American Dream - Brainstorming

American Dream Graphic Organizer

I am trying to brainstorm for my American Dream essay. There are some random bits in this graphic organizer that were in my head... I felt that I should write them down...

Introduction

• What is the value of dreams? 

The value of dreams is priceless. Without dreams, the world would not be anywhere near the way it is today. Dreams started it all. From the beginning of Adam and Eve, when Eve and Adam were tempted by the fruit of the forbidden tree by the devil, they dreamed and believed that they would become like God if they ate the fruit. The idea of dreaming and trying to fulfill those dreams and accomplish those goals has been continued from there. From the building of the pyramids to the Orville Brothers to Steve Jobs, the amounts of dreams are endless.

• What does society advocate or our media suggest about what your dream should be? 

Our dream, that society suggests, is that we live an “ideal” life, like in Pleasantville. We should have a successful job and also have leisure time. We should get married and have a couple kids, and we should have those kids in school and numerous other activities where they must succeed. It seems as though people don’t have hobbies anymore. Everything that everyone is doing must be done almost perfectly, and we must be the best at everything that we can be.

• Is it achievable? 

I do not think that it is achievable because nobody can be perfect or even close to that. We do not live in an “ideal” world. Everyone is going to make mistakes that may lead them in a different direction than the dream that society wants us to fulfill.

Your Dream Defined

• Your dream defined: future family and career goals

My dream, to me, seems mostly unattainable. The part of my dream that I will fulfill is getting married and having a family. I want our family to do well and not have to scrap off the bottom of every pan to survive. Our family will be avid church-goers and be content. I would hope that my children be successful with their activities and my husband to be extremely caring. The other part of my dream with my career goals are a little “out there,” but I plan on making it work out well in the end. My career goals include becoming a professional musician with piano, flute, and voice, and to become a notable author. I would also love to continue with my art, whether it be a hobby or be profitable. That dream seems hard to attain, but I hope that I will push through the rough times and make it happen. Though it is not for me, I have many dreams for my brothers and my father that I have to include. They are a very large part of me, and if they are not successful and happy, then my life would feel like its crumbling as well. My dream for my father is that, after us kids are out of the house, that he be able to do his real career, acting. My dream for Ethan, the eldest brother, is that he would become either a zoologist or a flourishing singer because he has a beautiful voice. My dreams for my other two brothers, Caleb and Grant, are a little fuzzy at the moment since they have a while until they have to decide which path to take, but I dream that they thrive in everything they do and are happy. The most important dream that I have for all of them, which I am extremely confident that they will fulfill, is that they continue with our Lutheran faith and stay strong in going to church. I have faith that the Lord will guide us in the right direction to fulfill the dreams that we are meant to complete.

 

Analysis

• How your dream is similar to the current dream or the traditional dream?

My dream is similar to the traditional dream because I want to have the same opportunities to become a musician and author than the kid around the block. Just because someone may have more money than I do or come from a more privileged family, I want to still be able to fulfill my dream. It is similar to the current dream because when people are looking for goals that they want to complete, they don’t look halfway and find an easy, simple one to fulfill. People nowadays want to challenge themselves and be extremely successful in everything that they decide to put their mind to.  I am exactly like that. If I start something, I must complete it almost perfectly.

• How is your dream different?

My dream is different because the traditional dream, when it started to be known as the great ‘American Dream,’ seemed as though the immigrants were trying to just get a good job in the “Land of Opportunity.” The traditional American Dream was also based on trying to have equal rights and opportunities no matter your race, social class, or ethnicity. I already have those rights. My dream is also different to the current dream because it seems as though, in the case of my father, that people are deciding to save money now and have a steady job and dream later. I am hoping to fulfill my dream and make that my steady job.

• How do you help and/or hinder your dreams? 

I help my dreams by being successful in everything that I put my mind to from school to music to art to writing to church to volunteering. I hinder my dreams by letting my illnesses take over me until I start to shut down. I also hinder my dreams by deciding to watch a movie instead of practicing piano. (That happened last night… But it was “Barbie Movie Night” at our house. LOL. My brothers and I like to watch Barbie movies together on Mondays. I think it is because there is always a happy ending. …I wonder if my youngest brother also is confused on how the romance between a man and a woman works…  Our mother died when he was two so that may be the case…) That was random…

• What role do you play in helping your dream become a reality?

I must put my all into being successful and forcing myself to practice my instruments. I must also acknowledge that I should take any spare time in my life and put that into my writing. I play the largest role into making my dream a reality. It is up to me to help create my fate.

• Do people in your life play any role in helping your dream become a reality?

Numerous people in my life play a role in helping my dream become a reality. My father pays for my music lessons, and him loving to write, is a huge mentor for my love of writing as well. My music teachers strongly want me to continue with music for the rest of my life and make it my career. My brothers, especially the middle one, Caleb, help push me to continue to practice my instruments and complete my many other activities and chores in my life. I have this never-leaving feeling that I have to be the best role model for them and never let them down. After the many years of being sick and being absent from school too often, I feel that I have let them down, and I need to pick back up the pieces from before I became sick and make sure that I don’t fall apart again. My grandparents, especially my father’s mother, are a huge element in my quest for fulfilling my dream. My grandmother plays piano, and her mother was a top-notch, concert pianist. My grandma regrets that she stopped playing obediently when she was younger, and now that I have the talent that she saw in her mother, she isn’t going to let me waste it. The people at my church also want the best for me, and knowing that I am a great musician and writer, they push me to play in church and continue practicing.

Interpretation

• Is the American dream alive or dead?  Why do you think that is?  Does the American Dream’s evolving quality help keep it alive over generations?   How?

I think the American Dream is alive, it is just evolving. I think that it is alive and changing because the way we are living is changing. The American Dream will probably be alive for many, many more years. There is always that desire in a human being to become successful and do what we think will bring pleasure to us. 

  

Conclusion

• Do generations share similar dreams?  What are the common threads of dreams among all generations of Americans?  Which threads do you share and which unique ideas do you bring to the American Dream?    

 Generations can have similar dreams. My father wants to be an actor. My brothers and I are also in the Fine Arts and want to find a career in that. A common thread of dreams among all generations is to be able to find a good job and find a family even though we do not all come from the same background. I also want to have a successful job. A unique thing about my dream is that the two things that I want to be, musician and writer, seem like they have a sea of differences between each other. My dream may not happen at the same time, but I intend to complete it.

American Dream - Reflection

1. What is the American Dream?

     The American Dream is the dream that everyone will get the same opportunities for success and achievement. It doesn't mean that everyone will be extremely rich, but it means that everyone will find spiritual happiness and be content with the state that they're in. The American Dream started with the foundation of the United States in 1776 promoting itself as a nation of liberty and prosperity and especially gained appeal to immigrants when they started to move to America in the 19th century. The American Dream was popular in the Civil Rights Movement when African-Americans were trying to get the same rights as White Americans. They emphasized on the fact that no matter the person's circumstances of birth, social class, race, gender, or ethnicity, everyone should get equal rights and the same opportunities to follow their American Dream.

2. Is the American Dream the same for all Americans?

     No, the American Dream is not the same for all Americans because everyone has different goals. But when looking at the general term as everyone getting the same opportunities for success, everyone's American Dream can be similar in that way. For example, the American Dream for an Irish farmer is to find good land to farm in America while a German immigrant wants to find a good job in New York City. They both want to be able to obtain that dream, but their dreams are different.

3. Why is the idea of the American Dream so hard to define?

    The idea of the American Dream is so hard to define because everyone's dream and opinion on what the American Dream means is different amongst almost everyone. Everyone wants to follow their dream and accomplish that certain goal. I don't want to be a professional soccer player and be content and happy with what I'm doing, but maybe my classmate right next to me wants to be. The American Dream can be defined as the hope that everyone gets to obtain that dream, but it cannot be specifically defined.

4. In what ways has the American Dream remained the same and how has it become different in modern times?

    The ways that the American Dream has remained the same are that people are still able to find spiritual happiness and find opportunities alike to everyone else. It has changed in the past few decades by giving the African-Americans and other minorities the same rights as White Americans. It has also changed because, recently, we have been in an economic status of recession, making it hard for people to follow their dreams without knowing where it will lead them money-wise. In these times, instead of following our American Dreams, we are barely getting enough money to pay the bills.

5. With the current economic status of recession that we are experiencing, how could that affect the American Dream?

     The economic status of recession could affect the American Dream by not giving everyone the opportunity of being successful. It is hard to find a job right now, and without money, a person will go into debt and not be able to attain anything. People could also be employed, but they are not in their "dream job." For example, my dad works at Nationwide, but he is a very talented actor and would love to make a good amount of money from acting. I am sure that that is his American Dream, but in these times of economic crisis, it is extremely hard for anyone to quit their job and follow their passion, not knowing where it will lead them.

6. What is your American Dream?

     Hmm.. What is my American Dream? My dream is to become a successful author and musician. Maybe even do art (Painting, drawing, sculptures, etc.)... But in these times of economic struggle, that seems highly unrealistic. If I could be successful in any of my passions, that would be my American Dream. If it would have to come down to being a gymnastics coach, so be it. My American Dream is to be able to support my future family, strongly stay in touch with my brothers, father, and close relatives, be able to go to church every Sunday, and do what I love: Music, writing, art, volunteering... Will I get the opportunity?

American Dream - Pleasantville

Pleasantville Reflection

1. What is idyllic or ideal about living in Pleasantville?

     The idyllic things about living in Pleasantville include a perfect, large breakfast; perfectly cleaned house; appropriate, clean clothing; great, easy schooling; and firemen saving cats from trees. Pleasantville is the perfect town. Everything in Pleasantville is the “ideal,” or perfect, world that we picture today. The basketball team is undefeated and never misses any baskets... except when Bud tells Skip that his sister, Mary Sue, may not want to go out with him... Changing the outcome of the episode may start to change things in the town...

2.  What are the immediate differences that strike David and Jennifer between their lives in contemporary American surburbia and the idyllic American life in the 1950s as portrayed in the TV soap Pleasantville?

       There are many differences between these two times. Originally, in Pleasantville, there are no fires, nothing known about sexual activity, and blank books. The people are completely naive and innocent. They don’t know that much compared to what we know in our world and time mostly because there is no negativity and violence. In the beginning of the movie, the teachers in the 90s are talking about global warming, famine, and other negative things that are occurring in our world. So in all, the people in Pleasantville only know what they need to know, according to us, while our contemporary world is filled with vulgar ways but more knowledge on other things. According to Jennifer, the 50s life, at first, is bland and boring compared to her “normal” life when she could slack off at school and smoke cigarettes.

3.  What examples of conformity are shown?

     Some examples of conformity include everything at the same time and in the same way, and everything is in black and white. Everyone is at school on time, they wear appropriate clothing, they learn everything perfectly, and they listen to the teachers. The woman makes the food at the correct time and makes dinner while everyone gets home on time to eat. Everyone is on time and learning everything perfectly in Pleasantville.

4. In what ways do teenagers currently conform?

      Teenagers currently conform by letting their peers pressure them into doing things. Teenagers conform by what they think is “cool” or the right thing to do or the right way to be. There are many examples of social conformity amongst everyone in our world. For example, teenagers want to own iPods, designer clothing, a car, and listen to the “right” music just because they want to fit in and think that it is the right way to be.

5. When the characters turn into color, what is that symbolizing?

      When the characters turn into color, it is symbolizing how the people are learning new things and having their eyes opened. They are making decisions for themselves and changing the “status quo.” They are learning that they don’t have to conform to a certain way. Jennifer and David are teaching the people of Pleasantville the knowledge of their world in their time. But how would they turn to color since they know what they are teaching the people, you may ask? Jennifer turned to color when her eyes were being opened that books and studying may be interesting, and she turned down a night with her boyfriend. It took David a little longer to turn to color. He had always wanted to live in the perfect town of Pleasantville that he didn’t change to color until he punched a boy in order to protect his mother, the first act of violence in Pleasantville.

6.  What do the people in black, white, and grey think of people who are in color?

      When I first thought of how the people in black and white looked at the people in color it reminded me of the poor treatment of African Americans by the whites and the Civil Rights Movement. The people in black, white, and grey believed that they are superior to the people in color and that their way is the right way.

7. Does that change by the end of the film? Why?

  

    Yes, this changes by the end of the film because they realize, because of Bud/David, that the “colorful” feelings are in all of them. They learn that being colorful means being free. They accept that and become colorful themselves.