If you were brought up within the boundaries of the U.S. education system, you were most likely required to analyze a painting from 1872 of a woman in a white dress floating west, as your teacher explained to you what the American Dream is. Or was. Or is supposed to be.
The American Dream was described to me as the idea that anyone, regardless of their place of birth or social class, can become successful if they are dedicated, hardworking, and make enough sacrifices. This kind of hope of success became affiliated with the newly discovered land and the fresh start of a new country. The United States is taught to be a land of opportunity, where immigrants and citizens can improve their lives and achieve their dreams.
The idea that “upward mobility is possible for everyone” if they work hard enough, is deeply ingrained in the American ethos- and is a persuasive pull factor to motivate people to move to the United States. Of course, the reality is much more complicated than what our middle and high school teachers taught us. Working hard is simply not enough for those who face systematic prejudice and historical injustices. The American Dream has never been attainable for EVERYONE the way some choose to believe. I feel that this aspect of US culture has been misguiding and has thrown a blanket of disillusionment over generations of families that believe that it is real. Those who have privilege don’t understand why those without it cant simply work their way out of poverty, and those who have endured centuries of displacement and injustice don’t understand why they are not as successful as their advantaged counterparts(until it’s too late and they are trapped in unfair conditions).
To find at how someone living outside US culture might perceive the American Dream (and how their views change when they emigrate to the US), I’d take a look at Upton Sinclair’s muckraking novel, The Jungle(1905), which portrays the harrowing working conditions of an immigrant family in Chicago’s meat packing factories. The novel also demonstrates the realities of exploitation, corruption, and the elusivity of the American Dream.
This exercise was a great prep to tap back into my writing skills and to voice my opinion after taking a break this summer from school work. Reflecting on US culture also helps me to think about ideologies that other countries might have adopted that still holds an influence on it’s people today.