|
|
|
|
American Dream
|
| |
|
| |
The American Dream is the freedom that allows all citizens and most residents of the United States to pursue their goals in life through hard work and free choice (see Immigration to the United States).
The phrase's meaning has evolved over the course of American history. The Founding Fathers used the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It began as the opportunity to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin.

Discussion
Ask a question about 'American Dream'
Start a new discussion about 'American Dream'
Answer questions from other users
|
Encyclopedia
The American Dream is the freedom that allows all citizens and most residents of the United States to pursue their goals in life through hard work and free choice (see Immigration to the United States).
The phrase's meaning has evolved over the course of American history. The Founding Fathers used the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It began as the opportunity to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin. For others it is the opportunity for their children to grow up and receive an education and its consequent career opportunities. It is the opportunity to make individual choices without the restrictions of class, caste, religion, race, or ethnic group.
Counterculture It should be noted that the counterculture of 1960s' America introduced for the first time an American Dream directly opposed to the traditional "Dream". Whereas tradition stressed monetary gain, the hippie movement valued spiritual gain. Since then, the spectrum has continued to widen to include less generalized, more personal definitions.
A great deal of literature has been written in attempts to discover and define modern, counterculture variants of the American Dream. Examples include several Hunter S. Thompson titles, such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Jack Kerouac's On The Road.
Others have been written to critique or ridicule the concept, such as John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby about the extreme selfishness of adultery, bootlegging and social climbing.
The dramas Death of a Salesman and A Raisin in the Sun are examples of marginalized citizens striving to or failing to achieve the American Dream.
Countless films explore the topic of the American Dream. One such film is 1969's Easy Rider, in which characters make a pilgrimage in search of "the true America."
Origin
Historian and writer James Truslow Adams coined the phrase "American Dream" in his 1931 book Epic of America:
He also wrote:
See also
|
| |
|
|