What Is The American Dream Essay Example For Students

What Is The American Dream Essay In 1852 when John Henry Newman wrote his essay, â€Å"The Idea of a University,† he wanted to convey that a University’s purpose was to be able to educate first-rate members of the social order. Newman’s theory, although over a hundred years old, still applies to today’s college students; many are seeking higher educations to not only lead to successful careers, but to also become an improved person in society. In a time when human endeavor was being redesigned, as industries, philosophies, and sciences were growing and affecting the world, Newman wrote an essay explaining the ideas and goals for seeking a liberal arts education. We will write a custom essay on What Is The American Dream specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now He states in his thesis that the function of such education, â€Å"is that of training good members of society† (Newman, 1852). Now two questions come to mind about the definition of, â€Å"training,† which Newman proposed. Is it preparation for someone to obtain a lucrative profession? On the other hand, is it guidance for someone to develop into an impacting member in the social community? Newman suggests both. He writes, â€Å"It is the education which gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, and an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in urge them. It teaches him to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a skein of though, to detect what is sophistical, and to discard what is irrelevant. It prepares him to fill any post with credit, and to master any subject with facility. † (Newman, 1852). Thus defining a student who has received his degree and is ready to enter a professional field of work, as not only being prepared to perform the work, but also to carry it out at a higher level than expectations were set to. He is a man well, â€Å"trained,† to overcome any job related obstacles he may encounter. He is at home in any society, he has common ground with every class; he is able to listen; he can ask a question pertinently, and gain a lesson seasonable, when he has nothing to impart himself he is ever ready, yet never in the way; he is a pleasant companion, and a comrade you can depend upon; he knows when to be serious, and when to trifle, and he has a sure tact which enables him to trifle with gracefulness and to be serious with effect. † (Newman, 1852). This establishes an idea that University helps define every individual as a person, and aids in development. To become a personage who can confer with anyone, about any given subject, is one of the aims stated. With those characteristics, one also becomes a friend, a companion that everyone aspires to have by their side. Today’s high school juniors and seniors apply to hundreds of college and universities a year, but why? What is the purpose of higher education in today’s world? Is it to obtain a degree in hopes of establishing a flourishing career, in order to make money and have a successful, content future? Is it to grow as an individual? On the other hand, is it for something as superficial as being able to attend the parties? Young men and women choose to further their education with aspirations of achieving the American Dream. However, the American Dream is a vague outline of what everyone wants to be. It is someone who attains this who is an individual established in a thriving career, and has a loving and caring family. It is someone who is socially fit, who does not have to worry about financial troubles. A person who is a friend of many and disliked by few has come across this dream. Finally, the most significant factor to meeting this goal is that a person is pleased with the way life is. After looking over the mission and vision statements for University of Minnesota, Morehouse College, Evergreen State College, California State University, Thomas Aquinas College, Duquesne University, Drexel University, and Robert Morris College, it seems that the colleges themselves are agreeing with the ideas of Newman. .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .postImageUrl , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:hover , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:visited , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:active { border:0!important; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:active , .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25 .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc023c706b5c3713babc9744960287a25:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Genetically Engineered Food EssayThey are establishing a place, where eager minds can go to advance their learning and to search for truth. The schools I examined all focused on Newman’s idea that â€Å"It is a great point then to enlarge the range of studies which a University professes, even for sake of the students; and, though they cannot pursue every subject which is open to them, they will be the gainers by living among those who represent the whole circle (Newman, 1852). Each college provides a variety of schools for a student to be encompassed by. This endows the student a broader horizon of academic majors to choose from. By being surrounded by a variety of different schools, the student is able to benefit more than someone who is dedicated to only one subject. A college that provides a student with the advantage of being educated in an environment could be the deciding factor on why the student would choose that school over several others. Countless influences go into a person’s decision to attend college. Family plays a considerable role in a child’s decision to obtain further education. It was her fathers stress on education that made Sheena decide to enroll. Family members that helped him realize his goals were attainable through college influenced Andy. Anticipating a family obligation made Carrie seek a liberal arts education. Katie and Greg have both received scholarships for their excellence in track, and football respectively. They hope to be able to combine the competition of sports, and the learning to provide a better education experience. Sean, Dave, and I were brought here by a common interest, a hobby. Our enjoyment and knowledge of computers, along with the aid of a college education, will one day turn a pastime into an enjoyable and highly profitable career. Despite the many reasons of why students decide to attend college, roughly every person has the same rationale as to why they are here. John Henry Newman was able to put it into perspective, and that is to become, â€Å"†¦good members of society† (Newman, 1852). What Is The American Dream Essay Example For Students What Is The American Dream Essay What is the AMERICAN DREAM? I concluded the matter of dreaming about lifes basics wants that are exclusive to North America. The American Dream is the following: Go to college, get a good job, and finally get your own family. If we think about it, the American Dream is indeed a UNIVERSAL DREAM. The concept of the American Dream is created by this value system. The American Dream is intended to be a way of life attainable to all Americans. Whatever maybe the case, the act of trying to escape reality and the result such an act brings, is evident throughout the three novels Jews without money, by Michael Gold, Street Corner Society by William Whyte, and Passing, by Nella Larsen. All three of these books confront the myth of the American Dream. The American Dream can either be a reality or a nightmare depending upon the cultural prejudices and availability of freedom. Individuals who are united through some common bond, which may be religion social status of color, create a group or clas s of people. While individuals are subject to racial prejudices, which often makes up upward mobility not possible. Without equal opportunities to move upwards within society, the American Dream is not attainable. But it is possible in cases where people are willing to sacrifice their heritage culture etc. We will write a custom essay on What Is The American Dream specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Nella Larsen, show us through this novel, that if people want, they can achieve the American Dream, but they would have to pay a price for it. This is especially true of Clare Kendry. Her passing is motivated by her desire to improve the conditions of her socioeconomic life. She is successful in achieving her American Dream, but in the end she does face the consequences of her actions. She manages to rise from being a poor girl to settling down in a well household. Using her white skin color and blond hair as commodities, she escapes the reality of her true character. She gained wealth and respect in the community through marrying an affluent successful white man. But the truth is that she paid the price of passing because she couldnt express who she was and her true identity in the fear of being caught and then left aside abandoned from the whites and the black communities. In her case, her decision to pass was self-initiated. Clare was afraid to face everyone, especially her husban d, with her blackness. When one cannot stand in front of a mirror and except him or herself, that person is bound to be doomed. In Clares case it resulted in her death. So it can be said, that in this case Clare achieved the dream of being accepted into society and a well off rich husband, but in the end she did pay the price for that sacrifice she made. Jews Without Money is a novel of life of Jewish immigrants in the tenements of New York Citys Lower East Side in the early part of this century. Its a day-in-the-life tale of thieves, gangsters and honest folks just trying to get by in a new country. The novel Jews without money by Michael Gold explores the fundamental discrepancy between the American Dream v/s the American Reality due to the warping of poverty. The immigrant Jews step from steerage in search of the American dream and instead find themselves crowded in filthy, roach-ridden tenements, at the mercy of factory owners, and gangsters (the American Reality). Social depression arising due to extreme poverty led to the establishments of ghettos a completely new lifestyle. Thus the fundamental discrepancy between the American Dream v/s the American Reality exists due to the existence of poverty. Poverty seems to be the underlying cause of every misfortune in life, and thus even in their make believe world, everything they vai nly want is due to poverty and nothing else. The novel displays different forms of struggles that immigrants go through in order to escape the reality. Michael Gold wishes to be rich, but he is not able to fulfill his dreams and he believes that the American Dream is a lie. His family is unable to lift itself from the bottom of the ladder and prosper. One of their main struggle, is