American Dream Essay Example for Free

American Dream Essay The idea of dreams is integral to the main protagonists throughout The Bell Jar and Death of a Salesman. These ideas stem from the concept known as the American Dream, which is the belief that with enough work anyone can be what they want to be. The American Dream can often be related to the term Manifest Destiny, which is the belief in Americas mission in the world and can often be related to expanding their control over land. There are different types of American Dreams in the texts. These include Material, academic, 19th Century (outdoors), 20th Century (business) and Happiness, which the authors use to give us an inside look into the characters. The concept of the American Dream is presented in Plaths The Bell Jar in a similar way to Millers Death of a Salesman, when Plath states, look at what can happen in this country suggesting that the American Dream is a predominant thought in the American minds. In contrast to Millers main character, Willy, that foolishly follows the American Dream, the main character of The Bell Jar, Esther, does not believe this to be true and fights against the current of mainstream ideas and belief that if you work hard enough you can achieve anything. This is represented in the character, Doreen who is successful for just being beautiful, showing the shallowness of society. The American Dream is shown in Millers Death of a Salesman through characters such as Ben. Ben is the exemplary man with the American Dream; Miller writes that he walked out into the jungle and that when he came out he was rich. This belief that the American Dream can happen to anybody eventually drives his brother Willy to the tragic heroism of his suicide. This is a very depressing view and one that a lot of people can relate to, that the concept of the American Dream has a base of lies, deceit and luck such as Ben who ended up in Africa which then later made him rich. Although they both have differing attitudes toward the American Dream they both seek to achieve their own goals in a different manner. Willy is much more of a protagonist; he talks about being successful and how he will take action in the morning. On the other hand Esther is more pro-active in the pursuit of her dream as she is very academically successful and has never answered one test question wrong. Both of these approaches to seeking their dreams give us an insight into how the characters should have followed their dream and where their mistakes were, such as with Willy who often reminisces that he should have gone with Ben to the mines. Willy is so disillusioned that he will do anything in order to help Biff and Happy to achieve their dreams, which is the main factor in Willys suicide. We also get a sense of selfishness from this act of disillusionment as Willy seems to use his sons as an excuse for him to commit this act he has been clinging onto the American Dream so tightly that it became a veil over his eyes that left him blind to see he has the wrong dreams. Plath often uses the happiness dream in conjunction with the academic and material dreams to contrast with each other and to explore what the American Dream is and how to achieve it. We see this when Esther fed her clothes into the night wind which is Plath showing the reader that in order for Esther to achieve her happiness dream she does not need material objects. Plath uses techniques such as interior monologues to give us the deep feeling of failure residing in Esther and this gives us the impression that we should follow our own dream, instead of following a fake dream. While in contrast Miller uses the 19th and 20th century dreams in order to explore what the American Dream really is and how to achieve it. We can see this when Biff asks, Why am I trying to become what I dont want to be and states he desires to be outdoors with his shirt off for him to build a future. Biff represents freedom from the shackles of society, often breaking the convention, such as committing crimes in order to rebel. These explorations of the American Dream are very different in the way they are presented but both lead to the same conclusion, which is that you need to do more than strive and talk about your dreams, but act upon them, which both characters try, but evidently fail. Both writers look to expose the myth of the American Dream and the harsh reality within the characters of the respective texts. This idea is shown predominantly through the main characters, Willy and Esther, who are complete opposites in this view. Miller portrays Willy as the average low-middle class American who only has the hope of the dream to cling to and keep him going, this is why Willy doesnt understand the true meaning of the American Dream, as he himself has fallen into the cast to what he thinks society wants him to be. This is evident when he exaggerates; it is his way of following the American dream. He talks about how popular he is and how his funeral will be massive, whereas in reality he is unknown. His dream is to be rich and famous and to an extent he fools himself into believing this, such as when he talks about how he sold five hundred in Providence but then realises that he only sold two hundred gross on the whole trip. This gives us a sense of tragedy, that no matter how hard he tries to provide for his family, he is destined to fail, which Miller hints at with the attempted suicide with the rubber tube. However, Plath portrays Esther as a bright young women, who has the opportunity of living the American Dream but she can see through the illusion of what society thinks she should be. When she has her photo taken, she has to hold a fake rose and the rose doesnt represent her as a person or what she aspires to be, which is the point that Plath explores with regards to the American Dream in The Bell Jar. Plath and Miller use very different techniques to represent the American Dream. This is due to the texts being of different styles; one is a novel and the other a play. That said they do share some similarities, such as non-linear narratives to give us an insight into the key themes. The techniques used give different insights into the individual thoughts of the American Dream. One technique used by Plath is the interior monologue, which gives us the intimate thoughts of Esther and what she thinks of the world around her. Plath uses this technique to show her thoughts about the American Dream, as though they are her own thoughts represented in Esther. This gives us a very powerful opinion on the American Dream, as it is an opinion that is close to what we may also think from reading the novel. However Miller uses the flash-back technique in order to show where the idea of the American Dream originates and Willy and Esther perceive it this way. This form of stream-of-consciousness gives us a clear-cut view into what the character perceives and can often help us to understand of why the characters act as they do. One way that both authors explore the concept of the American Dream is by how the characters can achieve their individual dreams; this often leads to pressure to pursue the wrong dream. This is present in a lot of the characters in both texts such as Biff, who is the only realistic one in the Loman family. He realises his boundaries and abilities but in spite of this he still attempts to make a businessman out of himself though it is not what he wants, which he shows when he says, Why am I trying to become what I dont want to be. He also informs us that Willy has all the wrong dreams. This idea of becoming a successful businessman is a carbon copy of Willys dreams, pressed onto Biff. Though Biff, unlike Willy, doesnt procrastinate, everything for Willy is done in the morning and this is the main reason why he is unsuccessful, he talks instead of taking action as we are shown when Charley says that Bernards gonna do it instead of saying it, which Willy seems to admire. On the other hand Esther is the opposite of Willy; she is academically successful, more popular and has the chance to grasp the American Dream. Esther says I was supposed to be having the time of my life but the only problem with Esthers dream is that society wants her to be something else and this pressure is one of the reasons for her latter depression, when she was meant to be happy. When Plath uses the stream-of-consciousness technique we see that Esthers thoughts about the American Dream seem to deteriorate as her mental stability does, not even noticing when she could have potentially had a dream life in the fashion industry saying its somebody else in the magazine photo. Another character that Miller shows is following the wrong dream is Happy. He follows what Willy thinks he should be and he is always looking for his father to notice him, such as when he comments on how he is losing weight. This is an example of following the wrong dream. Happy has fallen prey to trying to make someone else happy by living their dream instead of following his own ambitions, which is the point that Miller explores. Miller has deliberately set up the brothers to have contrasts as we can see within the dreams they possess. Miller also explores the idea that the American Dream is possible if you try; this is in the case of Bernard. Bernard, like Ben, is the prime example of the American Dream coming true. Although he isnt as popular as Biff or Happy, he manages to be an academic and now presents cases in the supreme court, which genuinely shocks Willy as he recognises that Bernards dream has come true. For Willy there is also an air of envy that Bernard has followed the right dream. We see how Willy blindly follows the American Dream and that he doesnt truly understand what it is, he thinks that a personally attractive man will be able to be successful in the world of business. Willys understanding of the American Dream is limited as he believes that superficial qualities such as being liked is all a man needs whereas we are shown that it is hard work and risks that allow men to live the dream, such as Bernard who he often ridiculed for being an anaemic. Another point that shows us Willys little understanding of the American Dream is the metaphor its dark there, but full of diamonds. This metaphor means that through the hardship there will be a reward and is the main notion that drives Willy but it often appears in the form of Ben who reminds him. Ben gives the impression to Willy that he can do it, but also shows us Willys loosening grip to distinguish from reality and dream. The pressure to be something else or something great can have a massive strain on ones being and we can see this through the various suicide attempts by both Willy, with the rubber tube, and Esther with her trying to hang herself. In conclusion, I believe that each text explores the concept of the American Dream in very independent ways that express the opinions of the authors. Miller presents to us ideas such as to achieve the dream you have to be disillusioned which we see in the main protagonist, Willy. The combinations of techniques that Miller uses gives us the impression that nothing good can come out of the American Dream, as if almost hopeless to even have a dream. On the other hand, Plath uses the ideas of isolation being the problem, which we see in Esthers case. Plath uses the ideas of isolation coupled with depression to show the bleakness of striving to achieve a dream, which is a belief that Plath shares. This idea of isolation resonates in both main protagonists and leads back to the notion of society being the problem. Both characters dont fit in with society and are both under strain to be something they do not want to be. This gives us the sense that they are born into the wrong society and this I believe is the point that both authors try to explore, that there is nothing wrong with the characters themselves but it is the world around them that is flawed and through various narrative and stage techniques the authors convey this conclusion successfully. Bibliography Plath. S The Bell Jar Faber (1966) Miller. A Death of a Salesman Heinemann (1949) Dan Clarke

Changing Career Patterns :: Jobs Work Essays

Changing Career Patterns This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under Contract No. ED-99-CO-0013. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Digests may be freely reproduced and are available at http://ericacve.org/fulltext.as Choi Joon Seo, a 31-year-old Korean who worked as regional marketing manager for Nike in Hong Kong, resigned his job so he could pursue his dream of building his own sports marketing company. (Jung et al. 2000) Heidi Miller of Citigroup and Mary Cirillo of Deutsche Bank, two of the most senior women in U.S. banking, resigned their jobs to look for new career challenges in e-commerce. (Currie 2000) Alan Goldstein, in response to his growing interest in computer technology, resigned from his career as trauma surgeon at Kings County Hospital in New York, and, at age 49, formed his own software company. (Mottl 1999) Glenn Gainley, after working his way to vice president in charge of business units at Symbios, Inc., quit his job at age 40 and returned to school to pursue a teaching career. (Black 1999) These examples of career changes reflect a common trend—increased job mobility. The linear career path that once kept people working in the same job, often for the same company, is not the standard career route for today's workers. Today, many workers are pursuing varied career paths that reflect sequential career changes. This set of ongoing changes in career plans, direction, and employers portrays the lifetime progression of work as a composite of experiences. This Digest explores how changing technologies and global competitiveness have led to redefinition of interests, abilities, and work options that influence career development. Influences on Career Mobility Job mobility no longer carries the stigma once associated with job change, although it can be emotionally stressful. Corporate upheavals of the early 1990s and low unemployment rates during the last part of the decade have caused changes in job search and hiring practices. Companies, especially those in technology fields that are in dire need of qualified, skilled, and experienced employees, are driven to recruit workers away from their current employers. Workers, who see job mobility as a way to find work that is appealing, challenging, and offers growth potential, are viewing career change as a way to progress through the uncertainties of the workplace.

Poverty in Philippines

METHODS OF DEVELOPING PARAGRAPHS Description: A paragraph developed by detail, the topic sentence is supported by factual material, either sense impressions or conceptual facts. Almost all writing has some detail in it. The descriptive mode takes the whole (relationship, place, process, etc. ), breaks or divides it into parts or events, and treats each separately. The basic objective of descriptive writing is the depiction of the appearance of people, places, and things. The writer helps recreate for the reader sense impressions (sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste) that have been experienced or observed by the writer.Keep in mind that the purpose of the writing and the audience must be determined: to focus on the writer’s experiences is the expressive aim, to inform or explain information is the expository aim, and to persuade or argue the reader to one side of an issue is the persuasive aim. Narrative: The basic objective of narrative writing is the recreation of a sequenc e of events. The elements of a good narrative are characters, a natural time sequence, plot, dialogue, and a point worth considering. Evaluation: The basis of an evaluative paragraph or essay is to put a value on something (literature, drama, objects, food, wine, movies, etc. To begin an evaluation the writer must first set the criteria on which the object is being judged. Classification: The classification paragraph is usually expository and is a process of grouping terms or ideas that are related in some specific way. Cause/Effect or Effect/Cause ­Usually an analysis mode (or descriptive mode) this process of organizing a paragraph breaks the topic into its parts to establish a cause ­effect relationship among the parts. It carefully scrutinizes the relationship between cause and effect. This method may also be in the narrative mode of chronological order as one sequence follows another.Analysis or Process Analysis ­ This method of developing a paragraph is the process of se parating an object or concept into its parts and then explaining how hey are related to the whole. The functional analysis is usually a sequence of operations or actions by which something is done or made (how to do it). Generally, it is descriptive in mode with a spatial order of development. Example or Illustration ­Examples and illustrations are used in almost all types or modes of writing to help support points that the writer is making.The example paragraph reaches a conclusion (topic sentence) as a result of observing a number of examples and then forms a generalization called induction. One of the most effective ways to support the validity of a conclusion is to relate a few typical examples that led you to such a conclusion in the first place. An example is a specific detail used to attempt to make an abstract idea concrete or a general idea specific. The illustration paragraph is similar to the example paragraph because it, too, is specific in time, place, and action.The main difference is that the illustration paragraph is a story (true or untrue) that supports or develops a main point (the topic sentence). Therefore, an illustration takes the narrative mode and will be in chronological order. When using an illustration to support the validity of a conclusion, make sure that the illustration is concise and to the point, so that the reader does not lose sight of the main idea of the paragraph. The chief value of illustration is its potential to be interesting because all readers like a story.Comparison or Contrast ­ Another method of developing paragraphs is through comparison or contrast. Comparison shows similarities while a contrast shows differences. The main reason for using this method is to explain an unfamiliar object or idea by comparing or contrasting it to a familiar object or idea. The writer may develop the paragraph or essay by first discussion all of one subject and then fully presenting the second subject, or the writer might discu ss one like or different trait with each subject and then move to other characteristics, thus discussing both subjects together.A third method might be to present all of the ways that the subjects are alike and then discuss all of the ways that the subjects are different. Definition ­ A paragraph that is developed by definition answers the question â€Å"What is it? † Usually expository or informational, the definition may be one sentence or extended to be a paragraph, theme, or even a book. It is usually combined with other methods of development. The definition is intended to clarify meaning; thus, it should identify essential qualities and limit the term’s meaning.

The Sexual Orientation Of Parents - 993 Words

The sexual orientation of parents, once having a child, does not negatively affect the development of their children. In order to first be a parent, one must obtain a child. However, in Florida, gay foster parents were not allowed to adopt the children they fostered due to the Gay Adoption Ban (Goldberg). Homosexuals were not legally able to adopt a child at all until the forty year old ban was lifted July, 2015 by Governor Rick Scott (Associated Press). â€Å"Prior to the lifting of the gay adoption ban, female same-sex couples could build their families via DI, as opposed to male couples, whose reproductive options were more limited†¦ surrogacy is very expensive† (Goldberg 117). Adoption is usually a first option for gay couples due to the inability to reproduce through traditional means. The second, and much more expensive options are insemination for women, and surrogacy for men. Without the option of adoption, many gay couples are not able to have the right to raise a child. Furthermore, the difficulties homosexual couples have to acquire a child make it almost impossible to exercise that right. However, once having a child, he or she is cared for just as any other heterosexual couple would care for a child. The development of children raised by homosexual couples is not significantly different from that raised by heterosexual couples. â€Å"Children whose parents are gay or lesbian have no more problems with self-esteem, psychological adjustment, intellectual capacity,Show MoreRelatedThe Sexual Orientation Of Parents Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pages Biblarz, T. J. (2001). (How) does the sexual orientation of parents matter? American Sociological Review, 66(2), 159-183. The goal of this study was to dispute the negative â€Å"heterosexism† perceptions attached to the development of children with parents who identify as gay and lesbian. 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