe how the failure of William Loman’s and son’s Biff and Happy’s dream dies out. William Loman is portrayed as an insecure self-deluded traveling salesman. In a flashback, Willy tells his sons what it takes to be successful in America. He states, "Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me, for instance. I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. Willy Loman is here!" That’s all they have to know, and I go right through" (Miller). In reality this is only Willy’s fantasy. It appears that Willy is actually taken as a joke to other salesmen. Willy’s instability doesn’t allow him to fit into the society he pictures. As Willy is taking a shot at success his personal relationships begins to fail him. Willy is than found to be in a world where material things have taken over. Willy himself acknowledges the success of his next-door neighbor Charley. Charley is "a man of few...
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...the greatest classics of the twentieth-century. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby, narrates a tale of a man named Jay Gatsby and his journey to steal back the girl of his dream, Daisy Buchanan, from her husband, Tom Buchanan. Then, an ironic car accident destroys their relationship, and Gatsby dies heart broken, taking a false blame for the accident for Daisy. The author of the novel is American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was born in Minnesota in 1896, dropped out of Princeton in 1917, and published his first novel titled This Side of Paradise in 1920, which enabled him to marry Zelda Sayre; the couple...
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...Series DREAMS IN ISLAM - A WINDOW TO TRUTH AND TO THE HEART Imran N. Hosein MASJID DARUL QUR’AN LONG ISLAND NEW YORK USA Copyright @ Imran N. Hosein Published by Masjid Darul Qur’an, 1514 East Third Avenue, Bayshore, NY 11706, USA. Tel: (516)665-9462 First published 1997 This new edition 2001 For my beloved daughter Hira May Allah bless her with good dreams Ameen! CONTENTS Preface Introduction Dreams in Pagan Arabia Dreams in Christian Arabia Dreams in the Qur’an: 1st. Dream: Dream of Joseph in which sun, moon, and eleven stars bow to him 2nd. Dream: Dream to King’s Butler in prison in which he pours wine for King 3rd. Dream: Dream to King’s Baker in prison of birds picking from basket of bread on his 4th. Dream: Dream to Egyptian King of seven fat cows etc. 5th. Dream: Dream to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael 6th. Dream: Wahi (perhaps as a dream) to the mother of Moses to put her baby in a basket in the river Nile 7th. Dream: Dream of Prophet Muhammad the night before the battle of Badr 8th. Dream: Dream of Prophet Muhammad concerning making a pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Makkah Dreams and Prophethood Classification of Dreams in Islam: First kind of Dream: A good true dream - like seeing the Prophet in a dream How to qualify for good and true dreams? How to respond if a believer says he has seen a dream head Second kind of Dream: Evil dreams Third kind of Dream: from the nafs Implication of false claim concerning dreams Dreams...
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