The American Dream Essay

No matter who you are or where you have come from, you have undoubtedly heard of the American Dream. The idea that no matter who you are or where you have come from, you can do whatever it is you desire in America. What was once one the main driving forces for immigrants to flock to the new world, has slowly changed over the years, but still holds its value in the eyes of those who are looking for a promising new place to live. The American dream might not hold the same awe inspiring sound that it once did, but for many generations before ours, it was a beacon of hope that helped build the foundation that the United States was built on. And still today the American dream might not be as achievable as it once was, but it is still an important symbol to the American ideology. For generations the idea of coming to America brought hope and comfort to many different families from all over the world, from war torn Europe to people being prosecuted in far away lands. In an article published by Forbes Magazine Thomas Peterffy an immigrant from Budapest tells the story of what brought him to America after hearing about it from many people in his at the time communist controlled village. Peterffy states, “It was a big deal to leave home and my culture and my language, but I believed that in America, I could truly reap what I sowed and that the measure of a man was his ability and determination to succeed. This was the land of boundless opportunity” (Burke). It’s because of the idea