...| | The American Nightmare: Money's Hidden CurseThe American dream stands as a symbol for hope, prosperity, and happiness. But F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, examines the American dream from a different perspective, one that sheds light on those who contort these principles to their own selfish fantasies. Fitzgerald renders Jay Gatsby as a man who takes the Dream too far, and becomes unable to distinguish his false life of riches from reality. This 'unique' American novel describes how humanity's insatiable desires for wealth and power subvert the idyllic principles of the American vision. Jay Gatsby is the personification of limitless wealth and prestige, a shining beacon for the aspiring rich. Nick Carraway declares that there is "something glorious" about Gatsby, and that he is filled with "some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life"(8). It appears to mere mortals who are not blessed with riches, that Gatsby fulfills the American dream of achieving fame and fortune. But instead of being content with his greenbacks, Gatsby believes that he can replicate the "Platonic conception of himself" (89) and become the flawless god of wealth that he depicts. The American dream has many interpretations, but Gatsby latches onto the concept of wealth alone, failing to see that he can improve his character through hard work and toil as well. One understanding of the American dream, bettering oneself to achieve a higher social status, sadly spurs people like Gatsby to...
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...The American Dream or Nightmare In my opinion, the subprime mortgage crisis was caused by regulation changes as well as the usage of mark to market accounting method. Regulation changes made it possible for lenders to easily sell off mortgages to financial investors, instead of keeping them on their books until the loan was repaid. By selling off these loans lenders no longer had to carry risky investment giving the perception of company stability. Once sold off, investors combined different mortgage products and selling the cash flow as security. If it’s not bad enough that risky mortgages are sold as a security, the market which it’s traded in is not regulated and trade freely from investor to investor. With no one monitoring this market; free trading of security filled with bad mortgages and the constant buy and sell of these securities, how can these securities be accurately priced at a market price? If these securities were sold in an open market no one would buy them due to their high risk and probability that borrowers would default. How can you place a market value on a product that no one wants? Without consumer confidence stocks become worthless. How could things have been done differently to prevent this crisis? A regulation mandating all bankers and lenders to keep subprime loans on their books until it’s repaid. Perhaps if lenders were made to hold on to these loans, it would deter greed that fueled the selling of loans and lowering their risks. Not allowing...
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...Lang and Comp The ambitious nightmare Is the American Dream still alive today? It all depends on whom you ask, and how you look at things. Everyone sees things differently and will interpret it that way; to one person the American Dream is just that, a dream and when they wake up it will be a nightmare, and to another it is an ambition, that just makes them want it more. By definition the American Dream is: “a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.” So, the question remains, is it still alive today, and is this really how people are living their lives? As sad as this answer may be, the truth is, probably not, like all good things they must end. The American Dream is a great thing to wish for however, it has been lost in time with the unwillingness to pursue it. The saddest thing is that some people believe the American dream is something that exists today; whereas some people in society have no idea that this dream exists. What ever happened to the zeal that drove America to the top? What happened to the aspiration of striving for greatness and becoming that greatness? That may be a question no one knows the answer too or it is an answer that people are unwilling to give. George Carlin once said, “The reason they call it the American Dream is because you have to be asleep...
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...Most people don’t understand the meaning of dream catchers or even what they are, but they should learn because they are very powerful and important in Native American culture, particularly the Ojibwe people. In order to better understand dream catchers we need to know the origins of them, the proper way to use them, and the sacred materials used to make them. The dream catcher has been a part of the Native American culture for many generations but it wasn't always important until the Anishnabe people were being tormented by nightmares and couldn't handle it anymore. The medicine people and elders tried to find different ways to get rid of the nightmares but nothing seemed to work. After getting so tired of the nightmares they decided to have a meeting with all the people of the tribe to get everyone's ideas on how to fix...
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...Bonds 1 Kenneth Bonds Instructor Poff English 1302-184 February 22, 2013 Living the American Dream/Nightmare Robert Haydens’ “Frederick Douglass” talks about issues that Frederick Douglass the man endured and suffered through. To have been a “slave” (7), beaten to his knees” (8), while others, some who stand around encouraging this inhumane treatment are free. We can only imagine the thoughts that would race through our heads during times of cruel punishment, humiliation and mistreatment: Please KILL me so this Misery will END!? If I take my own life I won’t be subjected to the torture any longer? In contrast, Edwin Arlington’s “Richard Cory” tells us about a wealthy, educated, free, and we are going to assume that Mr. Corey was white. Was Richard Corey living the American Dream? We would argue – yes, yes he was? Did Mr. Douglass, yearning for freedom, civil rights and equality suffer the American Nightmare? Once again, our answer would be “Yes”. Here we have two men in America – one Black, one White at two polar opposite ends of a racial divide; two different worlds in this one world we call “America”. How can one man’s dream be another man’s nightmare? Depending on the source, the answer to this question will vary. Our answers to this question are simple: Race – the color of one’s skin and education. What makes America a great place to live; also can make America a viciously evil place to live? One’s race, national origin, religious beliefs and education...
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...Ever since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War there has been the issue of race and equality and rights. A movement occurred and two men gained power and influence the African American community. Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X two men having experienced different things in their lives held different beliefs and morals and influenced people based upon those things. Martin Luther King Jr., came from a Baptist home with a fairly easy childhood, he was educated when he was younger and attended Morehouse College, an all black college, where he had several role models that shaped his beliefs. Malcolm X, on the other hand, experienced a hard childhood and used drugs and committed other crimes in his early adult years. While in prison he found a father figure in Elijah Muhammad and joined the Nation of Islam. There are many differences between Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X in the way they acted and influenced the African American community. This paper will look to describe their differing views and analyze their actions and their lives. In most cases a person’s childhood has a lasting affect on the rest of a person’s life. In comparing Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X this seems to be the case. Martin Luther King Jr., was born January 19, 1929 and was raised by a strong supportive family. He had a somewhat privileged life and “never experienced the feeling of not having the basic necessities of life.”[1] His father “was a community leader in Atlanta...
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...of the population of the United States. This is a much-diversified group of people. They comprise of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. These are further broken down to reserves and national guards. They also come from different ethnic backgrounds, race, male and female alike. Many reports have been made in the media about the soldiers that have returned about the various treatments they have experienced and care that has been provided them. The purpose of this proposal is to find out if medications have generated a false PTSD-like state in the current population of soldiers that have returned from war. This research will also determine the effects medications have on sleep. The causes of night terrors and nightmares on the deployed personnel will be clarified. During the time of war, soldiers were given medication and...
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...The Six Most Exciting Facts About Truman Capote 1. Truman Capote was neighbors with Harper Lee. Truman and Harper became friends at the age of only five (Alter). The two renowned American authors lived across the street from each other in Monroeville, Alabama (“Truman”:A childhood). Lee and Capote had many things in common, including the strained connection they had with their parents. They also had their love of reading, writing, and being read to in common. Furthermore, Harper would go on to work for Truman as a writing advisor before going on to write To Kill a Mockingbird (Alter). 2. Capote carried his childhood blanket with him always. Truman Capote did not have an easy, loving childhood. While he was still young his bipolar...
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...The key to Midnight is a novel that tells the story of a woman named Joanna Rand, a nightclub owner and singer who discovers that she is the daughter of an American senator that got lost about twelve years ago. Joanna had many nightmares for many all those years and found out the nightmares are really memories of a “doctor” who brainwashed her, making her forget all her childhood memories and creating a new girl to take their place. With the help of a detective named Alex, Joanna sets off on an adventure that is going to reveal the truth or leave her lost for the rest of her life. One day Joanna woke up from another nightmare and is too agitated to return to her bed, and she can’t understand why she dreams the same things over and over again, and it leaves her exhausted. After few days, Joanna had lunch with an American Tourist who scared her by telling her that he believes her to be another person. She doesn’t believe him and refuses to see him when he comes back to her club later in that night. When the detective showed her the proof of what he was saying, She is forced to face the reality that she is not who she believes she is. Alex finds that Joanna is a fascinating person. He was crazy with her beauty and her amazing...
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...Discussion on Canadian Ethnic problems and multiculturalism Abstract: The history of Canada has gone through various events, some of which produced a nightmare for the country and from which the people as well as the leaders are still trying to awake, while making sure that such events do not take place ever again. In this essay I discuss the Canadian Ethnic problems and it's multiculturalism by mainly focus on two typical examples :the aboriginal people and the Chinese who have suffered injustice through out the history in different aspects such as politics and cultural. And later ,by looking at the current situations of the Canadian ethnicity in general and going over the past decisions that the government had made, I try to suggest the possible solutions. Introduction: As we all know, Canada is a country with large immigrants. Therefore , the history of Canada is largely the history of the meeting of different cultures. As its early settlers are mostly immigrants from Central and Western Europe, European culture is playing a dominant role in Canada's culture. Since the eightieth of the twentieth century, as the number of immigrants from different parts increased significantly, the new immigrants brought in their own culture with them as well. Thus, people are now feeling more of the tensions between those cultures and of prejudice felt among these groups toward one another. For this reason, how to deal with the relationship...
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...Martin & Malcolm & America, A Dream or A Nightmare, by James H. Cone and The Civil Rights Movement by Bruce J. Dierenfield. When we think back on the historical backdrop of America many events happened that are either disapproved of, or seen as the wonderfulness days. The occasions that are the magnificence days or the most astounding focuses in American life, for example, Independence from England served to make America what it is today. Those occasions that we think back on, that are not the best periods of time, for example, slavery and African Americans battle for Rights in the 1960's, likewise served to make the United States what it is today. Whether we agree it was right, it has had an effect. At the point when in the 1960's, pioneers, for example, Martin Luther King, Jr., and religious pioneers, for example, Malcolm X, remained forward to discuss the rights that were detracted from African Americans, they were look down upon. Even when society wanted to make it seems as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were battling one another rather than making a movement. In the book Martin & Malcolm & America, A Dream or A Nightmare, by James H. Cone, states “Although the media portrayed them as adversaries, Martin and Malcolm were actually fond of each other. There was no animosity between them. They saw each other as a fellow justice-fighter, struggling against the same evil- racism-and for the same goal- freedom for African Americans.” (Cone, pg 2) Today however, Martin...
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...Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer and poet, known mostly for his stories containing dark imagery, and involving mystery and horror, and also for his troubled life. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film, directed by Henry Selick and produced by the famed Tim Burton, that follows Jack Skellington, the "Pumpkin King" of Halloween Town, who has grown weary of doing the same things to celebrate Halloween every year. When stumbling upon a door leading to Christmas Town, Jack decides to celebrate his own Christmas holiday, but with eventual and terrible consequences. Now, even though Poe and The Nightmare Before Christmas have more than 100 years separating them, one can still see several similarities between what Poe had written and what...
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...The Story of an Hour In the short story, The Story of an Hour I was able to pull two main themes. Love and Alienation is depicted throughout the entire story. Not only is love the theme but romantic love. The first theme love is exemplified in more than one way. In the beginning of the story, it explains how Mrs. Mallard has heart troubles and that they try to break the news of her husbands death sequentially as possible. Stating “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.” (Chopin) The first sentence of the story automatically portrayed love; it was obvious she would take the new of husband harshly because she loved him. Upon hearing the news Mrs. Mallard had a “paralyzed inability to accept its significance.” (Chopin) The news hit Mrs. Mallard hard and she cried in her sister, Josephine, arms. After accepting the matter of circumstances, Mrs. Mallard left to be alone. This is where the alienation plays a part in the story. Instead of accepting the comfort of family and friend, she decided to be alone. Maybe this was her way of dealing with grief, being alone and silent was her best remedy. Sitting alone in a room consisting of a chair and a window, Mrs. Mallard sat there and continued to think about the event that just occurred. At first, it seemed as if Mrs. Mallard just needed alone time, but later on in the story it seems as if something is coming over her. She...
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...Tayo, from Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, has lived a life torn apart by demons. When he was a child, he was left on his Aunt’s door. When he was growing up, he was always disrespected for being part native american and part white. When he finally was recognized as an equal by his brother, Tayo watched him die in World War 2. Because of these problems, Tayo is haunted and needs to be helped. After he returns from the war, he has to go through native american ceremonies to help himself gain freedom from his nightmare. In the start of the book Tayo was not in very good shape. He could barely sleep, eat, and do anything without having flashbacks of some sort. It even says, “he had not been able to sleep for a long time” and “ he could get no rest as long as the past was tangled with the present.” (Silko 6) It seemed like Tayo was going to have quite a miserable time, but he is helped. Grandmother convinces Auntie to hire a medicine man to help. The old medicine man, Ku’oosh, came and told him stories. Tayo told him about the new...
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...equality is still an issue in the United States. From the very first, European explorers discriminated against the Native Americans that lived in North America. With each generation, a new cultural group came to the US and each group has experienced discrimination by the dominant groups already present. Some were forced to the US by slavery: “the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru, bought Sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare.” Today, some groups continue to experience significant discrimination in the US; African Americans and Hispanic Americans are treated especially poorly. In Maya Angelou’s poem, the writer points out to us that so many have come to the US and so many have acted with violence and have damaged one another and the land. In the poem, the Rock said, “Your armed struggles for profit Have left collars of waste upon My shore, currents of debris upon my breast.” The importance of friendship and brotherhood is prevalent in American society in ways we do not expect. Many people, whether they are African American, Native American, White or whatever, have the same yearnings live a good life, to live in a nation where everyone has an equal chance to live up to their potential and to live in harmony with one another. Angelou points out in her poem that people are too busy and “desperate for gain, Starving for gold.” The Rock, the River and Tree call out to Americans to look around that and see the beauty of the world and of all people and try one more time for friendship and brotherhood...
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