The American Dream

ESSAY #1

The American Dream

What is the American Dream? Is it a dream that we as a nation have together? Or could it also be a dream that each individual has on its own? In my opinion, everyone has their own American Dream, whether it is to be famous, to have a large family, to end world hunger, or to be wealthy, one’s definition of the American Dream can change lives in a big or small way.

Money. People in today’s world always dream of having money. Money can bring the poorest of people a new life. Even $20 can change someone’s life. Money can bring a new home, a new car, a new hope, and a new life. It can also bring you fame. There have been many celebrities that started from nothing, dreamed of money and fame, and worked their whole life to achieve that dream. When you pass a hobo on the street and spare some time to help, give ten bucks, it could change their life, if they don’t spend it on booze. For example, my dream is to become famous. I dream of living a life of being in front of cameras, being on stage, my name in papers, and my songs on the radios with a Grammy in my hand.

Another dream that American’s have is to have a good education and raise a family. Many women in American dream of raising a happy, healthy, and functional family. For some parents, all they dream is for their kids to get a good college education, and live a successful life.

All Americans everywhere dream of different things. We all don’t just dream for freedom, but also for happiness, a world without hunger, a world without pain and suffering, a world where our kids can live happy lives, and a world where we can have the freedom of having our own American Dream. Grade: C

Comments: Good use of rhetorical questions to open the essay, but it does not have a clear thesis that is supported and explained by the body paragraphs. There are also some errors in grammar and mechanics (i.e. run on sentences).

ESSAY #2

The American Dream

What is the American Dream? Is it a way of life? Is it something anyone can achieve? Sometimes the American Dream is seen as a quest for a better life. It also is seen as a positive outlook on what your life could be and what this country can allow you to achieve while living in this country. Ultimately, a perfect life contains life’s basic necessities, wants and needs that every human thrives for.

From childhood you are taught that the purpose of adulthood is to have a family, friends, and God. As a child you see the world and all you can imagine is being a fireman, a police officer, a nurse, or even a school teacher. Children’s minds are molded into seeing that perfect world where all you want to have is a family, with a few kids, maybe even a cat or dog. Also wanting to be dressed up on Sunday mornings listening to the choir sing those old gospel praises while accompanied by your family in the sanctuary. Even the house with a wrap around porch with a couple acres of land is apart of the uncorrupted view of a child. Also, the neighbors who will be life time friends that you will never have any problems with. All this is what we teach children to believe. As adulthood approaches the way of seeing the world is a little different. The world revolves around the economy, the government, money, and other things that as a child were never presented to us. The company executives who make millions, are what most of the world want to be like. They want to enjoy life’s luxuries: money, houses, cars, and anything they can imagine. But the truth is these executives on average have no family left, no real friends, and have lost any faith they might have once have had. So why do we would want that life?

Striving for the top will probably not get you the American Dream, but trying to become your childhood self, only wanting the basic things in life will bring you that much closer to the American Dream. So what is the American Dream? It is having what really matters in life: family, friends and happiness. Although we sometimes are overwhelmed by the high life, all we need is a house, our family, and a job. And that is what the American Dream is to me.

Grade – B

Comments: The essay starts off well with rhetorical questioning. It contains a thesis (a perfect life), however, it is not very clear. Also, the rest of the essay only vaguely supports this idea. There are also problems with grammar and mechanics (fragments, punctuation, etc.) ESSAY #3

My American Dream

From all different parts of the world, people have immigrated to American with great things in mind. Leaving there home countries for various reasons bringing with them a contrast of items but all possess a dream. I believe that this dream, the American

Dream, is a dream for many things but most commonly to get a better education, to improve current living conditions and for freedom of religion.

A common flaw among many countries is the lack of easily assessable education.

In some countries it is extremely hard for the common person to rise from nothing and make themselves successful even with a wealth of will and perseverance. I believe that is the reason why many people decide to leave there country and immigrate to the United

States. They come looking for better opportunities to become educated and better themselves as an individual.

One of the biggest influences on many people of the world is religion. People go to great lengths and do crazy things for their beliefs. For some it may be all that they have left and others it is just what they have grown up to know to be true but the freedom to choose what you believe is epic in people lives. To be told what to believe and what religion to follow could drive many people to insanity. It is easy to forget that not all people have freedom of religion when you don’t have to worry about it every day but if you stop and think about it, it would be devastating to not be able to choose what you believe.

Living conditions include everything from the roof over your head at night to how safe you feel walking down the street at night. The vast majority of the world has sub-par living conditions compared to the average family in America and many people realize that and want to be able to live in a place with such a high standard of living. I believe the dream in mind for many people immigrating into the United States includes an improvement in there living conditions in some way.

I believe that many people come to America to get away from how they are currently living but I also think that everyone has a dream, a hope, a wish. I believe that the American Dream is a dream for many things but most commonly to get a better education, to improve current living conditions and for freedom of religion. In summary I believe that the American Dream is the dream to search for something that will better your life and improve the life you give to your kids.

Grade – A

Comments – Overall, this is a nice, well-developed and supported essay. The essay has a very clear and concise thesis which mentions the three main areas of focus (education, religion, and living conditions). The body paragraphs then sufficiently explain and support the main ideas. Though one problem is the body paragraphs are not in the same order as mentioned in the thesis statement. The conclusion, while not great, does sufficiently tie everything together. Another problem is with the grammar and punctuation, especially the incorrect use of “there” for “their”.