Comparing The American Dream In Nickel And Dimed

To live comfortably is a wish that many people have growing up in America. We see people on television who have and have not worked harder than others to achieve this way of life. These people are able to pay their bills for the nice house saved up for, are able to provide for a decent sized family, and still have extra money in their pocket for themselves. The American Dream seems so accomplishable when looking at the people who have already achieved this, but looking up to these people, we do not realize that this dream is not a few steps ahead of us sitting on a pedestal; this dream is almost out of touch. But what is the reason that everyone cannot achieve this dream as easily as others?

It have definitely been a lot harder to achieve what we know as the “American dream”. Over the previous decades the difference between poor and rich

Gatsby is the classic example of the American dream, which is shown from his routine featured in chapter 9; ‘practise elocution, poise and how to attain it’, which is example of the American dream due to the fact that it is a sign of self-improvement; he is planning out his life to better it and become more successful. The American dream is the American way of life which strives to be wealthy and successful. Although Gatsby is wealthy, in the Buchanan’s eyes Gatsby’s money is worthless and Gatsby will always be classed as poor. This allows us to deduce the difference between the wealthy and the poor to determine the more genuine characters. Gatsby’s love for Daisy is genuine, throughout the play Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby’s infatuation with Daisy as sincere.

The family still strived for their happiness by buying a house. We see the happiness in Ruth when she says, "GOOD-BYE Misery… I DON 'T NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY

Believers of the American Dream in today 's society think it is the pursuit of happiness or specifically in the modern world, materialistic things, like cars and big houses. Attaining these valuable items is not necessarily achieving the American Dream, it is the thought and hard work that goes into achieving your personal enjoyment. No matter the dream, however small it may be, it could be your own reality. You 'll only know your living the american when you’re gaining success,gaining wealth,and having the pursuit of happiness.

As the person becomes more self-sufficient a feeling of power in instilled. Money is the main characteristic of the American Dream, but it is not the only thing that the average American

Those who have no money are often much more conservative. They can not afford the privileges of those with wealth. Nick, the narrator of the story, is a prime example of having no money. He has struck out on his own in the bond business and worked hard for what he has, even though it does not amount to much. Though Nick does not have much himself, he would give what he has to help his friends.

The first-hand account Ehrenreich provides as a low-wage workers may not be enough to warrant the audience’s trust in her claims, so she sprinkles in actual studies/statistics to make her claims more convincing. She states “Preamble Center for Public Policy was estimating that the odds against a typical welfare recipient’s landing of a job at such a ‘living wage’ were about 97 to 1” (3). Ehrenreich’s main point is that it is very hard to get by with minimum wage, especially without any help from friends or family. Referencing a reputable source that follows her claims made through her experience makes the narration seem more trustworthy. In addition, Ehrenreich notes “rents…have to be less than 30 percent of one’s income to be considered ‘affordable’” and then cites “Housing analyst Peter Dreier” who reports that the majority of poor renters spend “50 percent of their income on shelter” (170).

In The working poor by David K shipler writes about the real poverty in America that many forget about. In The working poor by David K Shipler, writes about the many factors that separate the working poor from well being. Shipler starts of by stating the traits that are needed to be successful in America. Some for example, a well paying job, high self esteem, good connections and many more.

In regards to the American Dream in America, US citizens hold their dreams near and dear to their hearts, but neglect to advocate for the dreams of their fellow Americans. In an excerpt from writer James Truslow Adams, he articulates his thoughts on the American dream, he states: That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper class to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it.

Not everyone who graduates college will obtain a significantly higher paying job. Though it is nice to think that way, it is not the reality. Most students will end up making a small amount more than, an employee with a high school diploma. The topic continues to complicate itself with the point Tiffany Hsu made. She states how employers require a college degree.

The American Dream begins with an affordable living arrangement and a good job, but with remorse, these two pieces are not connecting (Thompson, 2014). A college graduate can expect expensive housing with a job not reflective of the high housing price. In an article published in The Atlantic, “Why it’s So Hard for Millennials to Find a Place to Live and Work” Derek Thompson talks about the inequality between upward mobility and the housing market. For example, Dayton has one of the most affordable housing markets in the United States, however unlike California there is no social mobility (Thompson, 2014). The American dream is different for everyone and changes the course of action an individual may take.

Miss Moore knows that Sylvia and the others face a disadvantage economically and try to throw a hint towards them about the issue, but no one seems to care. Everything that they have financially does not bother them, but to prove a point this shows how unfair the country was at the time. It was not possible to achieve success and live the dream when it is not even noticeable to

Studies also show that children who have gone through divorce are more likely to get lower grades and are considered less pleasant to be around by their peers and teens who live in a single parent or blended home are three times more likely to need psychological help within a year. These choices are already made for the children and they have

Ennis ISD serves a community that is very economically unstable; sixty-nine percent of Ennis’s high school students are classified as economically disadvantaged. In comparison, Dallas ISD has forty-eight percent of its students being classified as economically disadvantaged. The median family income for families living in Ennis is $50,692, and the federal poverty line of annual income is set at about $23,000. According to the United States Census Bureau, 10.4 percent of families and thirteen percent of the population of Ennis are below the government’s definition of poverty. The high percentage of economically disadvantaged students correlates with EISD’s low scores because it can be assumed that high school students below the poverty line must have some form of work or job after school, preventing them from being able to complete homework and study on a daily basis.