It s The American Dream - 1802 Words

One Hit Wonder When I was seventeen, I learned how to play the guitar. Naturally, I wanted to get famous. It’s the American dream. I got myself out there by playing at bars, cafes, and anywhere else that would accept a no-name guy. People usually didn’t remember my name or more than at least one song of mine. Sometimes, people would stop me and ask my name. Then they would give a reassuring, â€Å"Oh! That’s right! I remember you from (insert venue here.) You’re gonna go far!† It would give me a smile and a humble feeling. Though there were others that warned me about my decisions. Some would just say, â€Å"Be careful, they take advantage of whatever they can get.† Others gave more haunting descriptions of record labels taking time and youth and innocence from their clients. I was seventeen though, I knew everything. I ignored them all. After performing in small venues for a year with no real progress, I decided to nudge myself a little and get out of my comfort zone. Even as much as I ached to be a household name, I didn’t have the balls to call up a record label and give them my demo. But I forced myself to push the buttons and talk shakily to each deep voice that came on the other line. I drove to each place and gave each one a CD. Now I would wait for a call. But in the weeks that would come, it would appear that I would never get one. In my disappointment, I did what any depressed teenager does: steal their parents’ liquor and get a drunk tattoo. I went to the parlorShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream Is Everyone s Dream1934 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"I think the American Dream is everybody’s dream.† When Ralph Lauren, the corporation, chose this quote from their respective patriarch as the basis for an advertisement in October 2017’s issue of Esquire Maga zine, they were making a bold, blanket statement. They also made an assumption. While this advertisement uses many traditional American stereotypes, portraying a sense of optimism and nostalgia centered around civic nationalism, it makes a mistake in itsit’s overly broad appeals that renderRead MoreThe American Dream s Deterioration1568 Words   |  7 PagesBlock 4 The American Dream’s Deterioration The American dream, an ideal that motivates and entices many. A beautiful yet extremely flawed concept according to Fitzgerald. The idea is that every citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work. However, we will see in The Great Gatsby that no one is truly equal, and as one rises another falls. â€Å"We speak of equality and unlimited possibilities, but in reality both are illusions† (Hearne, 191). The American dream offers hopeRead MoreThe American Dream By The 1970 S Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pages Over time, The American Dream has changed in an innumerable amount of ways. 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MediaRead MoreAmerica s The American Dream1277 Words   |  6 Pagesinterpretations of what the American dream is, but we all can agree that it is a concept that provides us with the hope for a better life. It is a dream of experiencing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To some people, the American dream is about being wealthy, pr acticing liberty, to believe in any religion, and to have better opportunities in life. Throughout history, many immigrants have migrated to America because they want to begin a new life and achieve the American Dream. Many can debateRead MoreThe American Dream Of The 1920 S1881 Words   |  8 Pages1. We are reading a book written in the 1920 s because it has a message that everyone should know. What gives the book longevity is that the message it conveys is very remarkable. 2.People s reaction to world war one was hatred. The country was drawn back in terms of development. 3. in my opinion money doesn t make happiness but it can lead to happiness depending on the person. if the person is really materialistic than money can be their happiness. but if family morals are more important thanRead MoreJim Cullen s The American Dream965 Words   |  4 Pages What is the American Dream? Some describe the American Dream as a two parent family with two kids and a dog living in a home with a white picket fence. Others declare having millions of dollars and a beach home is the ultimate goal. So, what exactly is the American Dream? In the Conservative conference speech â€Å"We Will Be a City upon a Hill†, Ronald Reagan demanded that traditional values defined the American Dream while President Obama argued equality was quintessential. In both presidential speechesRead MoreAmerica s The American Dream1974 Words   |  8 PagesAmerica hoping to achieve the â€Å"American dream.† They see flashy cars, big houses, and expensive iPhones and equate that to fulfilling the faà §ade of the â€Å"American Dream†. What foreigners don’t know is that to fulfill the American Dream simply means to have the opportunity to achieve. America is a country founded on freedom and opportunity, the belief that anything is attainable. A merican media will show expensive cars and luxury homes but fail to publicize the homeless Americans sitting outside of theseRead MoreStephen Crane s American Dream1264 Words   |  6 PagesStephen Crane’s American Dream The American Dream was first defined In 1931 by James Truslow Adams. He described it by writing, â€Å"The American Dream is 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,† in his book entitled Epic of America. He continues to describe, â€Å"that it is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall beRead MoreTruman Capote s The American Dream1928 Words   |  8 PagesThe definition of the American Dream varies from person to person, however, its basic components include a healthy, happy family, a sense of safety and security, and a sufficient amount of money. People from all backgrounds strive to achieve their specific American Dream, however, actually achieving this proves extremely difficult since the nature of the American Dream is often unrealistic, fragile, or elusive. Many artists, authors, and poets use their art to explore or comment on this heavy,