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John Steinbeck's 'American Dream'

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A Dime in the Rough What does it mean to be an American? Having freedom, being a patriot, your own way of life? Being an American is all of this and much more. America and the American Dream have been very controversial topics for the last hundred years, they are key elements that give people within and outside America the feeling of hope and positivity in their day to day lives. Elie Wiesel, a famed article writer and a survivor of the holocaust, is a perfect example of what a positive and hopeful view of America on the outside looks like. In the article, The America I Love, he talks about his encounters with American soldiers, who saved his life from the Buchenwald concentration camp (Wiesel). Although he was not an American at the time, these soldiers and their country were able to give Elie a feeling of hope and positivity. Him and the other prisoners were brought back to America, where they were able to experience and be a part of the American …show more content…

John goes on to write, “These dreams describe our vague yearnings toward what we wish we were and hope we may be: wise, just, compassionate, and noble” (Steinbeck). This quote is directed at those in and out of the country because it shows what the American Dream can become to anyone. A strong positive message in which people feel hope and nationalism. Although John talks about everyone being a part of America, it is not a reality. His quote, “if we have enough gold-we contribute it to the nation in the form of foundations and charities” (Steinbeck), has a deeper meaning to it. A meaning that explains what Americans, who have experienced the American Dream, can do for those who have not. Charity and helping those in need are a part of the American Dream. It leads to the bigger picture of having hope and positivity no matter the

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