american dream research paper assignment

125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers

If you’re in need of American dream topics for an essay, research paper, or discussion, this article is for you. Our experts have prepared some ideas and writing tips that you will find below.

⭐ American Dream Titles — Best Selection

⚖️ american dream argumentative essay topics, 🏆 best american dream essay topics & essay examples, 📚 topics about the american dream in literature, 👍 catchy american dream topics, 🗽 current topics related to the american dream, ❓ american dream research questions, ✍️ american dream writing prompts, 📃 10 tips for writing american dream essays.

• Pros and Cons of the American Dream
• American Dream: “Fences” by August Wilson
• Michelle Obama American Dream Speech Analysis –
• American Dream in “The Pursuit of Happiness” Film
• The Tortilla Curtain: American Dream – Characters, Summary & Analysis
• The American Dream by Edward Albee Play Analysis
• The American Dream in The Great Gatsby
• The Simply Maria or the American Dream Play by López
• The American Dream in Arthur Miller’s Plays
• American Dream After World War I

The American dream is one of the United States’s cornerstone philosophies. It is also a central idea of many essay topics students can use in their written assignments.

• Does Mario Puzo’s Godfather Paint a Realistic Picture of the American Dream?
• How Has the Definition of the American Dream Changed over the Years?
• Is the American Dream Just a Myth in Modern American Society?
• Does the American Dream Promote Extreme Forms of Selfishness?
• Can Current Societal Inequality Be Blamed on the American Dream?
• Does the American Dream Make People Chase Unattainable Goals?
• What Are the Effects of Globalization on the American Dream?
• How Does Robocop Depict the Dark Side of the American Dream?
• Influence of the American Dream on the Work-Life Balance.
• How Does the Modern Media Portray the American Dream?
• Is the American Dream Still Alive? The American Dream can be defined as a summation of national values entrenched in the culture of the United States. In this regard, the minority groups in the United States are often on the receiving […]
• The Corrupted American Dream and Its Significance in “The Great Gatsby” The development of the American dream and its impact on the society of the United States is a pertinent topic of discussion for various authors.
• Femininity and the American Dream in Works of Chopin, Gilman, and Williams Even though the general understanding of the American dream was advertised to everyone, the idea was more applicable to the male members of the American society, which is reflected in Chopin’s “The Story of an […]
• The American Dream: Franklin’s and Douglass’s Perception The objective of this paper, therefore, is to discuss the topic of the American dream and how both Franklin and Douglass, each exemplify this dream.
• American Dream Is Not a Myth The paper is based on the argument, a simplified definition of the American dream: the American dream can be defined as “the achievement of economic and social advancement through hard work and determination”.
• Portrayal of the American Dream in the 20th Century Theatre However, different analysts criticized the use of the amelting pot’ in the play to show the pursuit of the American dream terming it as unrealistic in the sense that the term amelting’ creates a picture […]
• The American Dream in Boyle’s The Tortilla Curtain The personal experience of the characters can be explained by their varying life conditions and, hence, are linked to the notion of the American Dream, which can be achieved by everyone while the efforts differ.
• The Death of the American Dream It is the moral decay that leads to the loss of freedom, the very essence of the founding of the American dream.
• In Pursuit of the American Dream: An Analysis of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers The experiences of the characters in the novel portray the endeavors of the early immigrants’ pursuit of the American dream. The instinct to forgo the comforts, which a home country offers by default and then […]
• American Dream and Socialism in the Book “The Jungle” by Sinclair The main idea of the book lies in upholding the Marxist belief of the inevitable collapse of capitalism and the accession of the proletariat, or industrial working class.
• Fitzgerald’s American Dream in The Great Gatsby & Winter Dreams To my mind, Winter Dream is a perfect example of the American Dream, since the main hero, Dexter, implemented each point of it, he was persistent and very hard-working, he was a very sensible and […]
• The American Dream Roles in The Great Gatsby: Pursuers, Pursued, and the Disillusioned Nick’s narration of events throughout these two chapters dismantles the belief of the American Dream where ‘anyone can pull themselves up from their bootstraps’, because in reality it only yields four groups of people: “.the […]
• The American Dream, Social Status and Hierarchies The persistence of social status and hierarchies in modern-day America undermines the possibility of realizing Winthrop’s ideal community as a goal for the current American Dream, considering his argument of wouldivinely ordained’ holds no traction […]
• The American Dream and Its Roots The tension between the ideals of the American Dream as espoused by the Puritans and the realities of American life has been a recurrent theme in American history.
• Tensions in the American Dream The imbalance can lead to debates and discussions about the meaning and purpose of the American Dream, as well as a conflict between the ideals of freedom and agency and the desire for a more […]
• Support of the American Dream Act of 2001 In contrast to many supporters of the American Dream Act, some individuals claim that the policy promotes the entrance of illegal immigrants.
• The Possibility of Realizing the American Dream Thus, according to the author, the American dream is only a fantasy. Returning to the ideas of Krugman, Cox and Alm, and Dalmia, it seems necessary to highlight some aspects.
• Reflection on the American Dream Concept The vision of the American Dream can be different for individuals, and people create their interpretations according to their specific experiences.
• Reaching the American Dream From Scratch For example, the experience of a person coming to the United States from Haiti is one of poverty, under-resourced communities, and a complete disillusion with the promise of a good life.
• The American Dream Based on “Re Jane” by Patricia Park The main difference is that Jane had a chance to live her dreams in New York than in Seoul. Nina is an example of Jane’s friends who want her to succeed and understand the flaws […]
• Whitman, Hughes, and the American Dream Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes, two prominent figures of American poetry of the past, are of them.”I Hear America Singing,” “I, Too,” “Harlem,” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” are the emotional responses to the […]
• Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’, Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ and the American Dream “The America Dream’ is a longstanding common belief of the American population that in the United States, people are free to realize the full potential of their labor and their talents and every person in […]
• Color Adjustment: False Image of American Dream The documentary tells the story of white, well-dressed people advertising the American dream, completely ignoring that the U.S.is not only a country of the white race.
• The American Dream and Success One of the most pertinent topics associated with the American Dream is taking the courage to act and seize the opportunity.
• The Concept of American Dream: Examples of Columbus and Bradstreet Bradstreet’s other dream was to be able to secure a position in the ‘New world’ and still be seen as a woman who cares for her family.
• Racial Wealth Gap and the American Dream The speaker evaluates the accumulative wealth of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites in America and arrives to the conclusion that race plays a role in financial burdens that many people of color experience.
• American Dreams: The United States Since 1945 Although the major idea of the book is a critical one, the author’s intention does not concern analyzing approaches to the American social evolution in order to define the most adequate one.
• History of Achieving the American Dream James Truslow Adams who wrote the book “The Epic of America” defined the American dream as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity […]
• The American Dream in the 21st Century It is the labor of these people that allowed the country to afford to build its industry and set up a base for fulfilling the American Dream.
• American Dream of Early Settlers He did not tell the settlers of the difficulties they were going to face in moving from Europe to the land of honey that is America.
• Willy Loman and the American Dream As a result of his boasting, a great deal of what his family knows about Willy is based upon the image he feels he must portray of himself in order to bring himself in line […]
• Meritocracy and the American Dream In the perception of such people, the American Dream is directly connected to meritocracy, i.e.a judgment on people on their individual abilities rather than the connections of the families, and in that regard such perception […]
• American Dream and Reality for Minorities The topic of our concern is the reality that is faced by women, blacks, and war veterans who are associated with the American army.
• Richard Rodriguez’s Opinion on Migration and the American Dream American seems to refer only to the citizen of the United States and does not include the rest of the people in the continent!

The American dream is critical to many great literary works in the 20th century. These essay topics can help students discover how different authors dealt with this idea.

Great Gatsby & American Dream Essay

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel portrays the American dream as no longer being the pursuit of happiness but an endless chase after riches. The book’s titular character becomes transfixed by the idea of getting wealthy to win back the love of a woman called Daisy. This obsession makes Gatsby blind to other riches of life, such as friends and family.

Death of a Salesman & American Dream Essay

Arthur Miller’s stage play Death of a Salesman describes the transformation of the American dream in post-WW2 America. It displays the impossible standards of the dream, which many of the play’s characters fail to achieve. Death of a Salesman paints a picture of a community where a person’s value is established solely by their financial status.

In Cold Blood & American Dream Essay

In the novel In Cold Blood , Truman Capote shows a clash between two types of people trying to attain the American dream. It pictures the relatively wealthy and happy Clutter family, who built their capital from the ground up. Their slow and mundane life contrasts the life of crime that Perry Smith and Dick Hickock chose to build their fortune.

Of Mice and Men & American Dream Essay

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , George and Lennie’s desire to own their plot of land symbolizes the essence of the American dream. They believe that hard work and resolution are the way to prosperity, only to have their hopes crushed by accident. Ultimately, this shows that people can’t control everything and fail despite their best intentions.

A Raisin In the Sun & American Dream Essay

Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun demonstrates the different angles and meanings of the American dream. The characters of Mama, Walter, and Beneatha have varied opinions of this idea. Mama wishes to buy a house and make life comfortable for her family. Walter dreams of economic success, and Beneatha aspires to become a doctor.

• The Immigrant Experience and the Failure of the American Dream The fates of the heroes of the book amaze with their tragedy, and this is the story of slaves of wage labor.
• Tycoons and Their American Dream The American Dream as Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan, and others saw it and forged it to be seen by others contributed meaningfully to the values of the American people and the priorities of a nation.
• American Dream in Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” The play Death of a salesman is indeed an anatomy of the American dream especially because the plot of the story revolves around some of the basic material gains that individuals in the American society […]
• “American Dream” of English and Chinese Immigrants My family decided to move to the US from England because of the low wages in our town. My intentions were to explore the new opportunities of the West and to earn more money than […]
• American Dream and Equity of Outcome and Opportunity The American dream is one of the most famous declarations of the world and the American subsequent governments have kept the dream alive for the last hundred years.
• Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream This is one of the drawbacks that should be taken into account by the viewers who want to get a better idea about the causes of the problems described in the movie.
• American Dream in Hansberry’s and Miller’s Tragedies Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” and Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” tell the stories about how people can perceive and be affected by the idea of the American Dream, how they choose wrong dreams […]
• Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream – Movie Analysis It can be taken as the national ethos of the citizens of the USA. The basis of the American society is broken and it is not united anymore.
• Music Talent Shows and the American Dream Talent search shows, like American Idol and The Voice, have suffered a lot of criticism for different reasons. Stanley says the main reason for this cynicism is the failure of such shows to focus on […]
• Michelle Obama’s Remarks on American Dream She added that the main goal was to secure the blessings of liberty and to bring about the fulfillment of the promise of equality.
• The American Dream’s Concept The American economy is also likely to improve as a result of realizing the American dream 2013 since most of the residents are likely to indulge in productive activities as stipulated in the American dream […]
• The Dilemmas of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a story of a young man in the early twentieth century who seems to know what he wants in the way of that dream and what to do to achieve it.
• The Concept of Progress or the Pursuit of the American Dream The concept of progress or the pursuit of the American Dream since 1930s has been a matter of concern for many immigrants who believe that they can achieve much in the US than in their […]
• The Book American Dream by Jason DeParle From the name of the book, it is clear that the cardinal theme of the book is the American dream. This is contrary to the fact that she was pregnant and in a crack house.
• The Definition of the Great American Dream: Hearing Opportunity Knock Although the concept of the American Dream is very recognizable, its essence is very hard to nail down, since it incorporates a number of social, economical and financial principles; largely, the American Dream is the […]
• The American Dream Negative Sides and Benefits The United States is thought of as the land of opportunity and there are many people who want to live “The American Dream”.
• Role of Money in the American Dream’s Concept Many people lack the meaning of the American dream because they are always looking forward to find opportunity and fail to realize that the opportunity to succeed is always around them in the work they […]
• Social Status Anxiety and the American Dream The pain of a loss and the status anxiety that came with being inferior to other students at Harvard instigated the urge to revenge and brought a desire to achieve success.
• Francis Scott Fitzgerald & His American Dream In the novel “Tender is the Night,” Fitzgerald describes the society in Riviera where he and his family had moved to live after his misfortune of late inheritance.
• American Dream: Is It Still There? It is a dream for immigrants from the Middle East to be in America; a country where discrimination is history and where no one will prevent them from achieving their dreams in life.
• The American Dream: Walt Disney’s Cinderella and Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man This is attributed to the fact that the original ideas and the fundamental principals that founded the dream are quickly fading away given the changing fortunes of the average American.
• American Dream and Unfulfilling Reality Living the American dream is the ultimate dream for most of the American citizens and those aspiring to acquire American citizenship.
• Inequality and the American Dream It is only after the poor workers are assured of their jobs that the American model can be said to be successful.
• A Response to the Article “Inequality and the American Dream” It has drawn my attention that other world countries embrace the “American model” since the super power has enormous wealth and its economic development is marked by up-to-date juggernauts of globalization and technology.

The American dream has a different meaning for modern US citizens and people from other countries who aspire to achieve it.

• How the Burden of Student Debt Keeps People from Achieving the American Dream.
• The Effect of Immigration Laws on Getting the American Dream.
• Do Healthcare Costs Affect Access to a Happy and Stable Life?
• The Income Gap and the Pursuit of the American Dream.
• Is It Possible to Achieve the American Dream in 2024?
• How the Freelance Economy Influences Economic Mobility.
• The Housing Market and the American Dream: An Unachievable Goal?
• Did the Modern American Dream Destroy the Work-Life Balance?
• Do Urban and Rural Citizens Have the Same Chance of Achieving the American Dream?
• Why Do Modern Americans Equate Achieving the Dream with Economic Success?
• How Did Ben Franklin Exemplify the American Dream?
• Does Fitzgerald Condemn the American Dream in “The Great Gatsby”?
• How Do Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass Represent the American Dream?
• Has America Lost Its Potential to Achieve the American Dream?
• How Has Disney’s Social Power Influenced the Vision of the American Dream?
• Does the American Dream Really Exist?
• How Does the Great Gatsby Portray the Death of the American Dream?
• What Does “The Great Gatsby” Have to Say About the Condition of the American Dream in the 1920s?
• How Does One Achieve the American Dream?
• What Are the Greatest Obstacles of Full Access to the American Dream?
• How Has the American Dream Been Translated Into Popular Film?
• What Does the American Dream Mean to an Immigrant?
• How Does Arthur Miller Through “Death of a Salesman” Deal with the Theme of the American Dream?
• What Must Everyone Know About the American Dream?
• How Has the American Dream Changed Over Time?
• What Is Infamous About the American Dream?
• How Does Millar Portray His Views of the American Dream Using Willy Loman?
• When Did the American Dream Start?
• How Has the Media Changed the American Dream?
• Who Would Think the American Dream Isn’t Possible?
• How Does Steinbeck Present the American Dream in “Of Mice and Men”?
• Why Will Equal Pay Help Women Achieve the American Dream?
• How Might the Disadvantage of Immigration Affect the Chances of Having That American Dream?
• Why Is the American Dream Equally Given and Registered To All Citizens?
• How Does Extreme Inequality Make the American Dream Inaccessible?
• Why Is the American Dream Still Alive in the United States?
• How Are Millennials Redefining the American Dream?

Why Is the American Dream Unattainable?

• How Does Society Influence the Idea of the American Dream?
• Why Must the United States Renew Opportunities to Achieve the American Dream to Reform Immigration Policy?

Here are some essay ideas for college and high school students to use when writing their American dream papers.

“What Is Your American Dream?” Essay

Write about a vision of the American dream that resonates with you. Describe the goals and aspirations you think people must pursue in their lives. Think about the general ideas associated with this notion and give your opinion. Determine if success should be considered based on one’s personal relationships, life achievements, or financial success.

Redefining the American Dream Essay

Analyze how the notion of the American dream has changed over the years and how its current definition reflects modern societal norms and aspirations. Consider factors like social, economic, and technological advancements. Explore how this notion can become more attainable and inclusive for America’s growing diverse population.

What Is the American Dream for Immigrants?

Talk about the validity and attainability of the American Dream from the perspective of immigrants. Discuss their challenges, hopes, and contributions to US society. Share personal stories of immigrants and how their choices and value added to the concept. Talk about the unique aspirations and obstacles they faced to achieve their goals.

Investigate the laws and economic factors that prevent many from achieving their aspirations. Explore other obstacles, such as access to healthcare education and racial discrimination. Explain how these things create an unfair playing field for people trying to achieve the American dream, making it unattainable for many.

People Who Achieved the American Dream

Talk about individuals in your life or history who have achieved a particular version of the American dream. Describe their journeys, struggles, and accomplishments. Cover the character traits that helped them overcome these obstacles. Use their story as an example of how this idea can be achieved while showing the many paths to success.

The American dream is an interesting topic that one can discuss from various perspectives. If you need to write an essay on the American dream, you should understand this concept clearly.

You can choose to present the American dream as a miracle that one cannot reach or depict a free and wealthy nation. In any case, the American dream essay is a good opportunity to reflect on the concept and learn more about it.

There are many topics you can choose from while writing your essay. Here are some examples of the American dream essay topics we can suggest:

• The true meaning of the American dream
• The image of the American dream in the Great Gatsby
• Is the American dream still relevant in today’s society?
• The role of the American dream: Discussion
• Americans’ beliefs and values: The American dream
• Can we achieve the American dream?
• The American dream in today’s world and society

Remember that you do not have to select one of the American dream essay titles and can come up with your own one. Once you have selected the topic, start working on your essay. Here are ten useful tips that will help you to write an outstanding paper:

• Start working on your essay ahead of time. You will need some time to study the issue, write the paper, and correct possible errors.
• Do preliminary research on the issue you want to discuss. The more information you know about the question, the better. We advise you to rely on credible sources exclusively and avoid using Wikipedia or similar websites.
• Check out the American dream essay examples online if you are not sure that the selected problem is relevant. Avoid copying the information you will find and only use it as guidance.
• Write an outline for your essay. Think of how you can organize your paper and choose titles for each of the sections. Remember that you should include an introductory paragraph and a concluding section along with body paragraphs.
• Remember that you should present the American dream essay thesis clearly. You can put it in the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
• Your essay should be engaging for the audience. Help your reader to know something new about the issue and include some interesting facts that may not know about. Avoid overly complex sentences and structures.
• Make your essay personal, if it is possible. Do not focus on your opinion solely but provide your perspectives on the issue or discuss your concern about it. You can talk about your experiences with the American dream, too.
• Provide statistical data if you can. For example, you can find the results of surveys about people’s perspectives on the American dream.
• The concluding paragraph is an important section of the paper. Present the thesis and all of your arguments once again and provide recommendations, if necessary. Remember that this paragraph should not include new information or in-text citations.
• Do not send your paper to your professor right away. Check it several times to make sure that there are no grammatical mistakes in it. If you have time, you can put the paper away for several days and revise it later with “fresh” eyes.

Feel free to find an essay sample in our collection and get some ideas for your outstanding paper!

• Success Ideas
• Social Security Paper Topics
• Wealth Research Topics
• Inequality Titles
• Materialism Topics
• Declaration of Independence Paper Topics
• Happiness Research Ideas
• US History Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, November 18). 125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-dream-essay-examples/

"125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers." IvyPanda , 18 Nov. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-dream-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers'. 18 November.

IvyPanda . 2024. "125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers." November 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-dream-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers." November 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-dream-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "125 American Dream Topics for Essays & Research Papers." November 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-dream-essay-examples/.

American Dream: Write Your Paper

• Your Assignment
• Understand Your Topic
• Find Articles
• Kanopy Videos
• Find Websites
• Works Cited This link opens in a new window
• Write Your Paper
• Video Tutorials
• Off-Campus Login

Let's Review

Let's review what we've covered so far:

• Making sure you understand your assignment.

• Selecting a topic you find interesting, within the guidelines of your assignment of course.

• Using the Reference Books and Reference Databases available in the library to get background information on your topic.

• Conducting more comprehensive research by using books, journal and magazine articles, and authoritative Internet sites.

Are you ready to start writing? If yes, then you may want to consult some of the general handbooks and websites that will help you work through the process of writing a research paper. If you don't feel ready, you may want to revisit some of the previous steps in the process.

Research Basics on the Web

• The Argumentative Essay From Purdue University online writing center
• Essentials of Effective Persuasive Essays From Hamilton College online writing center
• How to Write a Research Paper . . . and Get an A+ This site walks you through the important aspects of writing a paper, from beginning to end.
• OWL: Online Writing Lab at Purdue The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue.

Writing Your Paper

There are several types of research paper, but all of them have one thing in common – they require critical thinking and good writing skills. An effective research paper incorporates information and ideas from experts in the field with the writer’s own ideas and analysis. Regardless of whether your instructor asks you to write an informational report on a subject, analyze an issue, or take a stand on a particular topic, you will want to write a paper that is logically organized, fully developed, and error free.

See the lists below for some books and websites that will help you work through the process of writing a research paper.

Guides to Writing Research Papers - Electronic Books

• << Previous: Works Cited
• Next: Video Tutorials >>
• Last Updated: Nov 22, 2024 8:45 AM
• URL: https://libraryguides.cerritos.edu/american_dream

English 101 - The American Dream

• The American Dream
• Find Print and Online Books
• Databases and Periodicals
• Writing Your Paper
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Citing Sources in MLA

We're Here to Help!

• Library general ext. 2400
• Reference ext: 2406
• Circulation ext: 2395
• Ask A Librarian 24/7 Chat
• [email protected]
• Visit Us! The library is located at the northeast end of campus, near the corner of Willowbrook and Vermont Avenues. Check the library home page 
for current hours.

English 102 - The American Dream

This guide contains information to help you research and write your American Dream assignment for English 102. You will find information on how to:

• Find Print & Online Books
• Access Databases
• Write Your Paper
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Cite Sources in MLA

What is The American Dream?

"The  American dream  has long been an ideal of prosperity not just for Americans, but for people across the globe. The promise of freedom and a better life drew hopeful immigrants before there was even a country to call home, and has continued to draw countless millions ever since. In the 1900s, the backgrounds of people dreaming the dream had never been broader. The economic ups and downs of a century had never been sharper. The scope of international interest and impact had never been wider. As the modern age arrived and cynicism began to rival idealism in the national mindset, the dark lining of the American dream loomed large in twentieth-century literature."

Source: The American Dream in the Twentieth Century , Gale eBooks

• Next: Find Print and Online Books >>
• Last Updated: Sep 29, 2023 4:03 PM
• URL: https://lacitycollege.libguides.com/americandream

• Spartanburg Community College Library
• SCC Research Guides

ENG 101 - American Dream

• 7. Write Your Paper

Write Your Paper/Project

Getting started.

• Writing Fundamentals from Writer's Reference Center This has links to articles on writing any document, paraphrasing, quotations, writing a thesis statement, outline, body paragraphs, conclusion, and writing about themes, characters, form, symbols, etc.
• Choosing a Research Topic and Creating a Thesis This guide from the SCC Library provides students information on how to choose a research topic for an assignment including what makes a good research topic, concept mapping, background research, and narrowing a topic and most importantly information about creating a thesis.
• Choosing a Topic (Tutorial) This SCC Library tutorial will walk you through how to choose an appropriate topic for a research assignment and help you turn your research topic into a thesis statement.

MLA Formatting for Papers

If you're using APA Format for your paper - see our APA Guide

• Creating and Formatting MLA Paper This guide from SCC Library provides you instructions in MS Word for formatting a paper correctly including proper font and header.
• Formatting Your Works Cited Page-MLA This guide from SCC Library provides you instructions in MS Word for formatting works cited page correctly including proper font and hanging in-dent.
• Sample Paper in MLA Format Don't forget to format your paper in MLA format. This sample paper will show you how to format your paper.
• Sample MLA Paper with Block Quote Sample MLA paper that includes how do a block quote.

Incorporating Sources into a Research Project & Avoiding Plagiarism

• Organizing Your Research This guide from the SCC Library provides information on creating research note cards, source tables, and research outlines to help organize your sources so that you can incorporate them into your paper.
• Incorporating Sources into a Research Project This guide from the SCC Library provides resources on how to properly include sources in a research project without plagiarism, whether through good note-taking, following the research process, or using direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summarizing, etc.
• How to Paraphrase: Avoid Plagiarism in Research Papers with Paraphrases & Quotations (3 min. video) This video explains how to paraphrase information correctly to avoid plagiarism.
• English Composition I: The Writer's Circle, Lesson 9, Part 4, Integrating Research (Video) This video talk about citing sources to avoid plagiarizing. (1 min)

Additional Resources

• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) This site contains resources for writing, research, grammar, mechanics, and style guides (MLA & APA).

The Learning Center (TLC)

• Free, online virtual tutoring is available 24/7 through NetTutor (link found on the  TLC Page  or in D2L)
• Visit the TLC in-person at Giles or other campuses. Visit the  TLC Portal Page (SCC Log in Required)  for hours and English and Computer tutor availability.
• Email your paper/project to them at  [email protected] . They offer a 48 hour turn-around on papers (excluding weekends and holidays), and ask that you send a copy of the assignment as well. The paper needs to be Microsoft Word format (don't share a copy of your OneDrive/cloud account), and please include your due date and SCC college ID number in the email.

Visit the The Learning Center located in the P. Dan Hull Building, rooms E2, E5, E6.  See TLC Portal Page (SCC log in required) for additional locations. Contact The Learning Center for more information .

• << Previous: 6. Write Your Annotated Bib
• Next: Contact Us >>
• 1. Getting Started
• 2. Explore Your Topic
• 3. Narrow Your Topic
• Find Primary Sources
• 5. Cite Your Sources
• 6. Write Your Annotated Bib

Questions? Ask a Librarian

• Last Updated: Nov 20, 2024 10:07 AM
• URL: https://libguides.sccsc.edu/Eng101-AmericanDream

Giles Campus | 864.592.4764 | Toll Free 866.542.2779 | Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Spartanburg Community College. All rights reserved.

Info for Library Staff | Guide Search

Return to SCC Website

The American Dream : Home

• Topic Specific Databases & Resources
• General Databases
• Noodletools - Citation & Research Tips
• Creative Commons Resources

The American Dream Research Paper

This guide was created to help you write your 4-5 page research paper, where  you will answer the following question :

To what extent is __________ an achievable part of the American Dream? 

To answer this HUGE question, you will select one aspect of the American Dream to research. The following components of the American Dream are great options for this assignment: 

• Homeownership
• College education
• Marriage and family 

Sample thesis:  Homeownership is a tenant of the American dream because it represents independence, financial success, and stability. Although there are difficulties that potential homeowners face, homeownership is absolutely achievable for all Americans because there are programs to support new homeowners, many good places to live, and this is a better financial choice than renting, 

***Note: YOUR THESIS CAN & SHOULD BE MORE THAN ONE SENTENCE! 

Paper Logistics

Research Paper Logistics:

• Times New Roman 12 pt. font, double spaced (at least 4 pages)
• Works Cited Page at the end with at least HOW MANY SOURCES
• Have an identifiable thesis statement at the end of the introducion
• Include at least 6 quotations with proper MLA formatting
• Include at least one quotation from something you have read in class: 

                      1. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

                      2. "American Dreams" by Ian Brown

                      3. "Us vs. Them" by David Tomas Martinez

                      4. "American Dreamin" by Jay Z

                      5. Dr. King's speech

                     6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                     7. Fences by August Wilson

Why Use Databases?

Developing An Effective Search Strategy

NoodleTools

Noodletools is a citation generator for note-taking, outlining, citing sources, document archiving/annotation, and collaborative research and writing. NOTE: When creating a new project choose ADVANCED under citation level. Use your Wayland email address to create an account. Need help creating an account? Watch this  video .

NoodleTools also has a couple of great Help pages with a wide array of detailed  tutorials  about how to use it:  NoodleTools Help Desk  and here:  NoodleTools Support.  

Wayland Public Library

Searching Databases

Using library databases will ensure you create a quality research project 

Databases provide you with:

• Up to date, relevant information
• Evaluated sources
• Citation information 
• Subject specific content

What are your keywords?  Searching a database requires entering search terms or keywords related to your search. Consider phrases, tag words, synonyms (don't be afraid to think outside the box).  Ex:  "climate change" OR "climate crisis"  AND "global warming" 

Set up your search : Choose where in the document the database should search for your keywords: Stick to Keyword or Entire Document 

Search Limiters

Choose Your Search Limiters : Always choose "full document" - there is nothing worse than finding what could be the perfect resource, only to  discover you do not have access to the full article, only the abstract (summary). 

Additional Search Limiters:  You can further limit your search by date and document type (the type of documents that are searchable can vary by database - unless you need something very specific (primary source, newspaper article, map) you do not have to use this limiter. Similarly using the date limiter is optional, but can be useful especially if you need current information.

WHS Library Catalog

Boston Public Library

Guide adapted from T. McDonald's guide Chemistry and You

• Next: Topic Specific Databases & Resources >>
• Last Updated: Jul 24, 2024 10:39 AM
• URL: https://waylandhs.libguides.com/americandream

Chasing the Dream: Researching the Meaning of the American Dream

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

In “ Paradox and Dream ,” a 1966 essay on the American Dream, John Steinbeck writes, “For Americans too the wide and general dream has a name.  It is called ‘the American Way of Life.'  No one can define it or point to any one person or group who lives it, but it is very real nevertheless.”  Yet a recent cover of Time Magazine reads “The History of the American Dream – Is It Real?”  Here, students explore the meaning of the American Dream by conducting interviews, sharing and assessing data, and writing papers based on their research to draw their own conclusions.

Featured Resources

• The American Dream Project : This assignment sheet, which is directed to students, explains the three-part nature of this project and paper.
• Steinbeck John. American and American and Selected Nonfiction . Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson, eds.  New York: Penguin Books, 2012: In this 1966 essay, Steinbeck presents a picture of Americans as paradoxical and asks if the American Dream is even possible.  An edited version of this essay can be found at http://politicalsystems.homestead.com/ParadoxAndDream.html
• Sidel, Ruth. On Her Own: Growing Up in the Shadow of the American Dream .  New York: Viking, 1990: Sidel explores the impact of the American Dream on young women in the 1980’s and 1990s.

From Theory to Practice

In her book Genre Theory:  Teaching, Writing, and Being , Deborah Dean describes writing “mini-ethnographies,” saying, “Ethnography is a way to look at a culture; Wendy Bishop describes it as ‘a representation of the lived experience of a convened culture’ (3).  Reiff, citing Beverly Moss, explains that ‘the main purpose of the ethnographic genre is ‘to gain a comprehensive view of the social interactions, behaviors, and beliefs of a community or a social group’’”(“Meditating” 42).  This lesson allows students to explore this idea of shared beliefs within a culture and to then use genuine research (one-on-one interviews) to produce a paper that examines the shared belief in the American Dream.  As Dean states, “…conducting research for ethnography requires students to use genres for authentic purposes, which provides them with clear connections between genres and contexts and helps them see genres as actions more than forms.”

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• “Paradox and Dream” in America and Americans by John Steinbeck
• “The New American Dreamers” (particularly pp. 15-25) in On Her Own – Growing Up in the Shadow of the American Dream by Ruth Sidel
• " Keeping the Dream Alive – The American Dream: A Biography ” by Jon Meacham
• “ The American Dream: Is it slipping away? ” (September 27, 2010): This article examines the results of an ABC News Poll on the validity of the idea of the American Dream today.
• “ Waking Up From American Dreams ” (February 12, 2010): This short article explores contemporary cultural connections to the American Dream and the effect of class on the Dream.
• “ In a Sour Economy, What Happens to the American Dream? ” (May 7, 2009): This article explores how the definition of the America Dream changes in the time of a recession.
• A sample student paper and a sample student interview (audio) are included for teacher reference.
• “ The American Dream Project ” assignment sheet for students
• Discussion starters - sample questions for “The New American Dreamers”
• Sample Interview Questions
• Sample Student Paper

This website, The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies, is a university archive focusing on Steinbeck’s life and work and offering a variety of materials for teacher interesting in teaching Steinbeck’s work .

This article discusses how the idea of the American Dream has changed society and  traces the history of the American Dream.

Preparation

• Familiarize yourself with the concept of the American Dream and its history.  An excellent resource is “ Keeping the Dream Alive ” by Jon Meacham ( Time , July 2, 2012 Vol. 180  No.1).
• Prepare student copies or plan access to the two readings listed above by Steinbeck and Sidel and prepare discussion starters.  ( Sample starters for the Sidel reading are included.)
• Make class copies of the assignment sheet The American Dream Project .
• Determine the appropriate number of groups to divide the class into.  ( Note: there should be a minimum of 4 students per group, but 5-7 is optimal.  If class size is too small to allow for six groups, one for each decade 1950 – present, it is best to omit the most recent decade where interviewees often offer less material.)

Student Objectives

Students will:

• develop an understanding of the meaning of the concept the American Dream through readings, discussion, and authentic research.
• practice interviewing skills, including formulation of questions, listening and response skills, and notetaking.
• learn to work cooperatively with other students to pool data and draw conclusions.
• demonstrate the ability to present thoughtful and well-documented conclusions in a formal paper.

Session One

• Ask students to define “the American Dream.”  Brainstorm as a class, listing on the board all ideas, words, and phrases that students offer. (Examples: financial security; a home, a job, two kids and a dog; happiness; freedom to do and be what you want; being better off than your parents; a house with a white picket fence; being able to pursue your dreams, the chance to succeed, etc.)
• Is the idea of the American Dream unique to Americans, or is it a “Human” Dream?
• Do you believe the American Dream has changed over time?  If so, how?
• Do all US citizens have equal opportunities to achieve the American Dream?  What do you based your opinion on?
• Is the belief in the American Dream necessary to society?  Why/why not?
• How do you personally define the American Dream?
• Read aloud in class Steinbeck’s “ Paradox and Dream ” from America and Americans .
• Immediately after the reading, ask students to freewrite briefly about their reactions to the piece, focusing in particular on what Steinbeck says about the American Dream.
• Ask students to share their freewrites.  Use their responses to refine the definition and meaning of the American Dream on the board.  (Note: The term “The America Dream” was first coined by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America in 1931.)  Although there is no one definition of the American Dream, students often come to the conclusion that it is the freedom and opportunity to achieve one’s goals through hard work.
• Ask students to read Ruth Sidel’s “The New American Dreamers” before the next session.

Session Two

• If students were able to read the Sidel piece for homework, begin class with a discussion of “The New American Dreamers”  (see attached discussion starters ).  If students were not able to read the piece for homework, share it with them in class.
• “Professional success is important to women today.”
• “The old dream of a husband and a family isn’t important to all women anymore.”
• “If I ever do get married, I want my relationship to be 50-50.  I don’t want to be the only one responsible for taking care of the house and kids.”
• “Money and independence are really important to women now.”
• “Women can do and have whatever they want, just like men."
• “…she is convinced that if she plans carefully, works hard and makes the right decisions, she will have success in her chosen field; have the material goods she desires; in time marry if she wishes; and, in all probability, have children.  She plans, as the expression goes, to ‘have it all.’”  (p.15)
• “No matter what class they come from, their fantasies are of upward mobility, a comfortable life filled with personal choice and material possessions.” (p. 18)
• “A key message that the New American Dreamers are both receiving and sending is one of optimism—the sense that they can do whatever they want with their lives.” (p. 24)
• “To many of them, an affluent life-style is central to their dreams; they often describe their goals in terms of cars, homes, travel to Europe.” (p. 27)
• Invite students to share their freewrites.  Use their responses to continue to refine the definition and meaning of the American Dream.  Ask students to compare Sidel’s conclusions with Steinbeck’s comments on the American Dream
• Discuss the format and voice of the Sidel piece.  Ask students to point out how she uses specific data from interviewees to draw her conclusions.  Have students note how she implements direct quotations from the interviews to illustrate specific points.
• Introduce students to the idea that they will be conducting their own interviews on the meaning of the American Dream.  Explain to them that they will be choosing interview subjects who represent particular decades from the 1950’s to the present.
• Pass out The American Dream Project assignment sheet and read it aloud with students.  Note in particular the three stages of the paper: interview summary, conclusions on a decade, and personal reflection.
• Discuss the idea of coming of age (i.e. the time when a person becomes independent of his/her parents) to make sure that students understand the concept.
• For homework, ask students to make a brief list of people they know who came of age in each particular decade (1950’s to the present).  These should be people they would be able to interview, preferably in person though possibly in a phone conversation.  Students may not be able to come up with a person(s) for each decade; however, this list will help to expedite student choices in the next class session.

Session Three

• Choose decade groups, using the lists of potential interviewees which students created for homework.  This works best if students have input into choosing which decade they will interview a person from.  Remind students that they do not have to know their interviewee well, and that in fact, in most interview situations, the interviewer does not know the interviewee.   Be sure to have an equal number of people in each decade group so that they all have roughly the same amount of material to work with.
• Brainstorm a short list of possible interview questions (see attached sample list ), and discuss strengths and weakness of potential questions.  (Note:  Remind students that, when interviewing, they should not follow the list precisely but instead allow the interview to “take on a life of its own.”  This is a reason for creating a fairly short list of questions so that students have to take the initiative to come up with questions suitable for their particular subject.)
• If necessary, suggest that students refer back to “The New American Dreamers” to see questions Sidel asked interviewees and how questions built upon one another.
• Review with students general guidelines for conducting an interview (i.e. courtesy, concerns about confidentiality/anonymity, use of tape recorders, etc.).  If necessary, allow students to “practice” mock interviews with one another.  Addtionally, you may choose to share the sample student interview (audio) with the class so that students have a better understanding.
• Remind students of the specific date when the two-page interview must be completed and brought to class (see assignment sheet ).  Emphasize the importance of having the paper in class on that day since students will be sharing their data.

Session Four

• Ask students to sit in small groups according to decade (i.e. the 1950’s group includes those students who interviewed someone who came of age in the 1950’s).
• Ask each student to read the interview portion of the paper aloud to the group while other group members take notes on what they hear.  After each group member has read his/her interview, students may decide that they need to hear parts of the papers again.  Allow sufficient time for this reading and for students to ask questions of one another.
• When all interviews have been presented, tell students to discuss the data and begin to draw conclusions about the meaning of the American Dream for that particular decade.  Encourage lively and thoughtful discussion, and remind students to not settle for easy conclusions but to think deeply about the data.  Students may find the Venn Diagram tool helpful to use to see similarities and differences in their subjects’ responses.
• Explain to students that not everyone in the group will necessarily draw the same conclusions, and that that is a function of interpretation of data.  Depending on the size of the groups, note that students may focus their conclusions on different “sub-groups” (i.e. gender, class, region, etc.) within their larger group.
• While students are working in groups, circulate the classroom to help guide student discussion and to assure that the interview pieces are written in the correct style and format.
• If, at the conclusion of class, students feel they need more data, allow time for them to reconnect with their interviewees and then share that additional material with their group during another class session.
• Remind students of the due date for the entire paper (all three sections) as noted on the assignment sheet .

Session Five

(Note : This is the session during which the students will hand in their completed papers, so this session might be a week or so after Session Four.)

• Ask students to again meet in their small groups according to decade and share their final conclusions as presented in their papers.
• Give each group a piece of chart/poster paper on which to list the key points they agree on that would define the meaning of the American Dream for their particular decade.
• Hang the posters and ask each group to present their findings to the entire class. Encourage them to support their findings with data from their interviews.
• Conduct a class discussion on how the American Dream has or has not changed throughout the decades from 1950 to the present. Ask students to consider the Time Magazine questions: “Is It Real?”
• Encourage students to share their own definition of the American Dream as expressed in the final page of their papers.  Ask them to compare and contrast their responses.
• At the conclusion of the class discussion, collect all student papers (all three parts).
• If time and technology allows, students may be interested in viewing the powerful 1988 documentary American Dream at Groton which focuses on the challenges eighteen-year-old Jo Vega faces as a scholarship student at Groton Academy, a Massachusetts prep school. Vega was born in Spanish Harlem and struggles in her pursuit of the American Dream in a very different social milieu.
• Students interested in music might want to explore music that focuses on the American Dream.  An excellent selection of songs can be found on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website .
• In an abbreviated form, this lesson might be used in connection with literature that explores the American Dream such as The Great Gatsby , A Raisin in the Sun , and Death of a Salesman.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• The complete, three-part paper can be graded as any other research type paper.  The requirements for each section are outlined in the assignment sheet and can be graded accordingly.  (A teacher might choose to weight the three sections as follows: Interview - 40%, Conclusions drawn from data - 40%, Personal statement on the American Dream – 20%. )  Emphasis should be placed on use of solid and specific data that support the writer’s conclusions.
• Students might also write a short reflection discussing their reaction to the design of the project in terms of conducting interviews, collaborating in small groups, and using authentic research to draw conclusions.
• Professional Library
• Lesson Plans
• Calendar Activities
• Student Interactives

This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

Add new comment

• Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

• Kindergarten K

• High School
• You don't have any recent items yet.
• You don't have any courses yet.
• You don't have any books yet.
• You don't have any Studylists yet.
• Information

Research Paper: The Great Gatsby: The American Dream

Writing and research (awr 201), the university of tampa.

Students also viewed

• A Critical Analysis of “A Rose for Emily”
• Comment Paper - Grade: A
• A Critical Analysis of “A Hunger Artist”
• An Analysis of Sylvia Plath and Her Literature
• Final Draft- punishment vs. rehab in the U.S. prison system
• Long paper; eating disorders

Related documents

• Final draft controversy summary
• AWR Final Essay-2 - Essay
• AWR Final Essay
• Essay paper
• Conflict Essay Laugh Kookaburra
• Short Paper #3 AWR

Related Studylists

Preview text.

Andrea Sciortino Professor Steinbrink AWR 201 24 April 2018 The Great Gatsby &amp; The American Dream F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a novel that illuminates the American culture in the 1920s, and the associated values, beliefs, and dreams of the American population during that era, which ultimately is summed up as the “American Dream”. The American dream can be interpreted differently by each person: as some say it is the freedom of class, race, or religion, whereas others claim it is about choosing what they want to wear, where they want to work, or what they’re going to be eating every day. For the title character of the novel, Jay Gatsby, and many others within the work, the American dream is a dream of wealth, money, prosperity, and gaining the happiness that would supposedly come along with the flourishing economy, and the get-rich-quick schemes that built the underworld of the upper-class society in America. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald displays how the American dream is only a shallow concept of perfection, something that can never be attained, but can always be reached for. The 1920s were a boisterous era due to income inequality, the rising amount of immigration in the United States, and the change occurring among women’s roles. Adding to the anxiety within the country, World War I forced many individuals to recover and bounce back to start new and improved lives. Throughout the twenties, America was submerged in the midst of an economic boom that ignited the belief that hard work could lead anyone from rags to riches. Many came to America seeking freedom, wealth, and the ability to truly build a life that would shadow the American dream. However, those hopes of living an honest life and working for

success soon turned into hopes that were just about gaining wealth. The American dream showcased a quintessential view of American culture, that, in reality, failed to recognize issues, such as systemic misogyny and racism, xenophobia, tax evasion and many other problems. It also misrepresented American civilization to be equal among different classes, when in actuality, our country has a well-developed hierarchy of classes. The Great Gatsby thoroughly portrays the behavioral and cognitive shifts within the 1920’s culture and represents the differences between both the original American dream, and the corrupted American Dream. The achievement of the American dream in the novel is highlighted by Fitzgerald’s belief that one must go through the world of men in order to be successful. Relationships among men were thought to be key due to the political and business connections men had (Goldblatt). The relationship between Jay Gatsby and a character named Meyer Wolfsheim truly demonstrate Fitzgerald’s belief. Wolfsheim was a prominent figure in organized crime and he helped Gatsby obtain his fortune through bootlegging illegal liquor and participating in many other crimes. Their relationship emphasizes how having the right connections through men would guarantee success and lead one to achieving the American dream. There is popular belief that most people never achieve the American dream in their lifetime because it is “too much of an ideal to ever be consummated” (Barbarese 1), and those who do achieve the dream are usually men. Fitzgerald depicts the roaring twenties as a time of impaired ethics and extreme depletion of morality, especially when it came to obtaining a wealthy status. The underworld of the upper- class generated a moral decay within civilization that served as the impetus for ruining the dreams and hopes of all. Throughout the novel, a sense of greed and need of materialistic items is expressed. Each character is blinded by their attempts to find their desired place in the social world, ultimately ending up trading their beliefs for the hope of being accepted.

place where men were politically free to pursue whatever goal they wished. Myrtle Wilson is a character who is very similar to Gatsby because she also disregards her morality and pursues an affair while on the hunt for wealth and materialistic things. She and her husband, George, are working class people who strive to improve their lifestyle. George takes action through his work while Myrtle takes action through infidelity with a character named Tom. Myrtle wishes to live the life of the elite with Tom despite the fact that she is already married. She is so corrupted by materialism that she develops an unhealthy fixation on money that ultimately ruins her marriage. Becoming Tom’s mistress led her to the monetary support she needs to flourish. In contrast to most of the characters in the novel, the narrator Nick Carraway is portrayed as someone who honestly and wholeheartedly achieved the American dream. Nick fulfills the dream by traveling to New York to become a bondsman with hopes of finding a woman who he can spend the rest of his life with. Although he is attracted to the fast-paced and fun-driven lifestyle of New York, he also finds the lifestyle to be damaging and grotesque. This inner conflict is symbolized through Nick’s romantic affair with a character named Jordan Baker. He is drawn to her sophistication and vivacity, but he is also repelled by her lack of consideration for other people and her overall dishonesty. Nick believes that there is a “quality of distortion” to living in New York and the way of life makes him lose his sense of cognitive and emotional balance. As the plot unravels in the novel, Nick finds out the hard way that the fast life of revelry is merely a cover for the disruptive moral emptiness that lie within it. The cultural norms of our nation during the twenties were impacted by the race for the American dream, as they consisted of prioritizing appearances, partying, and materialistic endeavors over anything else. Fitzgerald depicts these norms through the many parties that

Gatsby and his friends hosted. Many people felt compelled to attend these parties because it was sophisticated to do so. At each of Gatsby’s parties, lemons and oranges were present, representing the moral depletion that the partygoers were subjected to. The fruits were fresh and innocent from the start but were later depleted in quality, just as the people were depleted of their moral values. For instance, when Tom threw a party, a direct representation of immorality was depicted. Everyone who attended the party exhibited no restraint and got overly-intoxicated while arguing over trivial matters that lead to violence and major conflicts. This shows how the characters were getting caught up in all the wrong things and focussing on benefits of having money and being irresponsible. Love, sex, and desire are also major motivators for nearly every character on their individual hunts to achieve the American dream. Fitzgerald portrays love and desire throughout major relationships, such as Daisy and Tom, Gatsby and Daisy, George and Myrtle, and Tom and Myrtle. Each character develops throughout the story and represents the author’s depiction of love. While The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story on the surface, it serves as a satire and critique of the American dream that uses several relationships as a vehicle to examine such themes. Tom and Daisy are married and both come from extremely wealthy families that secure their social status. Although they appear to be living the ideal lifestyle, their marriage is corrupt and consists of lying, cheating, and an overall distance from reality. They “weren’t happy.. yet they weren’t unhappy either” because their marriage guaranteed their continued membership into the exclusive world of the rich (Fitzgerald 409). Their relations to each other show that class held a much stronger bond to them than love. In contrast, the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby is much more complex, as it

possible if certain conditions are met; in this case, the conditions are both members being content with the amount of money in the marriage other relationships fail because of cross-class dating or one member desperately trying to break away from their given social class. Materialism is another cultural fault that fell among people in the 1920s in ties to pursuing the American dream. Fitzgerald acknowledges the materialism when portraying the roles of automobiles and currency in the novel. After World War I, people in America felt the need to let loose and automobiles allowed people to feel freedoms they had never felt before. The rise of the economy and the new lifestyle of living lavishly set up expectations for society to try and live up to (Little). F. Scott Fitzgerald was very aware of the relationship between the automobile one drives and his or her social status. In the novel, a character named Jordan Baker is used to represent automobiles during the twenties. Fitzgerald crafted her name in order to construct a play on two prominent American automobile manufacturers of the time: the Jordan Motor Car Company and Baker Motor Vehicle. These major car companies mirror the American values during the twenties because their main focuses were based on appearance. In addition, they proudly advertised a philosophy that claimed that because people paid so much attention towards their self-appearance, they would also pay attention to the type of car they drove, in which it would match cultural standards. The United States’ abstraction of financial values reflected on a concomitant abstraction of ethical values. “Not only was there a huge decrease in the rate of personal savings and an increase in installment buying in the 1920s, but there was also a drastic change in the attitudes of the people in society.” (McAdams). Some argue that the American dream is associated with a lack of success whereas some claim that the dreams were not even a full idea until the thirties. Fitzgerald made comparisons between The Great Gatsby characters’ perception of the American dream and the reality of what

the American dream actually was through the language and style of work, as he made sure the readers could see the dream as a “contradiction to and a distortion of reality.” Fitzgerald also made attempts to correct misconceptions about the dream and instead convey his own thoughts on how the dream is “ambiguous, contradictory, romantic in nature, and undeniably beautiful while at the same time grotesquely flawed.” (Hearn e 189-190). The Great Gatsby foresaw the future concepts of the American dream and demonstrated how dishonesty and money distribution would be crucial for success in the long run. The novel showcased how it might be a part of the American dream to “strive for success, regardless of doing business in an unethical way.” (Pidgeon). Each character is presented with situations that challenge their ethics and make them truly think about what is more important. The American dream holds several different meanings through different individuals, especially during the 1920s. The Great Gatsby was written to express the cultural elements that led to the downfall of our community, as well as their hopes and dreams of the desired lifestyle of that era. Concepts such as morality, love and relationships, and materialism are discussed throughout the book in order to truly project the thought processes and behaviors of the people to the reader. Although the dream sounded honest and ambitious, Fitzgerald uncovered the truth behind it and revealed that it was just about conformity among wealth and the social classes.

Century.&quot; Journal of American Studies, vol. 50, no. 1, 2016, pp. 105-124, Research Library, search.proquest.com.esearch.ut/docview/1761583877? accountid=14762, doi:dx.doi/10.1017/S0021875815000663. ● Hearne, Kimberly. &quot;Fitzgerald&#039;s Rendering of a Dream.&quot; Explicator, vol. 68, no. 3, 2010, pp. 189-194, esearch.ut/login?url=search.ebscohost/login.aspx? direct=true&amp;db=a9h&amp;AN=52339679&amp;site=ehost-live. ● Keshmiri, Fahimeh. &quot;The Disillusionment of F. Scott Fitzgerald&#039;s Dreams and Ideals in The Great Gatsby.&quot; Theory and Practice in Language Studies, vol. 6, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1295-1299, Research Library, ● search.proquest.com.esearch.ut/docview/1797327376?accountid=14762 , doi:// dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0606. ● Little, Matthew. &quot;’I could make some Money’: Cars and Currency in The Great Gatsby.&quot; Papers on Language &amp; Literature, vol. 51, no. 1, 2015, pp. 3-26, esearch.ut/login?url=search.ebscohost/login.aspx? direct=true&amp;db=a9h&amp;AN=101962031&amp;site=ehost-live. ● McAdams, Tony. &quot;The Great Gatsby as a Business Ethics Inquiry.&quot; Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 12, no. 8, 1993, pp. 653, ABI/INFORM Collection, Psychology Database, Research Library, search.proquest.com.esearch.ut/docview/198091314? accountid=14762. ● Pidgeon, John A. &quot;The Great Gatsby.&quot; Modern Age, vol. 49, no. 2, 2007, pp. 178-182, esearch.ut/login?url=search.ebscohost/login.aspx? direct=true&amp;db=a9h&amp;AN=25374689&amp;site=ehost-live.

• Multiple Choice

Course : Writing and Research (AWR 201)

University : the university of tampa.

• Discover more from: Writing and Research AWR 201 The University of Tampa 85   Documents Go to course
• More from: Writing and Research AWR 201 The University of Tampa 85   Documents Go to course
• More from: AM AM Alyssia McDonald 999+ impact 999+ University of Central Florida Discover more
• More from: NEA by Bela Lily 21 21 documents Go to Studylist