The American Dream Analysis

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Jamir Williamson 10/20/14 Literature 242 Professor Bourne-Richardson The Dark Side of the American Dream The American dream is ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows the negative side of the American dream. Dexter the main character wants the American dream so badly he becomes addicted to living and maintaining the fancy lifestyle. Even after getting all the fancy possessions Dexter realizes money can not buy happiness because the best things in life are free. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair shows another negative side of the American dream. Jurgis a poor man moves his family from Lithuania to Chicago expecting to achieve the American dream instead his families life becomes a nightmare of filled with corruption, overworking, poverty, and death. Upton and Fitzgerald are saying that the American dream is not a American reality.…show more content…
Dexter doesn’t start at the complete bottom but is no where he wishes to be. “Some of the caddies were poor as sin and lived in one room houses with a neurasthenic cow in the front yard, but Dexter Green's father owned the second best grocery story in Black Bear the best one was The Hub, patronized by the wealthy people from Sherry Island and Dexter caddied only for pocket money.” Some caddies at the golf course caddied because they are poor, but Dexter was not poor. Dexter also isn't one of wealthy people from Sherry Island." Dexter is most likely middle-class but middle class is not enough for him. He wants to be on wealthy people from Sherry Island status. Sadly, the rest of Winter Dreams is about how in America you can have it all and never truly have what you
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