We started this in the discussions in DIWE, but now you can further develop your ideas--especially about the essays or stories that we didn't have enough time to discuss fully.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The American Dream and Social Inequality
Use specific examples from the essays and stories we discussed this week in class to show how social inequality (based on income, gender, and/or race) influences how the American Dream is defined and achieved. You can even speculate on whether or not you think the idea of the American Dream still exists.
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In the story, “One Friday Morning” race has a huge influence on the concept of the American Dream. The main character, Nancy Lee, has set a huge goal for herself to make her dream of getting into a great school possible with the help of an art scholarship. When she is told the scholarship is taken away from her because of her skin color, her dream is completely crushed. If the American Dream was meant to give everyone an equal chance to work up to where they wish to be, then how can race still be an issue? Having an equal starting point is what the American Dream is founded on and in this story, any form of that dream ceases to exist.
ReplyDeleteTHE IDEA OF THE AMERICAN DREAM STILL EXISTS TODAY, BUT HAS BEEN ALTERED DUE TO FOREIGNERS MAKING AN AMERICAN DREAM FOR THEMSELVES. IN THE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER STORY HE BELIVES THAT HE'S MAKING AN AMERCIAN DREAM HAPPEN FOR HIM. SINCE HIS GENDER IS MALE ALONG WITH BEING A LIGHT COLORED PERSON, OUR SOCIETY IS WILLING TO ACCEPT HIM AS ONE OF US, EVEN THOUGH HE IS NOT A TRUE AMERICAN. ARNOLD MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR OTHER FOREIGNERS TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES AND MAKE AN AMERCIAN DREAM.
ReplyDeleteIn "One Friday Morning", like Lisa said, race had a big importance in the story. The girl recieved a scholarship because of her work but had it taken away because of her race. In today's society racism is still alive but its kind of hidden. The American dream still exist...to some. Some people believe that because of their wealth status or class status that they wont be able to achieve their American dream. To others that is motivation to keep them going and to achieve their American dream.
ReplyDeleteIn the story about Arnold Schwarzenegger shows how race and gender inflence the social inequality of the American Dream. Arnold explians how he achieved his American Dream and because of light complection and him being a male made it easier for him to fit in or achieve his goal. To where unlike the little in one Friday morning did not get the chance to achieve her goal because of her race and gender.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the American Dream does still exist today but the ideas of it have evolved into various forms
The idea of the American Dream still exists today but is not as accessible to everyone as it should be. In the short story "One Friday Morning" by Langston Hughes, Nancy Lee is an African American girl who was awarded an art scholarship until the color of her race was involved. Her speech was going to be defending of America. Saying how African Americans can overcome the color of their skin and not everyone is against them; but they just proved her wrong by taking away the art scholarship for that specific reason.
ReplyDeleteIn the essay, "I have a dream", Martin Luther King describes about the racial discrimination and socila injustice in the American society, with the Black.He tells that the the black does not have the same right as the the whites, who enjoy the freedom and liberty. In this essay,he dreams about the America, which is free from racial discrimination and in which all the people have the feeling of brotherhood. He dreams that noone has to feel smaller than the other because of the skin color.American dream aspires people around this world to come to America because of the freedom and the liberty here. In the other essay Arnold's Dream, Arnold describes how he come to America to fulfill his American dream of earning lot of money and getting name and fame. People around the world come to America because of the oppotunity and the freedom.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ashley about how the American Dream is still present but is not accessible to everyone as it should be. She made a good point about the girl in “One Friday Morning” preparing a speech in which she thanked everyone who had made it possible for someone of her race to have an equal chance at pursuing their own dreams. She was highly disappointed when it was taken away from her for the very reason she was thanking everyone for since she had not expected her skin color to be a setback. So the dream still exists on some levels, but on others the dream is hindered by racism in our society, as this story clearly describes.
ReplyDeleteToday, racism is kind of hidden but it is not completely eradicated from the American society. There is still social discrimination and injustice prevalent in the various fields like sports, politics etc. Like in the essay "One Friday Morning",because of her skin color, Nancy Lee had to loose her prize which she had won. This shows the different attitude towards the people in color. In order to achieve the Americna Dream one has to put hands in hands with each other and support each other instead of discriminating each other.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lisa with her idea from "One Friday Morning." The issue of race is evident in this story, and it's such a shame that such a small thing like skin color could ruin dreams. But I think to really show true integrity, you should overcome the odds no matter what obstacles come in the way of your American Dream. If you want something bad enough you should fight for it. The American Dream in "One Friday Morning" in my opinion is crushed because of the small-mindedness of people views on skin color.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chelse I think that the American Dream still does exist but sometimes we just make it our own and don't think about the rest of the people. Like Arnold Shwarzenegger's story he made a difference for everyone out there thinking they couldn't make it in another country. It does make a differece wheather you have colored skin or white skin. The gender is another major factor in how easily is toa acheive the American Dream.
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