The American Way of Life Essay - 2786 Words

America is â€Å"considered† to be a land of opportunities, promises, independence, hope, and freedom. Anyone can grow up to be the President of the United States, member of Congress, or even become wealthy. This is possible because all it takes hard work. However, this is nearly â€Å"just a dream† because equality doesn’t exist among everyone. The poor have little to no chance to get richer, while the rich remain rich. As President Woodrow Wilson once said in his New Freedom campaign, â€Å"American enterprise is not free; the man with only a little capital is finding it harder and harder to get into the field, more and more impossible to compete with the big fellow. Why? Because the laws of this country do not prevent the strong from crushing the†¦show more content†¦Many people associate the United States with word â€Å"freedom† yet, it doesn’t exist among everyone. On a daily basis people are judge based on their ethnicity, how you l ook, and what you wear. America is supposed to be â€Å"the† land where individuals can express themselves and be happy without judgment; it is anything, but contradictory to this idea. Americans like to think that material possessions define our position in society. The more â€Å"expensive† materials we have, the higher we are in social class. The American way of life is a notion associated with happiness, but behind the faà §ade there are constant struggles in daily life. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck was able to portray the American way of life in a more realistic way. It tells the story of the Joad family, a group of sharecroppers from Oklahoma, decision to migrate to California in hopes of finding a high-wage job. The Joads were forced from their land because of nature (Dust Bowl) and the economic situation during the 1930s. The lasting effect the Dust Bowl caused was shown in Steinbeck description in chapter one, â€Å"An even blanket covered the earth. It settled on the corn, piled up on the tops of the fence posts, piled up on the wires; it settled on roofs, blanketed the weeds and trees† (Steinbeck, 3). The over cultivation and drought had turned the fertile land into a barren wasteland. The outcome of the situation is if affectedShow MoreRelatedAmerican Way Of Life ( Rudiger ) Essay920 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican way of life (Rudiger). This thought process was common throughout United States society and even propagated by United States officials. â€Å"Among the Allies the Japanese were also known as ‘jackals’ or ‘monkey-men’ or ‘sub-humans’...Personnel of the United States Marine Corps sought to popularize the term Japes (Japs + apes)† (Typecasting pg. 117). This double standard in societal treatment further emphasises the distinct racial bias against the Japanese compared to Anglo-Europeans in AmericaRead MoreRestoring The American Way Of Life1819 Words   |  8 PagesKi mberly Phan Professor Kirby English 1B, section 39 23 September 2014 Restoring what was Lost Much of what many of us consider the American way of life is embedded of a broad shared economic growth, between 1900s and 1979. During that time period, every American from each generation improved than the one from before their time. Even those who had to endure through the Great Depression made up what was lost. By then, America went into an era that economists call the Great Compression, where workersRead MoreAmerican Culture : The People s Way Of Life Essay1747 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Culture When American culture is taken into context, comparatively it appears to be an all-inclusive and liberal culture with respect to cultures in other parts of the world. However, American culture has had its fair share of struggles with ethics and morality. Evidence suggests that the American culture somewhat favors the members who are well placed within it and ignores those, the lower class. The problem of segregating people in according to their status looks like a global phenomenonRead MoreSports And Education : Paving The Way For A New American Life995 Words   |  4 PagesSports Education: Paving the Way for a New American Life in North Carolina With the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865, the â€Å"New South† as the native folks of North Carolina began referring their state by, sought a new way of American lifestyle through the rapid growth and popularity of organized sports. A nation controlled by ideals of the racist white male suppressed the ability of women, the poor, and African Americans to create a prosperous life for themselves. Pamela Grundy is able to beautifullyRead More Native American vs. European Way of Life Essays567 Words   |  3 Pages Native Americans and European Compare/Contrast Essay Europeans lived a much more modern way of life than the primitive lifestyle of Native Americans. Europeans referred to themselves as â€Å"civilized† and regarded Native Americans as â€Å"savage,† â€Å"heathen,† or â€Å"barbarian.† Their interaction provoked by multiple differences led to misunderstanding and sometimes conflict. These two cultures, having been isolated from one another, exhibited an extensive variation in their ideals. EuropeansRead MoreEssay Obesity: Americans Need to Change Their Way of Life 1142 Words   |  5 Pagesobesity rate of 65%, which is 22% higher than the rest of the world (Jamison). This striking statistic is mainly due to the overall way of life of Americans compared to the less spoiled countries around the world. Americans desperately need to change their ways of life so the obesity rate can shrink and the people can become healthier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Far too many Americans are becoming overweight or obese due to their diets and modern lifestyles. Obesity is defined by a persons body mass index (BMI). BMIRead MoreNative Americans : An Independent Country And Many Other Valuable Way Of Life1293 Words   |  6 Pagesslide bye? Throughout this essay I will be sharing with you how Native Americans were living in America before Europeans arrived, how Europeans began to settle the land, how America became an independent country and many other crucial things. Since America has such a rich history, America has a rich story to share. Enjoy. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Native Americans had a very unique way of life. The Native Americans: spoke hundreds of different languages, created thousands of discrete culturesRead MoreTo What Extent Can All My Sons Be Seen as a Criticism of the American Dream and the American Way of Life?1557 Words   |  6 Pages The American Dream was born out of the deprivation of the war and the great depression America went through; measured by affluence, a rise in the accepted standard of living, it was the total opposite to war times.â€Å" Everyman a king. All things even better† In Miller’s play the Keller family are seen to be living the â€Å"American Dream†, yet their ways and means of obtaining this are greatly criticised by Miller. The Keller’s live in an outer-city suburb in a house that â€Å"would have cost perhaps fifteenRead MoreFrank Lloyd Wright s Life, Career, Influences And Impact On The Way We See American Architecture1500 Words   |  6 Pagesworld for his innovative and modern designs. As an architect Wright developed an organic and what became known as a distinctively American style throughout his work. Many believe that Frank Lloyd Wright changed the way we build and and live in the modern world. This essay will examine and evaluate Wrights life, career, influences and impact on the way we see American architecture.   Wright was born on the 8th of June 1867 at the time when America was going through lots of industrial and social changeRead MoreHow Did the Consolidation of the British Empire and Its Consequences Up to 1774 Affect the American Colonist’s Way of Life and Colonial Politics?2112 Words   |  9 Pagesin North America of settlers and puritans in the early seventeenth century; then I will outline what measures Britain took to consolidate the Empire after the treaty of Paris in 1763; and finally, I will discuss how these efforts affected colonial life, and colonial politics. 2. Beginnings The first English settlements in North America were either commercial endeavors, or else religiously motivated. The Virginian proto-planters were financed and thus controlled by English joint-stock companies;