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The American Dream Research Paper

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Over time the American dream has proven to be a unique perception in which Americans have connected through personal experiences and life narratives. The American dream is not established in origin, religion or some form of history the American dream is molded and defined by unified values. The American dream shows its true nationality identity in the world through principles and morals which are embedded in self-reliance, self-actualization and individualism. This three principles make it possible for Americans to achieve overall fulfillment in their destiny. They are self-reliant and believe in the promise that through hard work and dedication life can be better and different. The provable documentations of these values in relationship to …show more content…
The declaration entitled Americans to the natural rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness.” The pursuit of happiness that was given to all Americans made people expand their life limits to have fulfilment in their lives. This way of life later came to be know as the phrase “American Dream”. It is best predicted that it came to be because of the Great depression. During the Great Depression, in The Epic of America by James Truslow defined the “American dream” as an example about two people sharing a car and it allows them to be American citizens on a land that is established on equal opportunities regardless of their origin. Adam mention in his book “But there has been also the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyman with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement” (Truslow). During this era people were underprivileged and found no direction in life. The only thing that kept them motivated was the pride that came along with the American dream. Americans wanted to better their lives, have the American dream. Through the analysis of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Emerson’s Self-Reliance, they will connect to the American dream through the themes of individualism, self reliance and self actualization because they show how an American pursuits its dream when it's given the …show more content…
New cultures were being crafted also about what it meant to be an American. An important literature peace to emerge from this era was The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin. His narrative served prior to the foundation establishment of the American dream through literature. Franklin shows how a little boy who came from “rags” became a man of “riches”. Franklin wanted to be an archetypal american hero, he thought all Americans could become successful through his thirteen virtues. Franklin writes to his son in his autobiography“. Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world..the conducting means I made use of, which with the blessing of God well succeeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations and therefore fit to be imitated”(Franklin). Franklin is trying to express that a person can become someone by creating a life for themselves. His thirteen virtues are simple and can be followed by everyone. Franklin's autobiography gave hope and anticipation that a dream could be accomplished

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